About UIWC

 

What is a "consortium"?

A consortium is a cooperation between individuals, agencies, and organizations that have joined together for a common cause.

 
History
 
 The UIWC formed after a 2005 grant effort focusing on depression in the Milwaukee-area American Indian community. The original partners consisted of the Gerald Ignace Indian Health Center, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc., Indian Community School, Spotted Eagle High School/Spotted Eagle Inc., the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Marquette University, and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
 
Mission

To promote the health and well-being of off-reservation American Indian communities by identifying and helping to address their research, service, and training needs.

Vision

To work toward a world of diverse persons joined together in support of sustainable, healthy, and thriving urban American Indian communities by means and in honor of tribal lifeways.

 
Structure 

The UIWC operates under a Steering Committee.  The Committee is open in membership and the UIWC encourages participation from all interested persons.  Currently, the Steering Committee consists of a diverse group of members, some of whom also represent agencies or organizations.  The Steering Committee meets monthly.

Implementation 

The UIWC has set 3 ongoing aims: 

1) Support healing in the urban American Indian community

2) Provide research and service consultation within urban Indian organizations

3) Provide Indigenous-focused training to researchers, practitioners, and the urban American Indian community at large.

To date, the UIWC has consulted on several research studies, provided indigenous-focused training to several groups (e.g. Department of Corrections, UW-Madison School of Medicine), facilitated 3 community dialogues, held a community conference in the fall of 2008, and is actively working on other ongoing projects. 
 
 

Professional Partners Currently Involved with the Consortium

(Academic Partners in Bold)

Gerald Ignace Indian Health Center
 
Great Lakes Intertribal Council/Native American Research Council on Health
 
Indian Community School
 
Indian Summer Festivals 
 
Spotted Eagle, Inc.
 
Tradition Keepers
 
University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health, Collaborative Center for Health Equity

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Department of Educational Psychology 

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, American Indian Student Association