Mobile Unit Schedule Announced for Fall 2011

Prior Lake, MN – This fall the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Mobile Unit will be kept busy providing services to Minnesota residents. In addition to the ongoing collaboration with Scott County, the Mobile Unit will travel to northern Minnesota tribal communities and provide services in the Twin Cities as well. The SMSC announces the upcoming schedule for its Mobile Unit, a combined project of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's Health Department and Mdewakanton Emergency Services.

The SMSC Mobile Unit is both a mobile medical clinic, which provides health screening, mammograms, prevention and education, treatment services, and a mobile incident command center which can be used to handle emergency situations like search and rescue, lost children, Incident Command support, and Medical Support for events.

“We’re happy to be able to provide our Mobile Unit to provide mammograms and other services to people who need them,” said SMSC Chairman Stanley R. Crooks.

Six hundred ninety-six mammograms were performed in 2010 aboard the SMSC Mobile Unit. A total of 2,440 mammograms have been performed aboard the Mobile Unit since operations began in 2007. In addition, 119 well child/lead health screenings, dental services for 309 patients, 165 vision exams, and diabetes management clinics for 65 patients have been held. The Mobile Unit also provides services to SMSC Community members, Native Americans who live in Scott County, and employees during monthly health screening events.

Below is the Fall 2011 Mobile Unit Schedule*:

Scott County Public Health Deployments:

2:00-5:00 p.m.

September 22, Savage Public Library

October 13, Shakopee Russian Church

October 27, Jordan Fairgrounds

November 3, Savage Public Library

November 17, Shakopee Russian Church

December 1, Jordan Fairgrounds

December 15, Savage Public Library

Other Deployments

-September 13-15, Bois Forte Reservation, Mammography

-September 27-29, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Lake Mille Lacs, Mammography

-October 2, Twin Cities Marathon, Minneapolis, Incident Command

-October 4-6, Bug o gah nay shig School, Dental Deployment

-October 12, Indian Health Board, Minneapolis, Mammography

-October 14, United Family Medical, St Paul, Mammography

-October 17, Native American Community Clinic, Minneapolis, Mammography

-October 19, Central Clinic, Minneapolis, Mammography

-October 29, American Diabetes Association Metro Walk, General Mills, Golden Valley, Incident Command

-November 7-10, Grand Portage Band of Chippewa, Grand Portage Reservation, Dental/Vision/Diabetes

For more information about the SMSC Mobile Unit visiting your community, go to http://www.mdfire.org/mobile-unit/multi-functional-smsc-mobile-unit or call SMSC Mobile Unit Coordinator Christine Michael at 952-233-2964. For patients desiring to set up an appointment for services aboard the Mobile Unit on one of the listed days, please contact the clinics directly.

*Schedule subject to change

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The SMSC utilizes its financial resources from gaming and non-gaming enterprises to pay for the internal infrastructure of the Tribe, including but not limited to roads, water and sewer systems, emergency services, and essential services to its Tribal members in education, health, and welfare. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has a charitable giving program which comes from a cultural and social tradition to assist those in need.

Over the past 15 years, the SMSC has donated more than $215.7 million to charitable organizations and Indian Tribes and Native American organizations. The SMSC has also made more than $396 million in loans to other tribes for economic development projects. Since 1996 the SMSC paid more than $7.5 million for shared local road construction projects and an additional $5 million for road projects on the reservation. The SMSC has also paid $12.7 million to local governments for services and another $5 million for other projects.

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Minnesota, is the owner and operator of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Little Six Casino, Mazopiya, Playworks, Dakotah! Sport and Fitness, The Meadows at Mystic Lake, and other enterprises on a reservation south of the Twin Cities.

This press release and other information may be downloaded from the SMSC website at http://www.shakopeedakota.org.