White Earth Nation Tribal Public Health Earns National Accreditation

White Earth Nation Tribal Public Health has achieved national accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB), becoming the first Tribe in Minnesota — and only the ninth Tribe in the nation — to receive this distinction.
    Accreditation may sound technical, but this milestone is really about strengthening how White Earth Nation Tribal Public Health cares for our community every day — from our youngest children to our respected Elders, and the families who hold us all together.
     “Achieving PHAB accreditation is a proud moment for the White Earth Nation,” said Lindsi Darco, Health Director, White Earth Health Division. “It reflects our commitment to accountability, continuous improvement, and honoring our responsibility to care for our relatives. Our community can trust that we are providing strong, culturally rooted Tribal public health services today and for future generations.”
     For many community members, Tribal Public Health is already familiar. It’s the health fairs where families and Elders gather for screenings and resources. It’s WECARE outreach and support for households in need. It’s youth learning through Our Health Is Sacred. It’s access to community gyms and physical activity opportunities that bring families together. It’s diabetes prevention classes and clinics that help relatives manage their health with support and dignity.
     Accreditation strengthens the systems behind those programs — the planning, partnerships, communication, and evaluation that ensure services are coordinated, responsive, and built to last for our families and future generations. “This recognition reflects years of collaboration and shared commitment,” said Cyndy Radstedt, Tribal Public Health Coordinator and Accreditation Coordinator. “Our team, Tribal leadership, Elders, families, and community partners worked together to ensure our work meets national standards while remaining grounded in our culture and responsibility to the community.”
     Most people don’t think about systems when they attend a health fair, stop by the gym, visit a diabetes clinic, or see youth and Elders engaging in wellness activities. They think about their families, their health, and staying well. Accreditation lives quietly behind the scenes — in the planning that makes events run smoothly, in the coordination that connects families to support, and in the partnerships that strengthen diabetes prevention, Indigenous food access, and physical activity promotion.
     It also means Tribal Public Health is continually listening — through community health assessments, conversations with Elders, and ongoing dialogue with families — and adjusting programs to reflect what our people need most. Services are not just created; they are evaluated, improved, and sustained.
     At its core, this work is guided by Anishinaabe teachings. Our Elders remind us that we have always planned for the future and cared for the well-being of our families. Community voice shapes priorities, and cultural values guide how programs are designed and delivered.
​     Accreditation does not change who we are. It strengthens how we carry our responsibility forward — protecting and promoting the health of our families and the White Earth Nation with the next seven generations in mind.
Accreditation is not the finish line. It is a step forward — a way to be healthy together.