Sanford To Hire Two Native American Healers

The country's largest rural, nonprofit hospital system is hiring two traditional Native American healers to train medical staff in the Dakotas and Minnesota.

Sanford Health says the healers will not perform traditional healing ceremonies in the hospital but rather consult with staff about cultural issues in an effort to better serve the Native American patient population.

Read Sulik is the senior vice president for Behavioral Health Services at Sanford. He says the healers will be knowledgeable in Lakota/Dakota and Ojibwe beliefs.

The healers are being hired as part of a three-year, $12 million Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services award.

In addition to the healers, the health system is hiring a cultural and diversity specialist to understand and serve patients from a variety of cultural backgrounds.