Seattle Indian Health Board is a community health center that provides health and human services to its patients, while specializing in the care of Native people. We are recognized as a leader in the promotion of health improvement for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives, locally and nationally.

Today, Seattle Indian Health Board operates two sites and is in the process of opening two more. In 2020, we served over 4,600 patients, more than 60% of whom identified as American Indian and/or Alaska Native.

Seattle Indian Health Board opened its doors to the community in 1970. In the 1960s, Native activists refused to let urban Indians go unseen and ignored any longer, which inspired the formation of a number of Native organizations, including Seattle Indian Health Board. For the first time, urban Indians in Seattle had access to healthcare and services by organizations that were operated by Native people, for Native people.

“It will be us, the Native people, who will ensure that we have the services and care needed to live healthy and happy lives.”

Esther Lucero (Diné), President and CEO

Rooted in Indigenous Knowledge

Guided by our traditional beliefs and practices, Seattle Indian Health Board has a unique approach to healthcare based in Indigenous knowledge. This allows us to approach medicine through a holistic system of care, which, for thousands of years, ensured that the mind, body, and spirit were cared for equally.

With Traditional Medicine at the center of everything we do, we are successful by

1. Providing health and human services to all Native people in the King County region.
2. Investing in the American Indian and Alaska Native workforce.
3. Supporting the health and well-being of urban Indian communities through information, scientific inquiry, and technology.
4. Valuing the health outcomes of all Native people by protecting the federal trust responsibility through advocacy.

Health and Human Services

Though we primarily serve American Indians and Alaska Natives, we welcome all into our home and serve all of our relatives in the Native way.

With doctors, nurses, and staff from various cultural and educational backgrounds, Seattle Indian Heath Board’s medical team is equipped to provide integrated care in a comfortable environment for relatives of all ages.

We educate on preventative care and work with relatives to develop health plans to address physical, mental, and behavioral issues in a culturally attuned way.

Data Research

As a division of Seattle Indian Health Board, Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) is the only Tribal Epidemiology Center focused specifically on the nationwide urban American Indian and Alaska Native population.

Funded by the Indian Health Service, UIHI has grown to become essential to the future of data research about urban Indian communities. Through this data research, urban Indian programs can better advocate for critical public and private support using culturally and scientifically rigorous data and community-focused guidance.

By making data research more efficient and accessible, UIHI is informing policy makers, providers, and health advocates about the needs and advances in aiding urban Indians throughout the country as well as identifying solutions to build capacity among all urban Indian health organizations.

“We are decolonizing data by identifying the resiliencies and gaps in our communities and using techniques rooted in Indigenous knowledge to address them.”

Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee), Executive Vice President of Seattle Indian Health Board, Director of Urban Indian Health Institute

Read more about Urban Indian Health Institute

Advocacy

Seattle Indian Health Board was the first urban Indian health program to provide congressional testimony. Our reputation—and decades of experience—has distinguished us as a leader in government affairs and advocacy in healthcare.

Through advocacy, outreach, education, and partnerships with tribes, communities, and government officials, Seattle Indian Health Board ensures that the federal trust responsibility is honored and Native voices are heard when it comes to policies and funding that impact the health of Native people.

“We use a strengths-based approach rooted in Indigenous knowledge to educate and advocate for policies and funding that impact Native people wherever they reside.”

Esther Lucero (Diné), President and CEO

Read more about our Government Affairs Department

Workforce Development

Seattle Indian Health Board seeks to hire the most qualified professionals dedicated to the care of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Over the last five years, our staff has grown by 40% and is over 200 employees with many new positions open! Check out our Job Opportunities, and apply to join our growing team.

Through internships and programs like the Family Medicine Residency, we carry out our obligation to our Elders and past leaders by sharing our knowledge with the next generation of health professionals.

Our Values and Commitments

Eligibility and Accreditation 

Seattle Indian Health Board is a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization incorporated in the State of Washington.

Although some services and programs are offered to eligible Native patients only, most primary care services are available to everyone regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or ability to pay. Seattle Indian Health Board serves all patients and offers discounted fees to those who qualify. We accept most insurances including Medicaid, Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and private insurance.

Seattle Indian Health Board is state-recognized and our ambulatory health care services are nationally accredited through the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). AAAHC recognition signifies that the health care services we provide meet or exceed national standards.

Seattle Indian Health Board also earned multiple Community Health Quality Recognition (CHQR) badges in 2024. CHQR badges recognize health centers that have made notable achievements in the areas of access, quality, health equity, and health information technology.