Highest-ranking DPHHS tribal relations official steps down: 'We need that person there'

As the state prepares to roll out significant changes to Medicaid, which covers roughly 40,000 Native Americans in Montana, the person tasked with helping tribes navigate health department programs has stepped down from her role.

Stephanie Iron Shooter, previously the director of the Office of American Indian Health at the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, resigned quietly. Her last day on the job was Sept. 2.

Native Americans in Montana experience higher rates of chronic illnesses, heart disease and mental health disorders, largely driven by generations of systemic marginalization. Relegated to reservations where resources are sparse, Native communities rely heavily on programs administered by DPHHS to help close those disparities.

Created in 2015, the Office of