Consortium Tribes
The Indian tribes that founded UIHS have lived in Humboldt and Del Norte counties for hundreds of years. Abandoned by the state, they were left without health care for many years. First incorporated in 1970, UIHS is a tribally owned and governed Indian Health Care Service with a main facility-Potawot-and five sites in outlying areas. In its 42-year history, it has grown from a staff of less than a dozen people to a comprehensive health care of more than 200 employees. It is governed by a Board of Directors that includes Indian community representatives from five different regions and Tribal Government representatives from each of the primary tribes and rancherias.

-
Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria
Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria
The Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe, located South of Eureka, traditionally living on the Mattole and Bear Rivers in the vicinity of Cape Mendocino.
One notable difference between the Mattole and other indigenous people if what is now northwest California is that the men traditionally had facial tatoos (on the forehead), while other local groups traditionally restricted facial tatoos to women.
The Mattole spoke an Athapaskan Language, aboriginal Bear River Villages included Tcalko’, Chilsheck, Selsche’ech, Tlanko, Estakana, and Sehtla.
The tribal headquarters are located in Loleta California.
Tribal Government Representatives
Teresa Ballew
Barry Brenard (Alternate)266 Keisner Road
Loleta, CA 95551
Ph: (707) 733-1900
Fax: (707) 733-1972
Website: http://www.brb-nsn.gov/Chairman: Barry Brenard
Tribal Affiliation: Wiyot, Mattole
-
Big Lagoon Rancheria
Big Lagoon Rancheria
The Big Lagoon Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe of Yurok and Tolowa indians. They are located in Humboldt County and their tribal headquarters is in Arcata, California.
The tribe was first recognized by the US Federal Government on July 10, 1918. The tribe has 24 enrolled members, eight households reside on the reservation.
Their 20 acre reservation is adjacent to Big Lagoon, a beautiful waterway, located 30 miles north of Eureka.
Tribal Government Representatives
Shauana NeyraP.O. Drawer 3060
Trinidad, CA 95570
Ph: (707) 826-2079
Fax: (707) 826-0495Chairman: Virgil Moorehead
Tribal Affiliation: Yurok, Tolowa
-
Blue Lake Rancheria
Blue Lake Rancheria
Blue Lake Rancheria, California
Located in rural Humboldt County, the Blue Lake Rancheria, California (Tribe) is a federally recognized sovereign nation organized under an Indian Reorganization Act Constitution. Established in 1908 within the aboriginal territory of the Wiyot people as a refuge for homeless Indians, in 1958 the Tribe was unlawfully terminated under P.L. 85-671. In 1983, as a result of Tillie Hardwick v. United States, the Tribe was federally reinstated and worked for over two decades to reorganize and reacquire tribal lands.
Today the Tribe operates over 30 government programs, 15 departments (e.g., environmental, utility authority, IT, police, office of emergency services, Tribal Court, public transit), and an array of economic enterprises to provide social services and public safety resources for tribal members and local, regional, state, and federal stakeholders. The Tribe works on a variety of health issues, with a focus on increasing public awareness of the dangerous health impacts of ambient/outdoor air pollution, and supporting community resilience and wellness initiatives.
Tribal Government Representatives
Claudia BrundinP.O. Box 428
Blue Lake, CA 95525
Ph: (707) 668-5101
Fax: (707) 668-4272
Website: http://www.bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov/Chairman: Claudia Brundin
Tribal Affiliation: Wiyot, Yurok, Tolowa
-
Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria
Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria
The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria is a federally recognized tribe located near the City of Trinidad, California.
For thousands of years the Yurok, Wiyot and Tolowa people have lived in the coastal redwood forest region of Northern California. They were fishers, hunters and gatherers who subsisted primarily on salmon, clams, mussels and other ocean fish, as well as deer, elk, and smaller game animals. Assorted berries and tan oak acorns were also food staples. Year-round ceremonies were, and continue to be, central to the Yurok, Wiyot and Tolowa culture bringing families and villages together to give thanks, heal and pray.
Tribal Government Representatives
Joy Sundberg
Ruby Rollings (Alternate)P.O. Box 630
Trinidad, CA 95570
Ph: (707) 677-0211
Fax: (707) 677-3921
Website: http://www.trinidad-rancheria.org/Chairman: Garth Sundberg
Tribal Affiliation: Yurok, Miwok, Tolowa
-
Elk Valley Rancheria
Elk Valley Rancheria
The Tolowa resided in eight villages along or near the coast. There are currently ninety-four tribal members in the Elk Valley Rancheria, a combination of both Tolowa and Yurok Indians.
The Tribe has worked hard to bring prosperity to both the Elk Valley Rancheria, and surrounding region through providing employment opportunities, a wide variety of donations, community support and revenue. Tribal revenues are also invested in college education for tribal members, as well as early education programs for Native American children at the Elk Valley Head Start.
Tribal Government Representatives
John Green
LaWanda Quinnell (Alternate)2332 Howland Hill Road
Crescent City, CA 95531
Ph: (707) 464-4680
Fax: (707) 464-4519
Website: https://www.members.elk-valley.com/Chairman: Dale Miller
Tribal Affiliation: Tolowa
-
Resighini Rancheria
Resighini Rancheria
The Resighini Rancheria is a federally recognized reservation and is located along the south bank of the Klamath River and on the west by Highway 101 bridge and backed up against privately owned land within what is now known as the Yurok Reservation.
We presently have increased our land base; we have five homes, three tribal administration buildings, a tribally owned Gold Bear Casino, a tribally owned Cher-ere Campground and are in the process of other economic development projects.
The tribal headquarters are located in Klamath California.
Tribal Government Representatives
Donald McCoveyP.O. Box 529
Klamath, CA 95548
Ph: (707) 482-2431
Fax: (707) 482-3425
Website: http://resighinirancheria.com/Chairman: Rick Dowd
Tribal Affiliation: Yurok
-
Table Bluff Reservation - Wiyot Tribe
Table Bluff Reservation - Wiyot Tribe
Their traditional homeland ranged from Mad River through Humboldt Bay to the lower Eel River basin. Inland, their territory was heavily forested in ancient redwood. Their stretch of shoreland was mostly sandy, dunes and tidal marsh.
The reservation is 16 miles south of Eureka between Loleta and the South Jetty of Humboldt Bay. Some people of the Wiyot descent are enrolled in the Bear River Rancheria.
Language: Algonquian
The tribal headquarters are located in Loleta California.
Tribal Government Representatives
Cheryl Seidner
Velva Angell (Alternate)1000 Wiyot Road
Loleta, CA 95551
Ph: (707) 733-5055
Fax: (707) 733-5601
Website: http://www.wiyot.us/Chairman: Ted Hernandez
Tribal Affiliation: Wiyot
-
Tolowa Dee-Ni' Nation
Tolowa Dee-Ni' Nation
The Tolowa are a tribe of Native Americans, who still resided in their traditional territories in Northwestern California and southern Oregon. Tolowa are members of the federally recognized Tolowa Dee-Ni’ Nation, Elk Valley Rancheria, Confederated Tribes of Siletz, as well as the unrecognized Tolowa Nation.
The have traditionally spoke the Tolowa language, one of the Athapaskan languages. Their subsistence was oriented around riverine and marine resources and acorns.
Tribal Government Representatives
Denise Padgette
Joseph Giovannetti (Alternate)140 Rowdy Creek Road
Smith River, CA 95567
Ph: (707) 487-9255
Fax: (707) 487-0930
Website: http://www.tolowa-nsn.gov/Chairman: Kara Miller
Tribal Affiliation: Tolowa
-
Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation
Yurok Tribe of the Yurok Reservation
Culturally, our people are known as great fishermen, eelers, basket weavers, canoe makers, storytellers, singers, dancers, healers and strong medicine people.
The Klamath-Trinity River is the lifeline of our people because the majority of the food supply like salmon, sturgeon and candlefish are offered to us from these rivers. Also important to our people are the foods which are offered from the ocean and inland areas such as mussels, seaweed, acorns, deer, elk, berries and teas. These foods are essential to our people health, wellness and religious ceremonies.
Tribal Government Representatives
Laura Borden
Mindy Natt (Alternate)P.O. Box 1027
Klamath, CA 95548
Ph: (707) 482-1350
Fax: (707) 482-1377
Website: http://www.yuroktribe.org/Chairman: Thomas O’Rourke
Tribal Affiliation: Yurok