Balancing the use of Western medicine with Native health practices.

“At our clinic, we balance the use of Western medicine with Native health practices.”— Lyle Ignace, MD, MPH, Executive Director, GLIIHC

Under Dr. Lyle Ignace’s leadership, Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Clinic (GLIIHC) has created the infrastructure necessary to more fully address its clients’ mental and behavioral health needs.

Formerly with the Indian Health Service, Dr. Ignace is an internist and the Executive Director of GLIIHC, which is located in Milwaukee’s South Side. He is also the son of the clinic’s co-founders—Dr. Gerald L. Ignace and Georgianna Ignace—and a member of both the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe of Idaho.

“When I first joined GLIIHC, clients with mental and behavioral health issues were referred elsewhere, and it might take a month or two to identify providers who would accept new patients,” explained Dr. Ignace. “Now we have individuals on call who can assess clients’ mental and behavioral health needs right away.”

Currently, GLIIHC’s staff includes a psychologist, a psychiatric nurse practitioner with prescribing capabilities, an art therapist, and counselors who are specially trained to help clients with behavioral health and substance use disorders. The clinic also employs cultural and spiritual advisers who are well-versed in more traditional approaches to behavioral health.

GLIIHC has achieved a NCQA Behavioral Health Integration Award’.

What this means to you as our patient, is that we have dedicated staff and resources needed to support your mental and physical health care needs under the same roof.

Our integrated/coordinated approach to care includes important screenings and shared treatment plans that involve coordinated, comprehensive care – using evidence-based guidelines.