Discrimination claimed
Complaint filed against GIMC medical director by employees

The Behavioral Health Department at GIMC recently made a petition to oust GIMC Medical Director Gary Escudero because GIMC has not instituted several traditional programs at the hospital such as a sweat lodge. Currently the Behavioral Health Dept. Staff is filing a class action lawsuit against Escudero. [Photo by Matt Hinshaw/Indendent]

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

GALLUP — An investigation of the Gallup Indian Medical Center's Medical Director Gary Escudero, M.D., is being conducted after 15 employees with the Department of Behavioral Health filed a unanimous formal complaint against him.

In letters addressed to the hospital's acting CEO Bennie Yazzie and CEO Floyd Thompson, the department listed a number of grievances against Escudero which include allegations of racial discrimination by Escudero and cultural insensitivity toward the Native American staff.

The department claims that they have strong evidence that Escudero has continuously implemented institutional racial discrimination; however, BHS staff declined to comment on their letter pending the outcome of the complaint.

According to a letter by the Behavioral Health Services staff written on April 26, the department claims that Escudero does not make revisions to account for cultural differences when considering the treatment of Native American people. Rather than implementing policy and change that falls in line with Native American thinking and methodology, the department states that Escudero focuses on mainstream and dominant culture methods of treatment. The letter states specific examples of alleged prejudice like Escudero "constantly used the words 'those people' when referring to Native American patients."

Escudero declined comment on the letter, but stated that the investigation being conducted is informal, and that it would be inappropriate for him to comment on a pending investigation.

While the department listed a number of complaints against Escudero, the final blow for the department came when he demoted Dr. Joe Stone from the position of Behavioral Health Service Director. Staff with the BHS department emphasized in the letter that his decision was unjust and was motivated in part by racial discrimination.

The reason for Escudero's demotion of Stone was allegedly due to poor productivity, but the department disagreed. The letter expressed strong support for Stone and stated that Escudero's evaluation of Stone did not account for cultural differences.

A primary concern of the department was a memo mandated by Escudero that instructed Stone to cease all contact with outsiders. GIMC policy encourages networking of outside entities, but the department stated in the letter that Escudero is blocking the implementation of important programs, such as alcohol prevention and suicide prevention.

Stone declined comment on the allegations against Escudero.

While other Navajo Area Indian Health Services have begun to utilize traditional practices along with Western medicine, staff stated that GIMC has not moved forward in fully implementing these programs. Though Escudero expresses support for sweat lodge and hogan initiatives headed by the BHS, the letter said he will not approve supplies necessary to conduct ceremonies. The department also alleges that Escudero stated that employees who participate in the Native American Church are not suited for positions with patients.

"Employees are aware of the administrative process at which they can express their concerns," said Jenny Notah, Public Information Officer for the Navajo Area Indian Health Service, when asked about the complaint against Escudero. "We don't have any comments on employee concerns that have been filed at this time."

Warren Treeman, a lawyer based in San Diego, was hired by officials at Indian Health Service headquarters in Rockville, Maryland to conduct what Treeman referred to as a counseling session between BHS and Escudero. He also declined further comment on the investigation. He is scheduled to visit the hospital at the end of June.

"This form of discrimination is very difficult to prove, but can be validated by the lack of these culturally relevant services over the past history of GIMC, evidenced hospital-wide, and is almost unique among IHS hospitals," the letter said.

The fifteen staff members who signed the letter want Stone to be restored to the position of Director for the BHS program and asked that Escudero be mandated to take cultural training if he is to remain the hospital's medical director.