For Pamunkey citizens and families
Addiction Treatment for Pamunkey Indian Tribe Citizens
If you are a citizen of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, IHS may pay for addiction treatment services at Thundermaker Wellness Center in Prescott, Arizona. Thundermaker is a confirmed IHS Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) provider for the Nashville Area, whose Mid Atlantic Service Unit serves the Pamunkey people of King William County.
Your first call goes to the Mid Atlantic Tribal Health Center in Charles City at (804) 622-0011. Ask for Purchased/Referred Care, say you want addiction treatment, and name Thundermaker. Your second call is to us at (928) 531-1930, and from there we work through the authorization with your PRC office.
PRC pays for care that IHS is unable to give at its own facilities. Every request is weighed on eligibility, medical priority, and any other coverage you carry.
We answer your call 24 hours a day.
Who Handles My PRC Request?
The Indian Health Service serves Pamunkey citizens through the Mid Atlantic Service Unit. Its clinic in Charles City, about forty minutes south of the Pamunkey River, is where a Purchased/Referred Care request begins. Behavioral health staff there can also do an assessment if you are unsure what kind of care fits.
- Mid Atlantic Tribal Health Center, 2401 Roxbury Road, Charles City, VA 23030 (opens in new tab)
- Phone (804) 622-0011 or (804) 622-0012
- Weekdays, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Pamunkey Indian Tribe on pamunkey.org (opens in new tab)
The Pamunkey Indian Tribe also has its own Tribal Health Services staff. You can reach the Tribe at (804) 843-2353. Check out the Tribe on this tribal page (opens in new tab) for other resources.
Do I Live in the PRC Delivery Area (PRCDA)?
PRC can only pay for people who live inside the PRC delivery area (PRCDA). Since December 2023, the seven Mid Atlantic tribes, the Pamunkey among them, have shared one combined area that takes in most of Virginia, 16 Maryland counties plus Baltimore City, and 21 North Carolina counties.
Close to home, that means King William County, where the Tribe lives along the Pamunkey River, along with Hanover, New Kent, and Henrico counties and the city of Richmond.
Living outside those lines does not always end the conversation, so check with the PRC office.
How Do I Get Started?
Do these in order. PRC needs to hear from you before treatment starts.
- Call the Mid Atlantic Tribal Health CenterDial (804) 622-0011 and ask for Purchased/Referred Care. Tell them you are a Pamunkey citizen who wants addiction treatment, and ask for Thundermaker Wellness Center by name.
- Call usOur admissions line, (928) 531-1930, is answered day and night. We gather the clinical records and stay in touch with your PRC office until you hear back. Referring staff can ask for Jeri.
- Travel to PrescottOnce PRC says yes, we choose a start date together and help you plan the trip west from King William County. Your first day is for settling in, meeting your counselor, and starting your plan. See how the first day goes.
If it is an emergency, go get care. Afterward, notify your PRC office within 72 hours, or within 30 days if you are 65 or older or have a disability. PRC generally will not cover care it never heard about.
Why Should I Pick Thundermaker for My Treatment and Recovery in Arizona?
Healing often comes easier with real distance between you and the places where drinking or using happened. Away from King William County, the old routines, the people who still use, and the easy access are out of reach, and your full attention can go to recovery. Many people find their footing faster in a new setting, surrounded by other Native people walking the same road.
Thundermaker is Native owned and operated, and our staff includes Native people who have walked this road. Licensed counseling sits beside ceremony, sweat lodge, drum, gardening, and traditional arts in our Cultural and Traditional Program. Your care may include the Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), and individual or family counseling.
If staying in Virginia is the better fit, the Mid Atlantic clinic can talk through options near home. What matters most is that you get care.
Every person who reaches out is welcomed as a relative.
What Do I Need to Bring?
- Pamunkey Indian Tribe enrollment card
- Photo ID
- Proof of your address inside the PRCDA
- Your PRC authorization number
- Prescription medications in their original bottles, with a list of doses
- Court or probation paperwork, if a court is involved
- Clothes that fit the season you are traveling in: summer, fall, or winter
- Toiletries and hygiene products, if you have them. If you do not, that is okay.
Questions People Ask
Does IHS pay for addiction treatment for Pamunkey citizens?
IHS Purchased/Referred Care may pay for addiction treatment services when the Mid Atlantic Service Unit approves it ahead of time.
Where do Pamunkey citizens start a PRC request?
At the Mid Atlantic Tribal Health Center, 2401 Roxbury Road in Charles City, Virginia. Call (804) 622-0011 and ask for Purchased/Referred Care.
Is King William County in the PRCDA?
Yes. King William County is part of the combined Mid Atlantic PRCDA, along with Hanover, New Kent, Henrico, and the city of Richmond.
Can my family call for me?
Yes. A parent, a spouse, a case manager, or a probation officer can call us at (928) 531-1930. The PRC request still runs through the Mid Atlantic clinic.
Is Thundermaker part of the Pamunkey Indian Tribe?
No. Thundermaker Wellness Center is an independent, Native owned and operated treatment center in Prescott, Arizona, and a confirmed IHS PRC provider for the Nashville Area.
Is the phone really answered at night?
Yes. We answer your call at (928) 531-1930 24 hours a day.
Where Do I Start?
Call the Mid Atlantic Tribal Health Center first, then call us. We will walk you through what PRC may cover and how soon you could begin. Email works too: admissions@thundermakerwellness.com.
Sources: IHS Mid Atlantic Service Unit; Federal Register, December 26, 2023; Pamunkey Indian Tribe; IHS Purchased/Referred Care. See also how IHS PRC may pay for addiction treatment and the IHS PRC vendor page.