May 30, 2025
Social Services Team at 17th Annual Children's Mental Health Awareness Day
May 19. 2025
Congratulations to Shari Marcucio, Medical Office Manager of MPTN Tribal Health Services!
Shari was recognized as a Healthcare Hero by the National Indian Health Board with this award presented at the 2024 National Tribal Health Conference. Although she was honored last year, her award was just received this week and we wanted to share her achievement with the community.
Shari was honored with this award that acknowledges her caring way, her dedication, and her expert service to our community members. We commend her for her incredible effort, attention to detail and passion for what she does. It makes all the difference and she’s truly appreciated. Her positive attitude lights up the workplace – KEEP SHINING SHARI!
Thank you to Shari and the entire team at THS – “The Greatest Wealth is Health!”
-Shanna Reels, LCSW, THS and Social Services Director and Setu Vora, MD, Chief Medical Officer
November 16, 2021
Three Sisters: Companion Planting of North American Indigenous Peoples
November 16, 2021
Native Eyes at MPTN
September 13, 2019
MPTN Agriculture Extension Program
In partnership with UConn Extension, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation received a four-year grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) in FY19. The Program is designed to help tribes develop strong foundations in agriculture production, improve food security, and ensure better health.
The FRTEP funds programs on reservations and other Tribal jurisdictions that address the unique needs of tribes by providing education and research-based knowledge to those who might not otherwise receive it. The program
helps to strengthen Tribal communities through 4-H and Tribal youth development, agriculture and natural resource management, and entrepreneurship and business development.
Through the program, UConn Extension provides the MPTN with education in state-of-the-art sustainable vegetable and fruit production techniques, which is melded with traditional and historical Tribal methods. In FY19, the MPTN successfully developed greenhouse facilities complete with high tunnels, rototillers, plastic mulch layers, and cold storage for commercial farming. The Tribe also began receiving the expertise of UConn Extension through one-on-one consultation as well as classroom and hands-on training.
With the goal to reduce the risk and incidence of diabetes at Mashantucket, UConn Extension’s Nutrition Team also works with the Tribal Health Department to deliver educational programming in healthy eating and diabetes prevention using classroom education, as well as hands-on learning in the selection and preparation of healthy food and exercise through gardening.
Tribal Youth are included in all aspects of the program with the expectation that several youth will one day develop major roles in the agricultural business. Youth and adults are also learning about Mashantucket Pequot agricultural history and how to successfully integrate traditional practices into today’s modern sustainable agriculture.
*Excerpted from a UConn Extension article from September 13, 2019, by Stacey Stearns and Shuresh Ghimire
The FRTEP funds programs on reservations and other Tribal jurisdictions that address the unique needs of tribes by providing education and research-based knowledge to those who might not otherwise receive it. The program
helps to strengthen Tribal communities through 4-H and Tribal youth development, agriculture and natural resource management, and entrepreneurship and business development.
Through the program, UConn Extension provides the MPTN with education in state-of-the-art sustainable vegetable and fruit production techniques, which is melded with traditional and historical Tribal methods. In FY19, the MPTN successfully developed greenhouse facilities complete with high tunnels, rototillers, plastic mulch layers, and cold storage for commercial farming. The Tribe also began receiving the expertise of UConn Extension through one-on-one consultation as well as classroom and hands-on training.
With the goal to reduce the risk and incidence of diabetes at Mashantucket, UConn Extension’s Nutrition Team also works with the Tribal Health Department to deliver educational programming in healthy eating and diabetes prevention using classroom education, as well as hands-on learning in the selection and preparation of healthy food and exercise through gardening.
Tribal Youth are included in all aspects of the program with the expectation that several youth will one day develop major roles in the agricultural business. Youth and adults are also learning about Mashantucket Pequot agricultural history and how to successfully integrate traditional practices into today’s modern sustainable agriculture.
*Excerpted from a UConn Extension article from September 13, 2019, by Stacey Stearns and Shuresh Ghimire
