They are part of an expanding experiment in decentralization, in which about 20 percent of federally recognized tribes in Oklahoma, California, Arizona and elsewhere have been granted permission to take full control of their health care. Profits from the tribe’s casino have helped the 12,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opt out of the troubled U.S. “It doesn’t look like a hospital, and it doesn’t feel like a hospital,” Kristy Nations said on a recent visit to pick up medications at the pharmacy. The hospital’s motto - “Ni hi tsa tse li” or “It belongs to you” - is written in Cherokee syllabary on the wall at the main entrance. Rattlesnake Mountain, which the Cherokee elders say holds ancient healing powers, is visible from most angles. Light pours through large windows and glass ceilings of the Cherokee Indian Hospital onto a fireplace, a waterfall and murals. Lessons from Abroad: How Europeans have tackled opioid addiction and what the U.S.Storm stories – NC Health News works with teens from SE North Carolina to tell their hurricane experiences.Unequal Treatment: Mental health parity in North Carolina.Youth climate stories: Outer Banks edition.When kids’ cries for help become crimes.COVID-19 updates: What’s happening in North Carolina?.