Earlier this week, Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) was confirmed as Interior Secretary following 51-40 Senate vote. As a member of the Laguna Pueblo Tribe, Rep. Haaland is the first Native American cabinet secretary in American history.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) congratulates Rep. Deb Haaland on her confirmation as Secretary of the Interior! Read NIHB's Board of Directors Chairman William "Bill" Smith's and CEO Stacy A. Bohlen's statements here.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy is actively recruiting Tribal leaders to fill multiple vacancies for the Tribal Technical Advisory Committee. These positions include the At-Large Delegate and Delegates for the following regions:

Nomination packages must be submitted to the SAMHSA Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy and include a nomination letter and/or resolution from an area health board, or Tribe, as applicable. The nomination letter and/or resolution is/are an endorsement of the Tribal government official and is to be accompanied by a biography of the nominee. 

Proposals due Monday, May 10, 2021

The National Rural Transit Assistance Program (NRTAP) has announced their Community Rides Grant Program request for proposals (RFP). Current recipients and subrecipients of FTA’s Formula Grants for Rural Areas (Section 5311) program have the opportunity to apply for these grants of up to $100,000 for projects that develop or strengthen transportation partnerships that improve social determinants of health in rural and Tribal communities. FTA’s Tribal Transit Program (TTP) grantees are also eligible, as TTP is a set-aside from the FTA Section 5311 Rural program. Two informational webinars are also scheduled on March 23 and April 15 to provide an overview of the RFP. Read more here.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support emergency-based infrastructure for Indian Country. American Indians and Alaska Natives have increased vulnerability to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases due to a lack of resources, public health emergency planning and response infrastructure intended to control outbreaks, and the complexity around jurisdictions, as well as lack of understanding among partners working with Tribes. Through this initiative, NIHB will assist Tribes with public health capacity building and training activities that engage public health and healthcare professionals and vulnerable populations to increase their ability to prevent and control outbreaks. A vital activity to aid in building capacity is creating peer learning community networks. Read more here.

For interest in creating a peer learning community contact Courtney Wheeler, [email protected].

2021 National Tribal Public Health Summit: Call for Abstracts Open

Every year the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) brings together public health practitioners, researchers, and policy experts to allow for conversation, mobilization, and strategy. This year is no different despite COVID-19. In fact, COVID-19 has made our work even more urgent and vital. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated, for all to see, the critical underfunding of the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the importance of improving Tribal public health infrastructure. We invite you to join us virtually, present your work, and kick off these important explorations. To submit an abstract for our 2021 National Tribal Public Health Summit, read more here. To register, read more here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced a request for applications (RFA) funding opportunity to support secondary prevention of childhood lead poisoning through the core public health functions of assurance and assessment, as well as primary prevention through targeted, population-based policy interventions focusing on community-based approaches. Read more here.

Job descriptions are available at www.nihb.org.

The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) has just released a Special Edition report – COVID-19 and Brain Health: The Global Council on Brain Health’s Recommendations on What to Do Now. This new report explores the developing science on the direct impacts of coronavirus on the brain as well as indirect effects on mental well-being due to social isolation. The GCBH provides ten recommendations for protecting the brain health of adults age 50+ years and highlights eleven areas for research on the negative effects of COVID-19 on people living with dementia and their caregivers. Read more here.

The National Indian Health Board is committed to serving Tribal Nations in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Visit our COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center for more information and resources.

Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for a Tribal Infection Control Learning Community (TICLC) webinar: Infection Control Considerations for Dental Clinics Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. This webinar will provide an overview of the best practices for dental settings and implementing infection prevention and control (IPC) measures to protect dental staff. The discussion will focus on safety precautions and understanding how to safely re-open dental practices after COVID vaccination. Register here.

Friday, March 19, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting an important All Tribes Call on COVID-19 Vaccines to open up discussion around challenges and best practices of the Covid vaccine rollout for Indian Health Service facilities and Tribal clinics. NIHB invites Tribal leaders, Tribal health administrators, Tribal public health staff, Tribal advocates, stakeholders, and citizens to share with their peers the experiences and best approaches to getting community members vaccinated over the last few months. Information gathered will inform NIHB's ongoing advocacy and awareness efforts. Read more here.

The National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is a week-long National Health Observance highlighting science-based facts about how drug and alcohol affect the brain and body. This event is coordinated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and have generated activity ideas and resources that will amplify individuals’ effort for virtual or socially distant activities. Read more here.

Tuesday - Thursday, March 23-25, 2021 from 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM ET

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) will be hosting formal consultation events with Tribal leaders to examine how Federal drug policies can better support the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities. The separate events are categorized based on geographical regions as followed:

The Centers fr Medicare and Medicaid Services is hosting a webinar to discuss the benefits of traditional Alaska Native foods. During this webinar, participants will discuss best practices used to create Alaska Native traditional food programs, learn where to connect with like-minded groups and build relationships based on a deep-rooted belief that food is medicine, and learn how to use traditional food resources to create community-specific resources. Questions for presenters can be submitted before the webinar by emailing [email protected]. Register here.

Friday, March 26, 2021 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for a Climate and Health Learning Community Webinar titled “Understanding President Biden’s Climate Change Executive Orders in Indian Country”. This webinar will discuss the two executive orders (EO 13990 and EO 14008) regarding climate change and environmental health, and what the orders mean in the context of Tribal climate improvement efforts. Register here.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting a second webinar in a 3-part series on intimate partner violence (IPV), specifically focusing on teen dating violence (TDV) in Native Youth. Guest Speaker, Jovita Belgarde, is a Native Youth Program Coordinator at the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW) and will provide information on TDV in Indian Country, as well as the prevention programming that has been implemented at CSVANW. The webinar is recommended for behavioral health professionals, public health professionals, youth leaders, education staff, and those working with American Indian and Alaska Native youth. For more information on this webinar please contact Chyna Locklear at [email protected]. Register here.

Thursdays, April 8-29, 2021 from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is presenting a special four-part series for Community Health Representatives starting April 8th at 3pm Eastern Time. The webinar series is for non-clinical staff in key positions of behavioral and community health care, focusing on critical updates for HIV, Hepatitis C, Substance Use Disorder, and 2SLGBTQ health services. The four-session program offers a free collaborative to continue learning, knowledge sharing and support in your work.

Speakers: Janet Cifuentes, PharmD, Heather Huentelman, PharmD, Jessica Rienstra, BSN, RN and Rick Haverkate, MPH

The Pala Band of Mission Indian’s Tribal Climate Health Project is hosting an interactive three-part webinar series to help arm Tribal-serving professionals with knowledge and skills to build psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual resilience in communities before the next emergency hits. Join peers and expert speakers to discuss emerging research, innovative perspectives, and actionable strategies. Webinars will be on April 21, May 19, and June 16, 2021. Register here.