Contest Period: April 5 - 11, 2021 at 11:59 PM ET

During Tribal Public Health Week, we at the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) want to know the ways that you see Tribal Public Health in action every day. This year, we are celebrating how we work together to protect and promote the health of Tribes. Take a snapshot that tells a public health story of how you or your community keeps people healthy and safe and share with us, your friends, and your community!

Like our social media pages (@NIHB1972 on Facebook, @NIHB1 on Twitter and Instagram), post a picture that tells a public health story, tag NIHB, and use the hashtag #ThisisTribalPublicHealth.

Based on content and community engagement, the winner will be chosen by NIHB and announced the week of April 20th. The winner will receive a prize of a $100 Visa gift card!

Attendee registration deadline: Tuesday, April 27, 2021

The National Tribal Public Health Summit (TPHS) is the premier American Indian and Alaska Native specific annual gathering focused on public health policy, systems, and infrastructure. During the TPHS, attendees will learn of and engage in material surrounding best, evidence-based, emerging, and promising practices developed by Tribes for Tribes.

As part of the Summit, the Virtual Exhibit Hall is hosted on the Summit’s virtual platform Pathable, where attendees and visitors can interact with exhibitors and learn more about their organizations, resources, and information. The virtual experience offers exhibitors the opportunity to engage with conference attendees while generating leads more easily than at an in-person conference. For those interested in reserving a virtual booth space, there is still time to register! The deadline to do so is tomorrow, April 9, 2021.

For more information regarding exhibitor registration, attendee registration, the artist marketplace, or becoming an official sponsor, read the latest TPHS Newsletter or visit the TPHS website.

On March 23, 2021, the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) announced that health departments will be able to submit documentation examples from an expanded set of public health programs that highlight population-based interventions within the 10 Essential Public Health Services under the revised Scope of Authority policy. PHAB revised its guidance on documentation that is within PHAB’s scope of authority to include more population-based interventions and services inclusive of activities that are often at the core of health department work, such as the WIC program.

Every first full week of April is National Public Health Week (NPHW), a time to recognize the contributions of public health and highlight issues that are important to improving our nation. This year, President Joseph R. Biden released a proclamation during NPHW to reflect on and call for national efforts to improve community health in the context of COVID-19. 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 those interested in joining the peer learning community, contact Courtney Wheeler, [email protected].

Rolling acceptances

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has a scholarship opportunity available for Tribal infection control officers and health officials to complete online infection control training courses. Scholarship funds can also be used to complete the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiologists (CBIC) certification exam. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. For additional information, contact Carmen Sanders at [email protected]. For the application, read more here.

The Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) at Northern Arizona University (NAU) is hosting a Waste & Response mentorship program to assist Tribes that are struggling with a solid waste management activity. The ITEP Mentorship Program has been incredibly successful in helping a number of Tribes get assistance from other Tribal professionals. Read more here.

Job descriptions are available at www.nihb.org.

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

Rescheduled date: Wednesday, April 14, 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. If you have already received a confirmation email for the previous date of March 31, you do not need to register again. For more information on this webinar please contact Chyna Locklear at [email protected]. Register here.

The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive Services (OCPS) will host a free virtual Tribal Consultation on the use of $5 million from the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations that the IHS has allocated to address Alzheimer’s disease in Indian Country. Read more here.

Thursday, April 15, 2021 from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive Services (OCPS) will host a virtual Tribal Consultation on the use of $5 million in funding for Ending the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Epidemic (EHE): A Plan for America, which was allocated to support work toward the elimination of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) in Indian Country. Read more here.