Learn more about the CDC TAC, including the roster here, and access summaries from past meetings here. The National Indian Health Board contact regarding the CDC TAC is Tyler Dougherty ([email protected]).

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA), and Office of Tribal Government Relations (OTGR), are seeking nominations for qualified candidates to be considered for appointment as a member of the Advisory Committee on Tribal and Indian Affairs. Nominations for membership must be received no later than 5:00 PM ET on June 1, 2021.

For information on membership criteria and required documents, read more here.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for use of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine to include 12-to-15-year-olds. The FDA determined that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine met the criteria for an amended EUA and the potential benefits for adolescents 12 and older outweigh known or potential risks. There were 1,131 adolescent participants who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, and it was demonstrated to be 100% effective in preventing COVID-19. Furthermore, the most common side effects, which typically lasted 1-3 days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, chills, muscle pain, and joint pain. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine should not be given to anyone with a known history of a severe allergic reaction, including anaphylaxis—to any component of the vaccine. Read more here.

CMEs, CNEs, and CPEs can now earn continuing education (CE) with Project Firstline by viewing series of Inside Infection Control episodes that are bundled based on topic. The first course, Introduction to Infection Control and Virus Basics, is now available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Training and Continuing Education Online (TCEO). More courses are scheduled for release over the coming weeks. Access TCEO here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a grant opportunity late last week: DP21-2111 – Closing the Gap with Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans. This grant will fund approximately 20 state, local, Tribal or territorial jurisdictions to develop an implementation-ready social determinants of health (SDOH) accelerator plan. Recipients will convene and coordinate a Leadership Team consisting of multisectoral partners to plan and develop an SDOH accelerator plan to fast-track improvements in health and social outcomes related to chronic health conditions among population groups experiencing health disparities and inequity. At least one territory and one Tribe will be funded. To ensure geographic diversity, no more than three state and local applicants per HHS region will receive awards. Awards will be up to $125,000 with a budget period of 12 months. An informational meeting will be held on May 19, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET. Read more here.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Integration Center is seeking public feedback on six resource typing documents. This national engagement period provides an opportunity for interested parties to comment on the draft documents to ensure they are relevant for all implementing partners. These resource typing documents will facilitate the sharing of deployable resource types at all jurisdictional levels. To provide comments on the drafts, complete the feedback form and submit the form to [email protected] no later than 5:00 PM ET on June 10.

The Administration for Children and Families, Administration for Native Americans announced the availability of Fiscal Year 2021 funds for community-based projects for the Environmental Regulatory Enhancement (ERE) program. The ERE program provides funding for the costs of planning, developing, and implementing programs designed to improve the capability of Tribal governing bodies to regulate environmental quality pursuant to federal and Tribal environmental laws. Read more here and here.

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.

Job descriptions are available at www.nihb.org.

A major concern amongst Tribal communities is ensuring food security which has been amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to this, the Association for Native Americans, an Office of the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), has released a resource guide for Tribal nations. The guide provides information on a variety of federal resources for food security related to children, elders, communities, individuals, and families. Read more here.

In January 2021, the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee (NPTC) had met to discuss treatment guidelines and determine if changes to the National Core Formulary were warranted for several disorders and diseases. Since the Winter 2021 meeting, the NPTC has made a number of updates to its clinical guidance and IHS National Core Formulary, including treatment options for hypoglycemic diabetics. To view the Formulary Briefs, read more here.

The National Indian Health Board is committed to serving Tribal Nations in response to the coronavirus outbreak. We welcome your requests and feedback. Contact Courtney Wheeler at [email protected] or 202-507-4081.

Today! Thursday, May 13, 2021 from 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM ET

Please join Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health for their upcoming Town Hall “Protecting our Communities: COVID-19 Vaccine Considerations in Indian Country” with featured Indigenous physician speakers, Drs. Donald Warne and Sophina Calderon, who are leading experts in the field. Participants may submit questions in advance, either through the registration link or by emailing Anna Sundbo at [email protected]. There will also be additional time during the presentation reserved for live Q&A. Register here.

The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation will host the “Achieving Health Equity – What’s Next?” webinar on Friday, May 21 from 2:00 – 3:15 PM Eastern Time. The COVID-19 pandemic placed a spotlight on the shocking health disparities that American communities of color have endured for decades and underscored the need for change. Mortality rates linked to COVID-19 for Native Americans, Latinos and Black Americans are approximately double those of White Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the nation recovers, health experts are taking a close look at addressing the health inequities that contributed to this situation and ensuring that it does not happen again. For this webinar, the National Indian Health Board's CEO, Stacy A. Bohlen, along with other leaders in public health will discuss key issues that harm health in America’s Indigenous, Black and Latino communities, as well as solutions. Read more here.