The TC Energy company behind the Keystone XL oil pipeline project announced yesterday that it has decided to cancel the project after the Biden administration revoked its permit in January. Larry Wright Jr., chairman of the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, states, "On behalf of our Ponca Nation we welcome this long-overdue news and thank all who worked so tirelessly to educate and fight to prevent this from coming to fruition. It's a great day for Mother Earth." Read more here.

National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) new webpage for the Project Firstline (PFL) collaborative has recently launched! The goal of the PFL collaborative is to assist frontline Tribal healthcare workers and infectious control officers in strengthening their knowledge base and improve Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices through the creation of new tools and resources. NIHB is one of many partners in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Project Firstline. NIHB’s new webpage contains IPC resources and useful tools from NIHB, the CDC, and other partner organizations. Visit the website here!

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is conducting its sixth Data Detectives Summer Camp in collaboration with the American Statistical Association, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the University of Maryland’s School of Public Health. The NCHS Data Detectives Camp is Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) summer camp that focuses on teaching statistics to rising 6th and 7th grade students. Camp activities cover statistical concepts to help teach kids to think like a data detective by asking the right questions, collecting needed information, analyzing the data, and determining the answers. The camp will take place through Zoom. There will be two sessions to choose from, 9-11 AM and 1-3 PM ET. There is no fee to register or attend. Read more here.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is providing a funding opportunity under their Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program. The purpose is to maximize the number of children under the age of six that are protected from lead poisoning by identifying and controlling lead-based paint hazards in privately-owned rental or owner-occupied housing populations. Tribes that have an Environmental Protection Agency-authorized lead abatement certification program are among the eligible applicants. Read more here.

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) has recently announced the Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative - Dementia Capability in Indian Country grants. These grants will support and promote the development and implementation of dementia-capable home and community-based service (HCBS) systems in Indian Country. Applicants will develop three-year program that includes dementia-capable supports and services for elders living with dementia and their caregivers as well as dementia education and training of the greater Tribal communities. Read more here.

One of the goals of The National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) Project Firstline: Tribal Infection Prevent and Control Capacity Building Program is to “develop and/or adapt existing materials to inform Tribal health professionals about important components of infection prevention and control (IPC)”. To support this endeavor, NIHB is in the process of compiling current materials and plans which Tribal Health Organizations and Systems currently use or have used. NIHB is seeking assistance with gathering information about existing infection control learning materials and/or infection control response plans. Recognizing that many Tribes and Tribal organizations have set an example in their response through great planning, NIHB requests that anyone willing to share their materials to please contact Carmen Sanders at [email protected].

Those interested are invited to participate in one in-depth interview with NIHB staff on the following topics, including but not limited to:

We expect each interview to last between 45 to 60 minutes, and will be conducted over Zoom or phone. At the end of these sessions NIHB will compile general themes from the additional interviews to inform a white paper that will help guide future CDC injury prevention surveillance activities for AI/AN communities.

If you are interested in participating in an interview, please contact Nina Martin at [email protected] or 202-548-7299!

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 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 joining creating a peer learning community contact Courtney Wheeler, [email protected].

Job descriptions are available at www.nihb.org.

June 1st marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. No matter what the hurricane season outlook predicts, it is important to remember that it only takes one storm to devastate a community. Now is the time to prepare your home and your family. Remember, hurricanes can occur far from the coast, so it is important to know the risks of rain, wind, and flooding where you live. Visit Ready.gov to start your preparedness planning today.

The Indian Health Service (IHS) TeleBehavioral Health Center of Excellence (TBHCE) has added a new course to their on-demand training page titled "Improving Cultural Competency when Serving American Indian/Alaska Natives." This course and a variety of other behavioral health courses with free continuing education credits can be accessed here.

New! COVID-19 Resources

 “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” buttons and stickers -- in both English and Spanish. Read more here.

Summer camps provide American Indian and Alaska Native youth the opportunity to try new activities, develop relationship and social skills, and be physically active.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the recently released Guidance for Operating Youth Camps and provides information on promoting vaccinations for people aged 12 and older, recommendations for camp settings where everyone is fully vaccinated, updated recommendations for mask usage for people who are not fully vaccinated, and the use of layered prevention strategies to help reopen and operate camps safely, while slowing the spread of COVID-19.

For camps that serve older kids where everyone is fully vaccinated prior to the start of camp, it will be safe to return to full capacity, without masking, and without physical distancing. This is in accordance with CDC’s Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People.

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.

Different communities require unique approaches to COVID-19 vaccine confidence that honor their priorities, values, and the expertise of the community. Join the National Resource Center for Refugees, Immigrants and Migrants (NRC-RIM) for a webinar on creating COVID-19 health messages for your community. NRC-RIM partnered with IDEO.org, a nonprofit design studio to build vaccination campaigns. Register here.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is hosting a webinar to discuss how to make internet access more available to older people, those with disabilities and other access or function needs. Register here.

Thursday, June 24, 2021 from 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) in partnership with Arizona State University School of Social Work are excited to announce the NIHB Behavioral Health Learning Event. Sessions will occur online via Zoom and will focus on suicide prevention, substance abuse, domestic/intimate partner violence prevention, and topics related to the COVID-19 crisis. NIHB will be offering Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) for the following: NAADAC, NASW, APA, and NBCC. For any questions, please contact Chyna Locklear at [email protected]. To register for this free event, read more here.

Infectious Disease Preparedness Learning Community Informational Webinar

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), is developing an Infectious Disease Preparedness Learning Community (IDPLC) that will meet once a month to discuss guidelines, best practices, and lessons learned for the prevention and control of present and future infectious disease outbreaks in Tribal communities as well as guidelines and strategies shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The learning community is focused on knowledge sharing and attendees are encouraged to share information and build relationships with each other. Submit questions ahead of time so presenter(s) have time to review them. Please come prepared to ask questions or share your own insights and experiences. Read more here.