Tribal Public Health Broadcast
Weekly News, Funding, Resources, and Upcoming Events in Indian Country

June 24, 2021
News
"The St. Mary entrance to Glacier National Park, which borders the Blackfeet Nation, remained closed during the summer of 2020 as Blackfeet officials implemented strict measures in an effort to keep covid-19 off the reservation."
Blackfeet Nation Protecting the Health of their People with Strong Vaccination Campaign

The Blackfeet Nation in Montana has announced they are welcoming visitors after closing down their borders in summer 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the economic impacts of the closures, the Tribe made the decision to protect their elders and safeguard their people during the first waves of the pandemic. They have since led an intensive and successful vaccination campaign, immunizing almost 85% of their people, including over 90% of adults. Read more here.
16th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation
August 17-20, 2021

The Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) invites Tribal Leaders and authorized designees to the 16th Annual Government-to-Government Violence Against Women Tribal Consultation on August 17-20, 2021. The consultation will be conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The consultation testimony sessions are open to federally-recognized, Tribally elected and appointed leaders or their authorized designee to provide oral testimony. Tribal Leaders may also submit written testimony by September 20, 2021. Read more here.
Funding & Opportunities
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NIHB COVID-19 Survey for Tribal Health Directors

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has developed a quality improvement survey to gather input and information from Tribal Health Directors on COVID-19-related challenges that their respective Tribes and Tribal organizations experienced from July 2020 to February 2021. NIHB is requesting Tribal Health Directors to please consider completing the survey and share any information. Through the survey, NIHB is seeking to understand what has occurred and what is currently taking place on the COVID-19 front lines in the Tribal communities we serve. There is much to learn from our experiences over the past year and NIHB stands ready to listen, learn, and act, according to the wishes of the Tribes.
Request for Information on Infection Control and Disaster Plans
 
One of the goals of The National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) Project Firstline: Tribal Infection Prevention 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 csanders@nihb.org.
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Call for Interviewees for Tribal Injury Prevention Project!
 
Last year, the National Indian Health Board hosted four discussions on injury surveillance and prevention priorities, needs, and opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. To understand current activities and priorities of Tribes, we are conducting a second round of in-depth interviews with Tribal subject matter experts (SMEs). SMEs hold rich insight and knowledge of how to prevent injuries (unintentional and intentional) and create positive change.
 
Those interested are invited to participate in one in-depth interview with NIHB staff on the following topics, including but not limited to:
  • Definitions of injury
  • Current injury surveillance and prevention activities
  • Data collection and utilization experiences, including facilitators of information sharing and knowledge translation
  • Priority topic areas
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 nmartin@nihb.org or 202-548-7299!
The National Indian Health Board is Hiring!

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is seeking qualified candidates for the following open positions in the Public Health Policy and Programs Department based in Washington, DC:

  • Chief Operating Officer
  • Communications Director
  • Director of Congressional Relations
  • Human Resources Manager
  • Deputy-Director of Public Health Programs Management
  • Public Health Program Manager (Infectious Disease)
  • Public Health Program Coordinator (Infectious Disease)
  • Public Health Project Coordinator (Emergency Preparedness)
  • Public Health Project Coordinator (Environmental Health)
  • Public Health Project Associate (Behavioral Health)
  • Policy Center Communications Coordinator
  • Policy Analyst
  • Policy Research Analyst

Job descriptions are available at www.nihb.org.
Events
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2021 NIHB Behavioral Health Learning Event
Today! 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 clocklear@nihb.org. To register for this free event, read more here.
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Webinar: Understanding the Journey to Public Health Accreditation: A Conversation with Accredited Tribes
Today! Thursday, June 24, 2021 at 3:00 - 4:15 PM ET
 
Achieving public health accreditation using the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) standards and measures can help Tribal health departments achieve performance excellence. The standards and measures include a framework for evaluating a health department’s processes and services, their outcomes, and progress toward specific goals and objectives. Since the initial launch of national voluntary accreditation in 2011, several Tribal specific resources have been developed to assist Tribes along the journey to accreditation.
 
Join the National Indian Health Board for a conversation with nationally accredited Tribal public health departments as we explore challenges, best practices, achievements during their journey to public health accreditation.
 
Webinar: Protecting Tribal Environmental Health — Challenges and Opportunities for Risk Assessments
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

The American Public Health Association is hosting an environmental health webinar with their Tribal Public and Environmental Health Think Tank in partnership with the National Tribal Toxics Council. Presenters will: 1) provide an overview of how the amended Toxic Substances Control Act presents opportunities for the protection of subpopulations, including Tribal communities, 2) discuss Tribal exposures to chemicals through the practice of traditional lifeways and increased risk of health disparities from chemical contaminants, and 3) highlight a framework for addressing Tribal health concerns through risk assessments that consider Tribal lifeways and traditional practices. Register here.
Infectious Disease Preparedness Learning Community Informational Webinar
Wednesday, June 30, 2021 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
 
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.
Native American Storytelling: Culture is Prevention
Tuesday, July 13, 2021 from 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

This series of sessions hosted by the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC) features traditional Native American storytelling, along with time for discussion on what can be learned from the stories, as well as the ways these stories can be incorporated by Native American providers into their work with patients. Register here.
2021 Suicide Prevention Summit: Healing During COVID-19 for the Black and Native American Communities
July 13 -14, 2021
 
This year, the Twelve6 Strategies’ theme for their Suicide Prevention Summit is “Seeking Healing During COVID-19 for the Black and Native American Communities,” which focuses on increasing attendees’ understanding of the experiences, needs, and wisdom of Black and Indigenous people about suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Read more here.
Indian Country ECHO: New Grand Rounds on Gender-Affirming Care in Indigenous Communities
Wednesday, July 14, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PT

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) invites you to join Indian Country ECHO for Grand Rounds on Gender-Affirming Care in Indigenous Communities. Dr. Hannah Wenger, Dr. Jennie Wei, and Dr. Frances Grimstad will share an introduction to affirming care for gender-diverse (trans, genderqueer, Two Spirit, and other identities) patients, including why affirming care is important, how to provide care in a primary care setting, and success stories of providing gender-affirming care in I/T/U facilities. CE will be available. To join the Grand Rounds, click here at the time of the event. Click here to add the event to your calendar.
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Webinar: Viruses, Bacteria, and Fungi and How They Can Cause Illnesses
Thursday, July 15, 2021 at 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST
 
Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), for an Infectious Disease Preparedness Learning Community (IDLC) webinar on how viruses, bacteria, and fungi can cause illnesses and spread diseases. Webinar attendees will gain knowledge on the following:
  • Basic differences between bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites
  • At least three host or microbial factors that can make it easier for a microorganism to cause disease in a person
  • At least two ways that microorganisms can be spread, particularly in a clinical setting
  • Difference between sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic spread of disease
  • At least three ways that the spread of microbial disease can be reduced or eliminated

Information provided can assist Tribes in educating their citizens on the basics of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites and how it can spread and cause illnesses. Read more here.
This publication is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $9,600,000, and by the Indian Health Service (IHS) of HHS as part of a financial assistance award totaling $266,000, with up to 75 percent funded by CDC, up to 15 percent funded by IHS, and up to 10 percent funded by other governmental and non-governmental source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.