On August 3^rd, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed an order determining the evictions of tenants for failure to make rent or housing payments could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. The eviction moratorium allows additional time for rent relief to reach renters and to further increase vaccination rates. In the context of a pandemic, eviction moratoria—like quarantine, isolation, and social distancing—can be an effective public health measure utilized to prevent the spread of communicable disease. Eviction moratoria facilitate self-isolation and self-quarantine by people who become ill or who are at risk of transmitting COVID-19 by keeping people out of congregate settings and in their own homes. This order will expire on October 3, 2021 and applies in United States counties experiencing substantial and high levels of community transmission levels of COVID-19. Read more here. CDC's Media Statement can also be found here.

Rosebud Sioux Tribal Chairman Rodney Bordeaux wrote in Indian Country Today that Medicaid provides a crucial lifeline to Indian Country, providing health coverage to individuals and strengthening the financial position of the Indian health system. Chairman Bordeaux noted that the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association is advocating for Medicaid expansion in South Dakota. The campaign is currently gathering signatures to get on the ballot. Read more here.

The Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes in Montana have declared a state of emergency for the reservation due to a lack of oral health care access.

The Tribe conducted a community health assessment in 2016 found that 1 in 3 high school students had not received dental care in over a year, and that the Tribe's population to dentist ratio was 43% higher than the national average, indicating a shortage of dentists.

The Tribe is hopeful that the declaration will lead to an increase in funding for much needed dental staff across the reservation. Read more here.

For more information or questions regarding these vacancies, please contact Michele Muir-Howard at [email protected].

Deadline now Tuesday, August 10, 2021 11:59 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has extended the time period for nomination acceptances for the 2021 Outstanding Service Awards. Each year, the NIHB invites nominations for awards that recognize excellence, achievement and contributions that go "above and beyond" the call of service and honors efforts made by individuals, organizations and programs that have enriched and improved American Indian and Alaska Native health, health systems or policy at the local, regional, and national level. All nominations must be received through the online form by 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. Submit a nomination here.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will be hosting its upcoming National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) from October 4-8, 2021. The theme of this year's conference is, "The Future of Native Health in Our Changing World" NIHB is now accepting proposals for ALL workshop sessions until August 6, 2021. Workshops are excellent opportunities to share best or promising practices, recent research or program outcomes, and provide an in-depth exploration of new or arising issues or policies. Submit a workshop proposal for a 75-minute presentation relevant to one of the following daily topics.

The Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) provides Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ATSDR and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) with input and guidance on policies, guidelines, and programmatic issues affecting the health of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes. Nominations for Tribal leader representatives are currently being accepting for several Areas:

Applications due Monday, September 6, 2021

The Indian Health Service (IHS) has announced two technical assistance webinars to provide an overview of Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) funding opportunities.

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.

Job descriptions are available here.

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 [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!

On the National Indian Health Board’s (NIHB) Brain Health for Tribal Nations webpage, you can now submit a request for technical assistance for implementing the Roadmap to Indian Country strategies, hosting a Brain Health Action Institute, locating resources, starting conversations on brain health in your community, and more. Read more here.

This plan serves as a working template that Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations may find useful in developing COVID-19 or other outbreak response plans or in cross-walking with their existing plans. In recognition of Tribal sovereignty and self-governance, this response template acknowledges that Tribes, Pueblos, and Nations may differ in respect to their approaches to COVID-19-related mitigation and response. Therefore, this document serves as a starting or reference point for Tribal nations to review and determine what content may be relevant to their unique circumstances. Read more here.

New! COVID-19 Resources

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.

The 9th International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health (IMICH) – the only conference dedicated to the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, American Indian, Alaska Native and other Indigenous children and youth in North America and around the world. The National Indian Health Board is pleased to serve on the planning committee for the IMICH as the work of the IMICH aligns with several NIHB public health and youth-focused strategic priorities. Those interested may register here.

Virtual session: TODAY! Thursday, August 5, 2021 from 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM EDT

As posted in the Federal Register on July 2, 2021 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) announces a Tribal Consultation period with federally recognized Tribal nations to receive input and guidance on improving the current CDC/ATSDR Tribal Consultation Policy. CDC/ATSDR is seeking feedback on how the agency can improve its policies and practices to better engage with Indian Country through meaningful consultation. This feedback will be used to edit the current CDC's Consultation Policy. All elected Tribal officials are encouraged to submit written Tribal testimony to the contact person and mailing address listed below or by email at [email protected].

Register here for the virtual session. For technical assistance, please contact Nina Martin at [email protected] and 202-548-7299.

Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), for an Infectious Disease Preparedness Learning Community (IDLC) webinar on the basics of planning for an infectious disease outbreak. Once the decision to conduct a field investigation of an acute outbreak has been made, working quickly is essential to protecting the health and wellness of Tribal communities. Tribal epidemiologists want to work quickly and get the right answers but they also want to make sure they are systematic in their approach. A systematic approach ensures that the investigation proceeds without missing important steps along the way. During this presentation, attendees will gain experience in outbreak investigation through real-world examples that can assist with planning for outbreaks in Tribal communities. Read more.

Join the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for a series of meetings to hear from practitioners and subject matter experts in various homeland security interests. DHS will share available resources and efforts across homeland security topics. Register here.