Tribal leaders from five Indian Health Service (IHS) Areas and three Tribes-at-large members gathered virtually for the 22^nd Biannual CDC/ATSDR Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting on August 4-5, 2021. The Tribal leaders highlighted Tribes’ efficiency in delivering core public health services and community-oriented outlook. They expressed that Tribal public health systems can take varying forms and may not be structured like state and local public health systems. They cited the need for CDC to work with Tribes to raise the visibility and knowledge of Tribal public health authority. They also engaged in discussions around priorities for Tribal public health infrastructure and the social determinants of health, including the need to engage Tribal leaders, public health professionals, and subject matter experts when developing programs and strategies. The TAC also received briefings on Tribal public health data, CDC’s efforts to address the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis, and opioid overdose death prevention.

Learn more about the CDC TAC, including the roster and recruitment information here, and access summaries from past meetings here. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a great tool to help you make decisions on when to seek testing and medical care. Tribal members who are 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 can use the tool to help decide when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Tribal members can use the on-line tool to find recommended actions and resources based on their response to questions in the Self-checker tool. 

The Indian Health Service (IHS) National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health (NTAC) membership roster currently has ten vacancies. There are four Area Primary vacant positions and six Area Alternate positions. The following areas have vacant positions:

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

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 13, 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.

Applications due: Friday, August 13^th, 2021

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is requesting proposals for a funding opportunity that will support Tribes that wish to address Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in their communities. NIHB anticipates funding up to 12 Tribes or Tribal Organizations for up to $15,000. Learn more.

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 Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) funding opportunities.

Various deadlines

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has the following funding opportunities available:

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].

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 National Indian Health Board (NIHB), is hosting the first webinar in the #ACTOFLOVE COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series co-hosted with the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP). The Delta variant is now the predominant strain of COVID-19 circulating in Tribal communities. The new surge in cases is prompting Tribes to re-evaluate current public health measures like mask mandates and vaccine requirements. Join the webinar to hear about various Tribal responses and current data from policymakers and experts. Register here. 

Today! Thursday, August 12, 2021, at 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Emergency Use authorizations (EUA) for monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 for certain patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is hosting a Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA) Call to discuss the FDA’s role in issuing Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for monoclonal antibodies to treat COVID-19 for certain patients. Monoclonal antibodies may be available through expanded access programs to treat COVID-19 for immunocompromised patients. However, the efficacy of use for immunocompromised patients is unclear. Presenters will also cover preventing, diagnosing, and treating COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients, including the role of monoclonal antibodies, serologic testing, and potential third dose of COVID-19 vaccinations. Read more here.

Today! August 12, 2021 at 2:00 PM ET

Join the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the last in a series of meetings to hear from practitioners and subject matter experts in various homeland security interests. The last meeting is TODAY, Thursday, August 12, and the topic is anti-human trafficking, borders, waters, and air travel and security. Register here.

During the meeting, an overview of the proposed revisions to the Core Competencies will be provided and participants will have a chance to share their thoughts on these proposed revisions with fellow Tribal health professionals and the Council on Linkages. Read more here.

Friday, August 13, at 1:00 p.m. ET

Stakeholders are invited to join Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Rachel L. Levine, M.D., Acting FDA Commissioner, Janet Woodcock, M.D., and Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., Director, FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, to discuss vaccine updates for younger children and adolescents. Read more here. 

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 here.

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. Discounted registration ends August 27. There is no charge for Tribal elders. Those interested may register here.

In an effort to find lasting solutions to the public safety challenges Tribal communities encounter and to protect them from violence, abuse, and exploitation, a national symposium on missing or murdered indigenous persons (MMIP) related issues for federal, state, Tribal and local stakeholders is being held September 14-16, 2021. This MMIP training is via webinar and will address important topics like data collection, victim advocacy, creating a community strategy for addressing missing persons, and working collaboratively across jurisdictions. The webinar is free. Learn more here.