It's not too late to register for the National Indian Health Board's (NIHB) annual National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) that will take place October 4-8, 2021. The Early Bird rate has been extended through September 21!

Join NIHB for action-packed plenary sessions, informative workshops from experts across Indian Country, and consultation and listening sessions with federal agencies. Make sure to stick around for the last day of the conference for sessions dedicated to technology in American Indian and Alaska Native health systems! This year’s conference will feature listening and consultation sessions with the Indian Health Service (IHS), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Our plenary sessions will feature Tribal leaders, federal agency leaders and Members of Congress, including Victor Joseph (Native Village of Tanana), White House Health Equity Task Force, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Dr. Matthew Fletcher, University of Michigan.

Read More and View the Agenda here.

On September 10, 2021, President Biden announced his COVID-19 Action Plan. He will be implementing a six-pronged, comprehensive national strategy that uses the same science-based approach that has been successful in the past. The President’s plan to combat COVID-19 this fall has six main components: vaccinating the unvaccinated, furthering protection for the vaccinated, keeping schools safely open, increasing testing and requiring masking, protecting economic recovery, and improving care for those with COVID-19.

In the weeks ahead, the President will announce additional steps to build on the progress the administration has made to combat this pandemic globally.

Read more here.

Janet Woodcock, M.D. Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs - Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Peter Marks, M.D., PhD. Director - Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) shared information about the process and the necessary considerations involved to provide greater clarity to the public about vaccines for children under 12 years of age. Because young children are still growing and developing, it’s important that thorough and robust clinical trials of adequate size are completed to evaluate the safety and the immune response to a COVID-19 vaccine among younger children. Children are not small adults and issues that may be addressed in pediatric vaccine trials can include whether there is a need for different doses or different strength formulations of vaccines already used for adults. Read more here.

Until the FDA authorizes or approves a vaccine for children under 12 years of age Tribal communities, it’s especially important that parents and others who interact closely with children under 12 years of age get vaccinated, wear masks, and follow other recommended precautions so that we can protect those who cannot yet protect themselves through vaccination. Remember, getting your COVID-19 vaccine is an Act of Love to your Tribe! For more information on COVID-19 vaccines visit the NIHB COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance for healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes primarily focus on recommendations for the use of source control, SARS-CoV-2 testing, and quarantine for fully vaccinated patients and nursing home residents. There are no significant changes to recommended practices, rather, the updates were made to clarify, consolidate, and simplify existing healthcare IPC guidance. Tribal healthcare organizations may find the updated information a helpful resource to update their current IPC practices.

On September 15, 2021, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), in partnership with the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) hosted the second webinar in the #ACTOFLOVE COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series. The webinar focused on knowledge sharing and helping Tribal communities vaccinate AI/AN youth as well as helping parents/caregivers discuss the COVID-19 vaccines. Native youth across the country are getting their COVID-19 vaccine for many reasons – going back to school, playing sports, and protecting their families and communities. 

Remember getting vaccinated is an Act of Love.  Click here to watch the recording!  

A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examines the use of rapid point-of-care antigen testing in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region of Alaska. Controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in Alaska is challenging in rural areas due to the slow turnaround times for SARS-CoV-2 test results. This can be attributed to the need to transport specimens to testing facilities from many remote and isolated villages with small populations (ranging from 15 to >1,000 persons) that are accessible only by air from larger communities. Rapid point-of-care antigen testing reduces the turn-around time and might be a valuable tool in lowering transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in rural communities by facilitating rapid isolation and quarantine. Read more.

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].

Applications are due by Friday, September 24, 2021

National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is requesting applications for a new opportunity for supporting maternal American Indian and Alaska Native maternal health through Tribal-led Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs). NIHB anticipates funding for up to 12 proposals from Tribes, Tribal consortia, and Tribal organizations for up to $7,500 each. Through this opportunity, grantees will participate in a self-assessment over an 8-month period to explore key components of Tribal-led MMRCs and assess their readiness to establish and sustain a Tribal-led MMRC. Tribal-led MMRCs that respect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) culture may result in identification of meaningful and effective maternal mortality prevention strategies for AI/AN communities. The intended outcomes for the Tribal-led MMRC Self-Assessment project include: Understanding the unique needs of Tribes for maintaining a successful MMRC, increasing knowledge capacity in AI/AN maternal mortality prevention efforts, and increasing partnerships among Tribes and Tribal organizations. The application deadline is Friday, September 24, 2021 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. To download the application packet and read more about the project, click here. 

Due: Friday, September 24^th 2021, at 11:59 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are pleased to announce the fourth cycle of funding for Strong Systems, Stronger Communities (SSSC) for Tribes. Through this opportunity, grantees will participate in self-assessment of capacity and departmental needs or perform work by choosing projects related to performance improvement or systems improvement. NIHB anticipates funding up to 8 proposals under 2 categories:

The application deadline is Friday, September 24, 2021, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Please read the full funding description and download the application packages here.

NIH Maternal Health Funding for Prevention of Perinatal Depression: Improving Intervention Delivery for At-Risk Individuals

Due date: October 9, 2021

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced two funding opportunities for applications to refine and examine preliminary effectiveness of perinatal depression preventive interventions in settings where women receive perinatal care. Tribal entities are encouraged to apply. Read more on RFA-MH-21-240 or RFA-MH-21-241.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a “Community Development Block Grant Program for Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages.” This grant program will provide funds for housing rehabilitation, economic development projects, healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, and many other infrastructure related projects within Tribal communities. For the application instructions to apply for this funding click here. To apply for this funding click here. Any questions or comments regarding this funding can be sent to [email protected]. 

On August 9, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities released a funding opportunity for a selected resource center to provide both support and technical assistance for Tribal Epidemiology centers. This funding is being awarded to aid in research and data science capacity relating to American Indian and Alaska Native populations. If awarded this funding, the center would begin work in July of 2022. If you or an organization within your Tribal community is interested in receiving these funds, please submit a letter of intent by October 30, 2021. To apply online click here.

Applications due November 8, 2021

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteering and national service, has launched Public Health AmeriCorps, a new partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support the recruitment, training, and development of a new generation of public health leaders who will be ready to respond to the nation’s public health needs.

The program is anticipated to fund up to 5,000 AmeriCorps positions over the next five years and comes as part of a larger $7 billion investment in the public health workforce announced by the Biden-Harris Administration.

On September 10th, 2021, AmeriCorps released the notice of federal funding availability for Public Health AmeriCorps through AmeriCorps’ State and National program. The competition is open to nonprofit, faith-based and community-based organizations; higher-education institutions; state, local and territorial government entities, such as cities or counties; and Indian Tribes. New organizations are encouraged to apply for these grants. The window for funding availability will be open for 60 days from this announcement.

AmeriCorps will host a variety of technical assistance calls, webinars and workshops to answer questions about this funding opportunity, including how to submit an application. Times and dates for these calls, along with additional technical assistance information, will be posted on its funding opportunity page. Questions from organizations about the grant competition can be directed to [email protected].

Read more here.

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].

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a coloring storybook about staying safe from COVID-19, title Community Protectors: Children Help Communities Stay Safe from COVID-19. CDC, CDC foundation, and Oklahoma Tribal Engagement Partners created a Community Protectors to educate children to stay safe and help protect their communities from the spread of COVID-19. Community protectors is written by James Wallace (Choctaw Nation). Patrick Polo (Bad River Band of Ojibwe), the original Eagle Books provided the illustrations to color. This 20-page coloring book follows the same characters of the Eagle Books and contains a lively story that conveys culturally relevant and science-based messages for Native Children about preventing the spread of COVID-19. It was created for children age 5-10. A downloadable version of the coloring storybook is available here. There are also copies available for order.

The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) has launched a new campaign to address the issue of social isolation and loneliness among American Indian and Alaska Native elders. Learn more here.

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.

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 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. 

September 14-16, at 1:30pm-5:15pm ET

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.

Have questions about what the updated guidance for healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic means for your role as a Tribal healthcare worker and your Tribal healthcare facility? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s(CDC)Project Firstline is hosting a town hall for healthcare workers on September 17th at 2:15pm EST, where CDC experts will discuss the updates and answer questions. This is a unique opportunity for Tribal healthcare workers to speak directly to the CDC experts and ask your questions. REGISTER HERE today! 

CDC - COVID-19 Leadership: Best Practices for Team Leads

This training is not recorded. It is a live, instructor-led training. Full attendance and active participation for all two days are required to obtain a certificate. Our trainings are offered by demand, so register only if you will attend. This virtual skills-based course is designed for public health leaders who manage case investigators and contact tracers supporting COVID-19 programs. Read more.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting a listening session on youth COVID-19 Vaccines to further the discussion around current challenges and needs as well as best practices for COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy in Indian Country. American Indian and Alaska Native youth as young as 12 years old are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine. NIHB invites Tribal leaders, Tribal health administrators, Tribal public health staff, Tribal advocates, stakeholders, and citizens to share with their peers the experiences and best approaches to getting community members vaccinated over the last few months. Information gathered will inform NIHB's ongoing advocacy and awareness efforts. Register here.

This webinar will discuss the latest developments in dental therapy policy, including emerging trends and lessons learned from existing states, and about the latest state to authorize dental therapists – Oregon. With many more states contemplating adding dental therapists to their dental teams, this timely information can help ensure advocates and policymakers develop policies that advance health equity and expand access to high-quality dental care while investing in underserved communities. Click here to register!

September 21–23, 2021

Join the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Office of Regional Operations (ORO) in Seattle in collaboration with Health and Human Services (HHS) operating divisions and Tribal and Urban Indian Organizations in Region 10 for the 2021 American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) multidisciplinary health summit. The summit will focus on promising practices and innovative approaches to improve AI/AN health and address disparities in the midst of COVID-19. Read more. 

Indian Country Dementia ECHO for Health Care Workers and Caregivers 

Date: 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of every month at 2-3pm ET

The Dementia Extended Care Health Option (ECHO) Program: For Health Care Workers and Caregivers begins on September 9^th (clinical program) and September 23^rd (caregiver support program). The program is designed to support I/T/U clinicians and caregivers to strengthen the knowledge and care around dementia for Tribal patients. Learn more.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) will host the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) during the next Tribal Public Health Accreditation Advisory Board (TPHAAB) meeting on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 from 1:00-2:00 PM Eastern.

During this meeting we will overview the Version 2022 of the PHAB Standards & Measures, which are now available for feedback. PHAB is seeking input from the Tribal public health field to weigh in on the proposed Version 2022. Feedback is crucial to ensuring that Version 2022 reflects the changing landscape of public health practice in Indian Country and incorporates important feedback from Tribal public health practitioners. If your Tribe has participated in or has interest in public health accreditation, please mark your calendar and plan to join us for this event. Registration details to follow. 

Register for the webinar here.