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

October 8, 2020
News
Family Function During Pregnancy May Affect Fetal Brain Development

According to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, how a family functions and manages conflict during pregnancy may influence the development of cortical white matter and subcortical volumes in the fetus' brain and be associated with brain characteristic that underlie behavioral problems later in life. Read more here.
Recent HIV Clusters and Outbreaks Across the United States Among People Who Inject Drugs and Considerations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Health Advisory to alert public health departments and healthcare providers to the possibility of new injection-related HIV infections and outbreaks. This health alert network provides guidance for preventing, identifying, and responding to HIV among people who inject drugs. It also provides considerations for delivering services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.
Creative Responses to COVID-19 in Indian Country

The latest issue of Transforming Care explores what has worked to contain the coronavirus and mitigate its impacts in Navajo, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and other American Indian communities – from community wide testing and mobile health services to developing improvised shelters for quarantining. The issue mentions the IHS response teams and other efforts. Read more here.
Funding & Opportunities
America Walks Annual Grant Series
Applications due Monday, November 9, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET

America Walks and Active People, Healthy Nation have recently announced another round of their popular Community Change Grant program. This program will award grantees $1,500.00 in community stipends for projects related to creating healthy, active, and engaged places to live, work, and play.

America Walks and partners are seeking to fund projects that:

  • Increase physical activity and active transportation in a specific community;
  • Work to cross engage people and organizations newer to the efforts of; walking and moving and walkability;
  • Demonstrate a culture of antiracism and inclusive health and design;
  • Support and cultivate connected, active and deeply engaged communities.

FEMA AFG-COVID-19 Supplemental (AFG-S) Round 2 Application Period
Applications due Friday, November 13, 2020 at 5:00 PM ET

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing a second opportunity for volunteer and combination fire departments to apply for funding under the Fiscal Year 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program – COVID 19 Supplemental (AFG-S). Through this AFG-S Round 2 funding opportunity, FEMA will directly award funding for personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies to support coronavirus (COVID-19) response. This includes reimbursement for applicable PPE expenditures made since January 1, 2020. Grants will be awarded, using a competitive process. Federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations are eligible. FEMA will be hosting serval webinars to assist with applications. Read more here.
Call for Tribal COVID-19 Resources

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is seeking to create a pool of resources which Tribes can access when planning or implementing their own COVID-19 response. To this end, NIHB is asking Tribes to share with us any tools, operational plans, guides, policies, communication products, etc. that has helped your Tribe combat this pandemic.  The materials can be de-identified, if needed. These resources will be placed online within NIHB’s COVID-19 Tribal Response Center alongside other community health materials. We hope this aids Tribes to build on successes and support each other in the collective effort to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on Indian Country.
To submit any materials or resources, please email Courtney Wheeler (cwheeler@nihb.org). If you have any questions, please contact Courtney Wheeler.
Resources
AMA Journal of Ethics "Caring for Native Americans" - October Issue

In their October issue, the AMA Journal of Ethics explores health inequity in Native American communities, specifically. Topics discussed include transgenerational trauma, reproductive freedom, and partnerships between health professional schools and American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
New! COVID-19 Resources

NIHB COVID-19 Contact

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 cwheeler@nihb.org or 202-507-4081.
Events
Attendee Registration for the NIHB Annual National Tribal Health Conference is OPEN!

The National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) is the largest American Indian and Alaska Native specific gathering each year focused solely on health. The conference explores health policy and its impact on Tribes, advances Tribal capacity to expand policy work, and serves as a forum to discuss policy and political work in the arenas of Tribal health care, public, behavioral, and environmental health. Read more and register here!
NIHB Webinar: Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan Report: A Foundation for Change
Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that Tribes need support and guidance to strengthen their public health infrastructure. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is honored to offer Indian Country a new tool to help inform this work - the Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan (PHICCS) 2019 Report. The PHICCS 2019 Report is a comprehensive picture of Tribal public health infrastructure and activities like immunization, screening, and prevention/education activities across Indian Country. Join NIHB in this webinar to learn more about how the PHICCS report can support your important work. Register here.
Substance Abuse Prevention for Youth in Indigenous Communities Webinar
Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET

Join the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) researchers and Alaska Native community members in a conversation about innovative prevention strategies for indigenous communities–in particular, how tapping into a community’s culture can serve as a cornerstone for youth alcohol and suicide prevention efforts. The discussion will describe a toolkit developed by NIAAA grantees in collaboration with the Yup'ik Native Alaskan community. We will also discuss how culturally appropriate and community-based principles may be applicable in youth prevention efforts in similar communities across the country. Join here.
Idaho State University Virtual Indigenous People's Day Events
October 12 - 15, 2020

Monday, October 12, 2020 marks Indigenous People's Day. In observance of this holiday, Idaho State University will be holding virtual Zoom events, including speakers and films, on the theme of “Celebrating Community and Neighbors: Building Relations with Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and Pocatello.” The deadline to register for these activities is Saturday, October 10, 2020. Read more here.
HRSA Tribal Consultation Scheduled During NIHB Virtual Conference
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is offering a platform during its upcoming virtual conference for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to host its annual Tribal Consultation. The HRSA consultation, which is in support of the agency's ongoing commitment to partner with Tribes, is free and open to the public. Tribal officials may submit written comments to aianhealth@hrsa.gov by September 28, 2020. 

Read the Dear Tribal Leader Letter here.

To participate in this HRSA Tribal Consultation, please dial in at least 10 minutes before the appointed time to:
Conference number: 800-779-7169; Participant passcode: 6122629
AICAF 6th Annual Indigenous Pink Campaign
Thursday, October 15, 2020

The American Indian Cancer Foundation (AICAF) is excited to celebrate its 6th annual Indigenous Pink event during October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Indigenous Pink is a national campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer burdens in Native communities. Throughout the month, AICAF provides culturally-tailored resources to help educate relatives about the importance of early detection, and shares breast cancer survivor stories to honor the strength of those who have been impacted by a diagnosis. This year, AICAF joins others in creating an inclusive world for all relatives, especially those who are non-binary, genderfluid, and genderless. Read more here.
Biannual CDC/ATSDR Tribal Advisory Committee Virtual Meeting (Virtual)
Thursday - Friday, October 15 - 16, 2020
 
Sixteen Tribal leaders from across the United States will meet from 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET each day to advise CDC/ATSDR on policy issues and broad strategies that may significantly affect American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Read more here and view the agenda and registration link here.
Ready Seniors Virtual Workshop
Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM ET

Increasingly, older adults with complex health issues live alone, far from relatives and caregivers, or may depend on community service providers for basic necessities and psychosocial support. However, the need for these critical services increases when services are disrupted or the senior is impacted during a major disaster. FEMA Region II and the Administration for Community Living have partnered to address this disparity through a workshop aimed at preparing Area Agencies on Aging and other organizations that provide critical support services to senior citizens in their communities. Emergency planners for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, senior community centers, senior housing, adult day care centers, home meal delivery services, charitable organizations, and others who provide services to senior citizens are encouraged to apply. Register here.