The Navajo Nation has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to existing economic and racial disparities. This project aims to explore those issues and solutions to the problem. The documentary was a project produced by KOB-TV (Albuquerque) for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2020 National Fellowship. The video is available here.

Today, November 19th, is National Rural Health day. In recognition of this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is launching a new mailing list all about Rural Health. To receive updates and announcements from USDA Rural Development about all the latest news in health opportunities in rural communities, subscribe to the new mailing list here.

On November 9, Eli Lilly and Company received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the investigational monoclonal antibody treatment bamlanivimab. The EUA allows healthcare providers to administer bamlanivimab to non-hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms and are at high-risk for severe symptoms and hospitalization. Cases of the treatment are being allocated by the federal government to states, territories, and identified agencies on a weekly basis. To find out how much bamlanivimab has been allocated to specific jurisdictions view the allocation dashboard. Read more here.

SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is transmitted predominately by respiratory droplets generated when people cough, sneeze, sing, talk, or breathe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends community use of masks, specifically non-valved multi-layer cloth masks, to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Masks are primarily intended as "source control" to reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets. This is especially relevant for asymptomatic or presymptomatic individuals who feel well and may be unaware they are infectious. CDC has published a summary of the data supporting community masking. Read more here.

New research is showing that deep sleep is vital to reducing risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s. In a recent Current Biology publication, impaired sleep was found to be associated with a higher rate of future β-amyloid accumulation, the protein responsible for the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These findings suggests that a deep, uninterrupted sleep may be protective against the progression of AD. Read more 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 provide Tribally specific resources and tools and share information to increase knowledge and improve practice of infection control within Tribal health facilities and among Tribal health staff. To support this endeavor, NIHB is asking Tribes to share any infection prevention and control, epidemic, or outbreak plans, tools, or guides that has helped your Tribe. The materials can be de-identified, if needed. These resources will be placed online on the NIHB website. We hope to assist Tribes and support each other in an effort to mitigate the impact of current and future outbreaks in Indian Country. Anyone willing to share their materials or would like more information please contact Carmen Sanders at [email protected]. 

Applications due Monday, November 23, 2020

The Open Forum for Quality Improvement (QI) and Innovation has continuously been an instrumental tool for many QI professionals and their careers. To ensure that the Open Forum continues to be equitable and support the Community of Practice for Public Health Improvement and Innovation (COPPHII), the National Network of Public Health Institutes will be offering full and partial scholarships. Apply for the scholarship here and learn more about the Open Forum here.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking feedback on the updated “Comprehensive Preparedness Guide (CPG) 101: Developing and Maintaining Emergency Operations Plans.” CPG 101 provides guidelines on developing emergency operations plans and promotes a common understanding of the fundamentals of community-based, risk-informed planning and decision making. These guidelines will help planners examine a threat or hazard and produce integrated, coordinated and synchronized plans. FEMA will host a series of 60-minute webinar sessions to discuss changes to the updated CPG 101 and gather feedback from whole community partners. To review the document, download the comment form, and learn more about the webinar sessions, please visit the FEMA website.

Applications due by Tuesday, December 1, 2020

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) is seeking to expand the number of Indigenous-led organizations implementing Indian Country Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHOs) on a variety of subjects. Funding will be provided in the form of up to 5 mini-grants ($100,000/year) to assist in the planning and implementation of additional ECHOs. For questions, contact [email protected]. Read more here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1994 Tribal Scholars Program was established in 2008 in partnership between USDA and 1994 institutions and Tribally controlled colleges and universities with land-grant status. The program provides full tuition, fees, books, and a summer internship to students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. When the student has completed the academic and summer work requirements of the scholarship, USDA may convert the student to a permanent employee without further competition. Read more here.

New! COVID-19 Resources:

The National Indian Health Board is committed to serving Tribal Nations in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Visit our COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center for more information and resources.

Please join the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II National Preparedness Division for a webinar on the emotional impacts of COVID-19 control measures, such as quarantine and lockdowns, on older adults. Guest speakers from Americares will discuss the main challenges faced by the older community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn strategies on how to support the emotional wellbeing of senior citizens who are affected by COVID-19 prevention measures and the changing circumstances of the pandemic. Register here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of youth and young adults by disrupting schools and sports and changing the way they interact with family and friends. In light of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases among youth and young adults and the role young people can play in community outreach and mitigating risk during this crisis, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting a webinar on youth COVID-19 and prevention strategies. Join NIHB and speakers from the United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY) and We R Native as they share resources and strategies on how to engage youth in preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Register here.

Do you have a headache just from reading the phrase “Logic Models”? If yes, we are here to help! Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) for a climate learning community webinar: Logic Models 101. This virtual webinar will provide an in-depth look at how to develop logic models as they apply to American Indian and Alaska Native Health and Climate Change. Register here.