The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is committed to advocating on behalf of all Tribal Governments and American Indian/Alaska Natives while: promoting healthy practices; preventing diseases and injuries; providing basic resources and infrastructure to Tribes; and researching and developing Tribal, local, state, and national health policy. To view all our public health resources, please visit www.nihb.org/public_health/public_health.php. | |
Thursday, February 9, 2023 | |
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COVID-19 Public Health Emergency to End on May 11, 2023
On January 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced it would end the COVID-19 public health emergency declarations on May 11, 2023. The availability, access, and costs of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are determined by the federal supply of purchased vaccines, not the public health emergency, so as long as federally purchased vaccines last, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will remain free and accessible to all people, regardless of insurance coverage. As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, and tests are tied to a separate emergency declaration, they will remain in effect until otherwise specified.
However, at-home or over-the-counter COVID-19 tests may become more costly for people with insurance. After the May 11 end date, people with traditional Medicare will no longer receive free, at-home tests. For those on Medicaid, at-home tests will be covered at no cost through September 2024. Those who do not have health insurance may still be able to find tests at free clinics, community health centers, public health departments, Tribal health departments, libraries, or other local organizations.
People with public insurance coverage, as well as Medicare beneficiaries, may start to face new cost-sharing for pharmaceutical COVID-19 treatments after the May 11 end date. Medicaid and CHIP programs will continue to cover all pharmaceutical treatments with no-cost sharing through September 2023. Additionally, any pharmaceutical treatments purchased by the federal government (such as Paxlovid), will still be free to all, regardless of insurance coverage. Like the vaccines, this is based on the availability of the federal supply.
Access the official statement here.
A more detailed list of policies affected can be found here.
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Early Bird Registration Ending Soon!
Have you registered for the National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) yet? Save money and take advantage of the Early Bird rate of $650 until February 17! Visit the conference website to learn more about the event, exhibiting, and sponsoring NTHC, and continue checking it often for upcoming information, the call for abstracts, and exciting opportunities!
Register and learn more about NTHC.
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Take the PHICCS Survey Today!
Deadline Extended: Friday, February 17, 2023
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The Public Health Indian Country Capacity Scan Survey (PHICCS II) is the only national scan that assesses the capacity of Tribal health and Tribal public health organizations for delivering public health services. Unfortunately, we currently do not have enough responses to close the survey. We recognize the survey is long and takes time to complete. In an effort to receive a more robust response and to give Tribal public health professionals the time to engage with this survey meaningfully, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has extended PHICCS until Friday, February 17, 2023.
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), conducts the PHICCS as a national scan every three years. The purpose of PHICCS is to determine the capacity of Tribal public health and health organizations. NIHB conducted the first iteration of this assessment in 2019, leading to the publication of the PHICCS Report in 2020.
The PHICCS II survey has been shared with Tribal Health/Public Health Directors and Tribal Administrators working at federally recognized Tribes across the nation. We encourage these leaders in Tribal public health to complete the PHICCS survey, which is dependent on Tribal entity engagement. Those who complete PHICCS will be entered into a raffle to win one of twenty $200 Visa gift cards!
For more information and to view a copy of the scan instrument, visit NIHB’s PHICCS webpage or contact Rochelle Ruffer at [email protected], or Sarah Price at [email protected]
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Funding and Opportunities | |
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NEW Funding Opportunity!
HEAR HER CAMPAIGN: MATERNAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOR AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITIES
American Indian and Alaska Native women are two times more likely to die of pregnancy-related causes than White women. This is unacceptable. Implementing culturally tailored messages and resources can save lives while encouraging health care providers to provide respectful, responsive care and listen to their patients' concerns. Raising awareness of urgent maternal warning signs will work to reduce maternal mortality. This funding opportunity is open for those interested in increasing the awareness of key actions to support positive maternal health outcomes while utilizing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hear Her campaign materials. The goal is to support Tribes and/or Native serving organization’s efforts in maternal mortality prevention and implementing campaign materials that meet their needs and speak to their perspectives of maternal health promotion.
NIHB will provide up to 3 subawards to Tribes, Tribal organizations, consortium of Tribes, Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TEC) including, Native serving 501©3 and Urban Indian Organizations or other Tribal bodies with public health authority in amounts of up to $20,000 each. The completed application is due by 11:59 PM EDT on March 2, 2023. The project period will run from approximately April 2023 to July 2023.
To apply for this funding opportunity, submit an application to Elisha Sneddy, Public Health Program Coordinator, [email protected] no later than Thursday, March 2, 2023 at 11:59 PM EDT. Learn more here.
Apply here by Tuesday, March 2, 2023 11:59 pm ET.
Join our (optional) pre-application webinar on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 2:00 to 3:00 PM ET. Register for the webinar here.
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Join the Pathways Recognition Program
Applications Due: Tuesday, February 28, 2023
The Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is forming the first cohort of the Pathways Recognition program. Pathways is a program for Tribal, local, and territorial health departments to support performance efforts, strengthen infrastructure, promote public health system transformation, and facilitate accreditation readiness. PHAB will accept applications at three points in the year: February 28, June 30, and November 30. You can submit your application earlier, but it will not be reviewed until those dates each year to create a cohort of health departments for the learning community.
To apply for Pathways Recognition, health departments must first register to begin the Readiness and Training process. This process includes a Readiness and Training fee and provides access to the Readiness Assessment, on-demand trainings, and a live training. The Readiness Assessment is a way for health departments to assess their readiness for Pathways Recognition and gain valuable feedback directly from PHAB.
Application Deadline: Tuesday, February 28, 2023
View the Pathways Standards and Measures.
View the Policy for Pathways Recognition.
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NCOA to Award Vaccine Grants to Local Organizations Serving Older Adults and People with Disabilities
Applications Due: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) recently announced a funding opportunity to implement a nationwide campaign to ensure older adults and people with disabilities get the latest COVID and flu vaccines. NCOA expects to distribute approximately 250 grants to organizations participating in this initiative. Tribal organizations that serve, support, and include older adults and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis until March 1, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. Project start dates can begin in early January 2023 and close as late as April 15, 2024. Visit the full Notice of Funding Opportunity here.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2023, by 11:59 PM ET
Apply to the Vaccine Grants here.
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New Funding Opportunities from SAMHSA
Application Deadlines: March 2023
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced three new funding opportunities to assist Tribes with prevention, treatment and recovery services for community members with substance use disorders (SUDs).
Medication-Assisted Treatment—Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction (MAT-PDOA): The purpose of this program is to provide resources to help expand and enhance access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD). SAMHSA anticipates approximately 24 awards of up to $750,000 per year for up to five years.
Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 7
To learn more and apply, visit the MAT-PDOA page here.
Grants to Expand Substance Use Disorder Treatment Capacity in Adult and Family Treatment Drug Courts (SAMHSA Treatment Drug Courts): The purpose of this program is to expand SUD treatment and recovery support services in existing drug courts and to promote treatment rather than incarceration for individuals with SUDs. These awards provide a continuum of care that also includes prevention and harm reduction services. SAMHSA anticipates approximately 81 awards of up to $400,000 per year for up to 5 years.
Application Deadline: Monday, March 6
To learn more and apply, visit the SAMHSA Treatment Drug Courts page here.
Adult Reentry Program (AR Program): The purpose of this program is to expand SUD treatment and related recovery and reentry services to sentenced adults in the criminal justice system with a SUD and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders, who are returning to their families and communities following a period of incarceration in state and local prisons, jails, or detention centers. SAMSHA anticipates approximately 33 awards of up to $400,000 per year for up to 5 years.
Application Deadline: Monday, March 6
Apply for the Adult Reentry Program here.
For all opportunities listed: Tribes, Tribal organizations, health facilities, or programs operated by or in accordance with a contract or grant with the Indian Health Service are eligible and encouraged to apply.
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New AmeriCorps Funding Opportunities
On August 10, 2022, AmeriCorps released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for Public Health AmeriCorps. This NOFO aims to invest in COVID-19 recovery, health equity, and local public health to create a pipeline of public health leaders.
AmeriCorps also announced the 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Grants and Planning Competition. Each year, AmeriCorps invests in federally recognized American Indians/Alaska Natives or Native-led organizations to address their communities' greatest needs through national service programs. Through this NOFO, AmeriCorps seeks to prioritize the investment of national service resources into disaster services like COVID-19 response, economic opportunities, education, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Indigenous language, civic and social engagement, healthy futures, and veterans and military families.
Application Deadline: Wednesday, April 5, 2023, by 5:00 PM ET
Learn more about the 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native
Nations Grants and Planning Competition here.
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1-1 Clinical Consultations for Gender-Affirming Care
Indian Country ECHO is now offering FREE one-on-one, confidential consultations with our faculty for clinicians, healthcare providers, and others involved in wellness care delivery for Indigenous Two Spirit, Indigiqueer, trans, or gender-diverse patients. Clinicians can request a consultation focused on medical, behavioral health, or cultural questions (or a mix of these).
Learn more and submit your consultation request here.
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CDC Launches Website to Help Consumers Find Free Covid-19 Testing Sites
The Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) program provides no-cost testing sites to communities greatly affected by the pandemic. ICATT sites operate as a partnership between the federal government, state and local jurisdictions, and a federal testing contractor.
The ICATT program provides testing resources for people who are experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. People without health insurance do not have to pay for COVID-19 testing at ICATT locations. The tests are billed to third-party payers, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurers, to increase program sustainability.
For more information about the CDC Testing Locator website, visit testinglocator.cdc.gov. For more information about the ICATT program, visit cdc.gov/icatt.
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SAMHSA 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)—Key Findings for Indian Country
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released its 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSUDH). NSDUH is an annual survey that provides self-reported, nationally representative data on substance use, treatment, and mental health issues and services among those aged 12 or older.
In 2021, American Indians and Alaska Natives reported the highest use of tobacco products, nicotine vaping, and marijuana and were more likely to have used illicit drugs in the past year than any other group. They were also more likely to have a diagnosed substance use disorder and/or mental illness and to need substance use treatment.
Rates of opioid misuse and suicidal thoughts and behaviors were comparable with no statistically significant differences when compared to other groups.
As Tribal communities continue to gather data to provide effective behavioral health services, it is important to note that the 2021 NSDUH survey results are applicable only to 2021 and cannot be compared to earlier years.
To read more about the survey’s findings, limitations, and potential implications for Tribal communities, please visit SAMHSA’s 2021 NSDUH web link.
To read more about NIHB’s ongoing work in substance use and suicide prevention, please visit NIHB’s Behavioral Health page.
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Watch AMA and CDC's Project Firstline Virtual Town Hall
Do you have infection control questions about Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), flu, SARS-CoV-2 or other respiratory viruses during this challenging respiratory virus season?
On Tuesday, December 13, Project Firstline joined The American Medical Association (AMA) to host a virtual town hall. This event provided a chance for physicians and other frontline healthcare workers to get answers to their questions about what infection control measures they can take to protect patients and themselves from respiratory viruses. To watch the recording of the town hall, visit the AMA events page.
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CDC Launches a New Tribal Public Health Data Site
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched an online Tribal Public Health Data site to assist tribal partners and others with information and tools related to tribal data. The site provides guidance on accessing CDC tribal data; information on tribal data issues, tools, technical assistance, and training; and tribal data-related resources from public health partners. This site will continue to grow as CDC engages further with tribes and tribal organizations to provide the most needed data-related information
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CDC Listening Sessions with Evaluators and Staff who Engage in Evaluation with American Indian or Alaska Native communities.
On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 2:30 to 4:00 PM Eastern Time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will host a listening session in honor of its upcoming 25th anniversary with evaluators and staff who evaluate American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities to refresh its Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health.
During this listening session, the CDC will hear from individuals who conduct evaluations with AI/AN communities to learn about their experiences using the CDC Evaluation Framework and opportunities for improvement.
Evaluators and project officers at CDC and other federal agencies and recipients of CDC funds such as Tribal health departments, state, territorial, local, and community-based organizations, universities, and professional associations can attend this listening session.
If you cannot attend this listening session, you can provide written feedback to a public request for information (RFI) currently published in the Federal Register. Written comments must be received on or before February 17, 2023. Comments received after February 17, 2023, will not be considered. If you have any questions, please get in touch with CDC at [email protected].
Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET.
Register here for the session.
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Evaluating and Supporting Children and Adolescents Presenting with Post-COVID Conditions
Post-COVID conditions (PCC), also referred to as Long COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is an umbrella term for the wide range of health consequences that are present 4 or more weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Most children infected with SARS-CoV-2 have asymptomatic infection or mild acute symptoms with low rates of hospitalization and death. However, some children and adolescents, including those with mild or asymptomatic infection, develop post-acute manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss evaluating and supporting post-COVID conditions in children and adolescents and the recommended clinical approach to identifying and managing PCC in children and adolescents based on the “Multi-Disciplinary Collaborative Consensus Guidance Statement on the Assessment and Treatment of PASC in Children and Adolescents” published by the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. (AAPM&R)
Please not that Continuing Education (CE) credits are available following COCA Call guidance.
Thursday, February 23, 2023 2:00-3:00 PM ET
Click here to join the Zoom meeting (password: 617516).
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Register - 10th International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health
The International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health (IMICH) is 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.
Sessions cover a range of topics such as emerging health issues, community programs, public policy, and more. The conference is being held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 24-26, 2023.
IMICH is co-hosted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Canadian Pediatric Society, and national Indigenous organizations including the National Indian Health Board and others! IMICH is designed for community members, researchers, academics, and clinicians.
Register for the IMICH here.
March 24-26, 2023
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Save the Date - 8th Annual Tribal Nations Training Week
The Center for Disaster Preparedness (CDP) will host the 8th Annual Tribal Nations Training Week the week of March 11 - 18, 2023, on the CDP campus in Anniston, AL. CDP training is completely funded for Tribal, state, local, and territorial emergency responders to include roundtrip airfare, meals, lodging, training, and any equipment required during training. All personnel who work in an emergency response capacity and are affiliated with one or more Tribal nations, Indian Health Service (IHS), and those who work directly with Tribal nations are encouraged to attend. NOTE: Some courses do have prerequisites and requirements to attend.
Training Tracks Include:
- Emergency Management Framework for Tribal Governments
- Healthcare Leadership for Mass Casualty Incidents
- Isolation and Quarantine for Rural Communities
- Intermediate ICS for Expanding Incidents/Crisis Leadership and Decision
For more information, contact David Hall, CDP Eastern Region and Tribal Nations Training Coordinator at [email protected] or (866) 213-9546.
March 11-18, 2023
Learn more about Tribal Nations Training Week here..
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Save the Date for the National Tribal Opioid Summit
Join NIHB as we partner with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board’s National Tribal Opioid Summit, to be held August 22-24, 2023 at the Tulalip Resort in Tulalip, Washington.
The summit will provide an unprecedented opportunity of national scope for Tribal nations and communities to share stories, build strength, and collaborate to address the opioid crisis. This inaugural summit will provide dedicated space to addressing the fentanyl crisis with a Tribally driven agenda.
More information to come!
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Save the Dates - 2023 Indigenous Home Visiting Meeting
The Health Resource and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) recently announced the 2023 Indigenous Home Visiting Meeting (IHVM). The theme of this meeting is “Rooted In Traditions – Growing Through Connections.” This meeting will offer attendees the opportunity to learn from each other, share innovative approaches, build new connections, and celebrate the great work of Indigenous Home Visiting programs. Tribal, local, state, and federal partners are welcome to attend. The meeting will take place June 6 – 8, 2023, at the Double Tree by Hilton in Crystal City, VA (right outside Washington D.C.). Information is on the Save the Date (right).
June 6-8, 2023
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