Friday, August 19, 2022

Today's To-Do's!

Action Item: Register for NIHB's National Tribal Health Conference

Action Item: Apply for SDPI Funding

Action Item: Review Updated CDC Resources

CDC Announces Change in COVID-19 Guidance

On August 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a change in its COVID-19 guidance to help people better understand their risk, how to protect themselves and others, what actions to take if exposed to COVID-19, and what actions to take if they are sick or test positive for the virus.  

The guidance reflects a shift in CDC’s classification of COVID-19 from an epidemic to endemic disease, recognizes high levels of immunity in the population, and states the intent of this guidance to reduce the impact of COVID-19 prevention measures on social, educational, and economic activity. Greta Massetti, Branch Chief of the Field Epidemiology and Prevention Branch at the CDC, stated, "We know that COVID-19 is here to stay." 

To prevent significant COVID-19 illness and death, it is crucial to understand your risk of infection, take steps to protect yourself and others with vaccines, therapeutics, and nonpharmaceutical interventions (such as washing your hands and covering your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing) when needed, get tested and wear a facemask when exposed, get tested if showing symptoms, and isolate for at least five days if infected.  

These new guidelines will allow public health efforts to minimize the individual and societal health impacts of COVID-19 by focusing on sustainable measures to further reduce significant illness, minimize strain on the health care system, and reduce barriers to social, educational, and economic activity. 

The revised guidance lifts the requirement for unvaccinated people or those exposed to the virus to quarantine. Instead of quarantining, the CDC recommends wearing a high-quality mask for ten days in indoor settings and getting tested on the fifth day. The guidance also removed the “six feet” social distancing standard and no longer recommends screening people with no symptoms who do not have known exposures. For K-12 schools, the guidance has eliminated the "test-to-stay" policies that recommend students to quarantine at home after exposure to COVID-19. Quarantine, case investigation, and contact tracing are now only recommended for people in high-risk settings like correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and nursing homes.  

However, it is important to note that COVID-19 cases, hospitalization, and death rates are still high across Indian Country. Because of this, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) recommends you continue to show Acts of Love in your community by wearing a face mask in crowded areas, washing your hands often, keeping your distance from others (at least six feet), and staying home if you are not feeling well.  

For more information on COVID-19 and COVID-19 resources, visit NIHB’s COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center. Please direct any COVID-19 questions to Darby Galligher, MPH, Project Coordinator, at DGalligher@https://nihb.org.  

Learn more about the new CDC guidance.  

FDA Finalizes Rule Enabling Access to Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids for Millions of Americans

On August 16, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final rule to increase access to hearing aids which, in turn, may lower costs for millions of Americans. This action establishes a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, enabling consumers with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment to purchase hearing aids directly from stores or online retailers without the need for a medical exam, prescription, or a fitting adjustment by an audiologist.

The rule is expected to lower the cost of hearing aids, furthering the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of expanding access to high-quality health care, and lowering health care costs for the American public. It is designed to assure the safety and effectiveness of OTC hearing aids while fostering innovation and competition in the hearing aid technology marketplace.

Hearing-related problems among American Indians have not been studied extensively, despite the observation that American Indian/Alaska Native adults nationwide are nearly twice as likely (6.4 percent) as white adults (3.5 percent) and four times as likely as Asian adults (1.8 percent) and African American adults (1.6 percent) to report moderate to severe hearing problems. Prevalence and risk factors for tinnitus (ringing in ears) have not been documented in Tribal populations, whereas tinnitus is commonly reported in many non-Tribal populations and is most strongly linked to loud noise exposure.

Read more about the FDA’s final rule.

Read more about hearing-related health among adult American Indian/Alaska Natives.

Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in Healthcare Settings

The number of monkeypox/orthopox virus cases continues to rise in the U.S., and as of August 16, 2022, there are 12,689 confirmed cases. The early data for American Indian/Alaska Natives have not been reported, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF); however, Tribal healthcare workers should be alert for patients with rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox and test them if warranted. Should there be a confirmed case within a Tribal healthcare facility, Tribal healthcare workers need to know the infection control precautions that prevent the spread of infection in healthcare settings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has tools to respond effectively and is working to help stop the spread of the virus and end the epidemic.

The infection control recommendations in healthcare settings have been updated and include:

• Monitoring patients who have been exposed to monkeypox and when they should isolate.
• Assessing the risk for healthcare workers who have been exposed and when to apply work restrictions.

All the CDC infection control recommendations for monkeypox in healthcare settings can be found here.

The National Indian Health Board Releases National PHICCS Survey to Capture Data on Tribal Public Health Capacity

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is pleased to announce the release of the second iteration of the Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan (PHICCS).

PHICCS is a national scan that is conducted every three years by NIHB. 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. Through the data collected from the first iteration of PHICCS, NIHB has begun to develop a national Tribal public health profile, creating an invaluable resource for Tribal leaders and Tribal public health professionals to advocate for the advancement of the health and well-being of American Indian/Alaska Natives. NIHB hopes to build upon these successes through the second iteration of PHICCS. 

The 2022 PHICCS survey has been shared with Tribal Health/Public Health Directors and Tribal Administrators working at federally recognized Tribes across the nation. NIHB encourages these leaders in Tribal public health to complete the PHICCS survey, which is dependent on Tribal entity engagement. The survey questions address topics related to the public health services offered to the Tribal population, Tribal public health priorities, and the resources needed for improved public health service delivery or capacity. The knowledge gained will be used to guide NIHB’s work, and can inform national and regional resource allocation, policy development, and advocacy efforts. Please join NIHB in encouraging and supporting participation in this vital survey. 

Visit NIHB’s PHICCS webpage for more information and to view a copy of the scan instrument.

National Tribal Health Conference and 50th Anniversary Celebration

THE POWER OF IDENTITY: A PATH TO TRIBAL HEALTH EQUITY

Join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) as we take a look back at the history of NIHB and build our plans for the next 50 years. Together we will explore the topics of health equity, health policy, Tribal advances in health, and many more. The National Tribal Health Conference (NTHC) The event will be held in Washington, DC at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill from September 25-29, 2022. Learn more and register.

NIHB is accepting nominations for the 2022 Outstanding Service Awards until August 23. All awards will be presented at the Annual Heroes in Health Awards Gala, taking place as part of NTHC. The Gala will be held at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, September 27, 2022. Learn more and submit Award Nominations here.

2023 SDPI Application Now Available!

The Indian Health Service (IHS) recently announced the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) 2023 application package is now available. To Access the SDPI 2023 Grant Application:

• Click on the Grants.gov link.
• Copy and paste the following Funding Announcement Number in the search box in the upper right-hand corner of the grants.gov webpage: HHS-2023-IHS-SDPI-0001.
• Click the “GO” button or press the Enter key on your keyboard.
• From the Search Results, click on the hyperlinked “Opportunity Number”.

Review/note the following:

• Visit the Related Documents tab to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions.
• Visit the Package tab to Preview Application Forms.
• Applications will be submitted using the Workspace Application on the Grants.gov webpage.
• Follow the instructions provided on the Grants.gov Apply for Grants webpage to submit and track your application.

If you experience any difficulty completing or submitting your application package, visit the Grants.gov Support Center or contact Grants.gov support at [email protected] or via phone at (800) 518-4726.

For questions, email the Division of Diabetes at:  [email protected]

AmeriCorps Releases New Funding Opportunity

On August 10, 2022, AmeriCorps released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for Public Health AmeriCorps. The purpose of this NOFO is to invest in COVID-19 recovery, health equity, local public health, and create a pipeline of public health leaders. The application deadline is Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET. Additional information about the NOFO can be found here. 

AmeriCorps also announced the 2023 AmeriCorps State and National Native Nations Grants and Planning Competition. Each year, AmeriCorps invests in federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native Nations 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: April 5, 2023 at 5 P:00M ET

Additional Information can be found here. 

Chief Executive Search in the Flagstaff Area

Native Americans for Community Action (NACA) is looking to recruit a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). With a distinct mission to provide preventive wellness strategies, empower, and advocate for Native peoples and others, NACA is searching for a strong leader with a solid understanding of Indigenous values to create harmony, change, and growth within the organization.

NACA’s CEO will be someone who not only continues to carry on the long-standing mission of the organization but also unites a team of more than 50 medical providers, program managers, and administrative staff, and present NACA as a driving force for social justice, equity, and change within the healthcare community.

Ideal candidates will have at least seven years of management experience, knowledge of current Federally Qualified Health Clinic (FQHC) standards, grant writing, and fundraising experience. Cultural sensitivity to all populations and the ongoing practice of cultural humility is a must; experience working with Native American and Tribal entities is critical.

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this role, please contact Nick Mazur at [email protected].

To view a comprehensive job description, click here. 

NIOSH Requesting Public Input for Safety and Health Strategic Plan

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requests input from the public on the Revised Draft of the American Indian/Alaska (AI/AN) Worker Safety and Health Strategic Plan to enhance worker safety and health in Tribal communities. Your comments will help ensure the Revised Draft Strategic Plan addresses research and outreach needs that are most critical for understanding and reducing work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among AI/AN workers. The strategic plan defines and prioritizes occupational safety and health research and outreach related to AI/AN workers for 2022–2031. Comments are due by August 29, 2022.

Review the plan and comment here. 

Request COVID-19 TA from NIHB!

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is available to provide policy analysis, resources, tools, capacity-building assistance as well as other Technical Assistance (TA) to assist Tribes and Tribal organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are interested in learning more or would like to request TA, please use this link, or contact Darby Galligher, Project Coordinator, at DGalligher@https://nihb.org. 

NW NARCH Announces End-of-Summer Research Training Institute

The Northwest Native Research Centers for Health (NW NARCH) recently announced a free End-of-Summer Virtual Research Training Institute. The End-of-Summer Research Training Institute consists of two NEW virtual training opportunities for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) health professionals and students interested in learning how to conduct Behavioral Health Research & Infectious Diseases Research in Tribal communities. Intensive courses kick off in September 2022!

Learn more about the Behavioral Health Track.

Learn more about the Infectious Diseases Track.

Find details on track topics and applications here. 

CDC Publishes New Smoking and Tobacco Resource

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health has published a new supplement to the Best Practices User Guides called Tobacco Where You Live Supplement: Native Communities. These supplements assist state and local programs to understand how commercial tobacco use varies within specific communities with the highest prevalence. The Native Communities supplement can aid state and municipal tobacco health professionals to work with Tribes on strategies for commercial tobacco cessation and respect for the use of traditional tobacco, and learn from examples of Tribal leadership in the commercial tobacco prevention work.

The supplement on CDC’s Smoking & Tobacco Use is available here.

HHS Announces Availability of Revised Draft of American Indian/Alaska Native Worker Safety and Health Strategic Plan

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an Operating Division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recently announced the availability of a draft strategic plan for public comment entitled Revised Draft of American Indian/Alaska Native Worker Safety and Health Strategic Plan (Revised Draft Strategic Plan). NIOSH considered all comments from previous consultation sessions, and based on those comments, released the Revised Draft Strategic Plan on which public comment is now being requested.

Read the Revised Draft Strategic Plan here.