The panel and conference are hosted by the Safe States Alliance, a national non-profit and professional organization whose mission is to strengthen the practice of injury and violence prevention. The panel will be limited to conference attendees. You can learn more about the Safe States 2020 Conference “Advancing Equity, Strengthening Prevention” here.

Nominations for the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) 2020 Outstanding Service Awards: Recognizing Resiliency in Indian Country are now open! Nominate a hero in Indian Health between now and September 15, 2020 to recognize their work at the Local, Regional, and National Levels!

Week 1 September 1-5: Make A Plan

Week 2 September 6-12: Build A Kit

Build a kit PSA.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has updated its guidelines for cervical cancer screening aimed at people with a cervix who have an average risk of cervical cancer. For people aged 25 to 65 years, the preferred screening recommendation is to get a primary human papillomavirus (HPV) test every 5 years. Read more here.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Office on Smoking and Health released a tobacco-related research brief in the Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) journal. In March 2012, CDC launched the Tips From Former Smokers® (Tips®) campaign—the first federally funded anti-smoking ad campaign—which profiles real people who are living with serious long-term health effects from smoking and secondhand smoke exposure. During 2012–2018, CDC’s Tips campaign was associated with an estimated 1 million sustained quits and 16.4 million quit attempts among U.S. adults, demonstrating that public health campaigns can be effective when they are based on scientific evidence and are of sufficient intensity and duration. Continued implementation of smoking cessation campaigns, including the Tips campaign, could accelerate progress toward reducing rates of smoking-related diseases and death. Read more here.

The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) has released an infographic on the impact of early childhood development and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on health and well-being, and outlines actionable strategies to support healthy child development. The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn and schooling challenges have worsened stress and uncertainty for families and children. A child’s earliest years lay the groundwork for lifelong health, and positive early experiences can strengthen a child’s developing biological systems, helping them to thrive and become healthy adults. Alternatively, negative or adverse experiences, such as trauma, abuse and racism, can result in toxic stress and poor health outcomes. For more information on the impact of ACEs in Indian Country visit the NIHB Information Hub: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Indian Country here.

On August 28, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published an announcement titled, "USDA Implements Immediate Measures to Help Rural Residents, Businesses and Communities Affected by COVID-19" from the USDA Rural Development. This announcement is intended to help individuals in rural America effected by the COVID-19 outbreak and includes updates to the Rural Housing Service, Rural Utilities Service and the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Many of these measures involve the extension of funding deadlines, guidance on new programs, and guidance on specific policies in relation to these three different services. Read more here.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is pleased to announce Building Tribal Provider and Patient Capacity for Addressing Opioid Misuse Prevention and Treatment made possible through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. The funding will provide an opportunity to increase the level of programming, research, policy development, coordination, and/or communication between Tribal programs, leadership, community, and key partners involved in addressing the health consequences of the opioid epidemic. Read more here.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has extended the nomination deadline for a seat on the newly established Tribal Advisory Council. Tribes and Tribal organizations now have until September 30, 2020 to nominate qualified Tribal officials, particularly from the areas of Alaska, Albuquerque, Billings, Navajo, Phoenix, and Tucson. 

For questions, please contact Dr. Elijah K. Martin, Jr., Tribal Health Affairs, HRSA Office of Health Equity at [email protected].

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. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) launched a new preparedness training, “Organizations Preparing for Emergency Needs,” or OPEN. The new training is designed to empower Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to prepare for incidents and increase resilience in the face of a disaster. OPEN is both a self-guided online course for individuals and a downloadable instructor-led course designed to help organizations take preparedness steps. The OPEN training will walk participants through ten preparedness actions. 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.

Tomorrow! Friday, September 11, 2020 at 12:00 PM ET

In this webinar, the Indian Health Service (IHS) will discuss the need to capture information on the amount and type of telehealth services being provided across the system, the importance of this data, and recommendations for documenting telehealth visits. This will ensure that critical information is available for planning and improvement across the system. Time will be allotted for questions and answers. The webinar is intended for Leaders, directors, healthcare providers, billers, Informaticists, Health Information Management Consultant and Health Information Technology staff in IHS facilities. No credit is offered for this webinar.

For questions & technical assistance, contact [email protected].

Join the webinar here.

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!

Please join the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region II National Preparedness Division for a webinar on engaging youth in preparedness. FEMA Region II, along with guest speakers from the State of New Jersey, Burlington, Middlesex and Salem counties, will discuss how they engage youth in preparedness. Each speaker will highlight programs that have proven successful including Youth Preparedness Councils, Teen CERT, Preparedness Summer Camps, POD Exercises and programs for K-12 such as Ready.Set.Go and Until Help Arrives. Register here.

Wednesday-Thursday, September 16-17, 2020

Please join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a two-day, action-oriented public health institute on brain health on September 16 & 17, 2020. This is rescheduled from our original March 2020 date.

This institute, facilitated by NIHB, will support Tribes and Tribal organizations in using the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map for Indian Country to start conversations, as well as develop and plan strategies for improving brain health in their own communities. The Road Map for Indian Country is the first-ever public health guide focused on dementia in AI/AN communities.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are delivering this action institute virtually via Zoom. Participation is free and open to all who are ready to learn and champion brain health!

Please RSVP at the link below to secure your spot. Space is limited and will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reserve your spot today here!

The Network for Public Health Law has organized a virtual law summit on COVID-19 response and recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic is challenging public health in many ways. It is exposing structural failures and health inequities that compound the virus’s impact. State and local jurisdictions are navigating a myriad of emergency response issues to mitigate infection rates and loss of life. This free, two-day virtual summit, will cover key law and policy issues surfaced by the pandemic and paths forward to more effective and equitable response and recovery efforts. Register here.

The National Tribal Air Association (NTAA) Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Work Group is hosting an informational webinar on reopening Tribal workspaces and buildings. April Hale from the National Indian Health Board will be a featured speaker, along with several other subject matter experts. Register here.

Hidden Consequences: How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Impacting Children (Webinar Series)

The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness (ASPR) TRACIE and ASPR’s Pediatric Centers of Excellence are collaborating on a webinar series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children. Topics will include impacts on child health and wellness, child emotional and social effects, the impact of COVID-19 on children with special healthcare needs, and how secondary/other disasters may affect children during the pandemic. The first webinar is focused on child health and wellness. Panelists will discuss resumption of routine care, missed immunizations and lead poisoning screening, sleep, and child neglect and abuse. Register here.