Covering Indian Country – April 2021

 

April 2021

 

Spotlight: Reinforcing confidence in COVID-19 vaccines As the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines continues, so do efforts to reinforce confidence in those vaccines and the people who administer them. To that end, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed a 3-part Vaccinate with Confidence strategy that includes clear action steps for building trust, empowering health care personnel, and engaging communities. CDC also offers free, 1-hour vaccine confidence consults for state, territorial, tribal, and local public health jurisdictions. The consults provide opportunities to ask questions and determine how to address vaccine hesitancy. Requests for consults may be emailed to confidenceconsults@cdc.gov. Additionally, CDC has created a COVID-19 vaccine toolkit for community-based organizations. The toolkit includes customizable letters, key messages, answers to frequently asked questions, and more. Reinforcing confidence in COVID-19 vaccines will require both outreach and education. In accordance with CDC’s Vaccinate with Confidence strategy, outreach workers and tribal health care personnel are encouraged to: Ask open-ended questions to explore people’s concerns about COVID-19 vaccines Help people find their own reason to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity Share CDC’s new tribal-specific resource, What You Need to Know about COVID-19 Vaccines (PDF, 265 KB, 1 p) Other tribal-specific resources on COVID-19 vaccination can be found in the National Indian Health Board’s COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center and in our article below on National Minority Health Month.

 

April: Cancer

 

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page. Public service announcements Share these brief audio clips and videos, available in 10 Native languages and English, on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page. Audio clips   Videos Tweet it Need cancer treatment? Health care coverage can help. Enroll today. https://youtu.be/S4IiLXDxHN0 #CMSNativeHealth Brochures and other resources Download these resources at your convenience. CMS’s 12 regional brochures help people locate their nearest Indian health facility and learn more about health care coverage. Essential Health Benefits for American Indians and Alaska Natives (PDF, 2.4 MB, 2 pp) reviews the health care services that all plans cover. My Health – Children’s Vaccinations (PDF, 688 KB, 2 pp) lists routine immunizations that are eligible for coverage as preventive care benefits.

 

Health observances

 

April is National Minority Health Month National Minority Health Month is an annual campaign to raise awareness about health disparities. This year, the campaign’s theme is #VaccineReady, highlighting the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in communities where the pandemic has caused disproportionately high rates of hospitalization and death. Share the following resources to support vaccine readiness in Native communities: A video of a Minnesota Chippewa elder explaining why she chose to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and urging others to do the same Urban Indian Health Institute’s series of 7 posters promoting COVID-19 vaccination

 

National Infant Immunization Week: April 24–May 1 Routine immunizations help protect young children from 14 different diseases. Furthermore, vaccinating infants on schedule prevents outbreaks of measles, whooping cough, and other potentially dangerous illnesses. In observance of National Infant Immunization Week, do your part to keep Native families and communities healthy by: Reminding parents and other caregivers that immunizations are essential health benefits (PDF, 2.4 MB, 2 pp) Encouraging people to visit Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian health facilities for vaccinations and other necessary medical care

 

Additional resources

 

Help spread the word to promote COVID-19 vaccination so we can reach community immunity We Can Do This. We’re working to promote COVID-19 vaccine confidence, encourage prevention, and support our partners’ efforts to reach their communities. Through strong partnerships with tribes and urban Indian organizations across Indian Country, the Indian Health Service has administered more than 1 million COVID-19 vaccines in Native communities, but there is still work to be done to reach community immunity. You can help by: Sharing resources for American Indian and Alaska Native communities Joining the COVID-19 Community Corps to receive weekly emails featuring tips, news, and resources to share with your community Using new social media profile frames to display your choice to get vaccinated and encourage your friends and family to do the same

 

CMS provides funds for health navigators to support Special Enrollment Period for Marketplace coverage Health navigators play a key role in helping people understand health care coverage, especially during this year’s Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which runs through August 15. The SEP allows families to obtain Marketplace health care coverage during the ongoing national public health emergency. Recognizing the urgent need for outreach and education in underserved communities, CMS has made approximately $2.3 million in additional funding available to current navigator grantee organizations (PDF, 54 KB, 2 pp) in federally facilitated Marketplace states. CMS also plans to significantly increase funding for navigators in advance of open enrollment for the 2022 plan year.

 

Anxiety screening now considered a preventive service Most health care coverage plans now consider anxiety screening to be a preventive service when conducted during a well-woman checkup. Women are twice as likely as men to experience an anxiety disorder, which is the medical term for uncontrollable worry that interferes with daily life. Additionally, the pandemic has increased the risk for anxiety among caregivers, most of whom are women. Coverage of anxiety screening as a preventive health benefit for women can help improve access to behavioral health services. For information about the different types of behavioral health care coverage available, visit the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs behavioral health website for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

 

Funding opportunities

 

JHCAIH summer institute scholarships Deadline: May 1 View the JHCAIH summer institute funding opportunity The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) is offering scholarships for its 2021 summer institute, which will be held virtually. Native scholars, health leaders, and health professionals/paraprofessionals who serve tribal communities are eligible to apply.

Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives Deadline: May 1 View the Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives funding opportunity The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is offering funds for the implementation of community- and societal-level strategies to decrease the impact of violence on adolescents and young adults. Approximately 8 cooperative agreements of $250,000 per year will be awarded for a 5-year performance period. Federally recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program Deadline: May 4 View the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program funding opportunity The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is offering funds for projects that will increase food security. Tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program Deadline: May 7 View the Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program funding opportunity The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving Cooperative Agreement Program will fund the development of solutions to address existing environmental and/or public health issues in underserved communities over a 2-year period. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates awarding a total of 20 cooperative agreements of approximately $160,000 each within the 10 EPA regions. Tribal governments and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Environmental Justice Small Grants Program Deadline: May 7 View the Environmental Justice Small Grants Program funding opportunity The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program will fund year-long projects to help residents of underserved communities understand and identify ways of addressing local environmental and/or public health issues. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) anticipates awarding approximately 56 grants (about 5 per EPA region) of up to $50,000 each. Tribal governments and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

 

Calendar of events

 

Some events may be cancelled, postponed, or held virtually as public health officials monitor COVID-19 safety measures during this time. Please check the events’ pages for updates on event status.

Promoting Mental Wellness Webinar Series The National Council of Urban Indian Health invites urban Indian organization staff and leadership to attend the final webinar in the series, Promoting Mental Wellness: Addressing Suicide and Substance Misuse Among Urban Native Youth During COVID-19. Upcoming webinar April 20, 1 pm eastern: Weaving Calm: A Strength-Based Approach to Addressing Stress Among Urban Native Youth During COVID-19

Webinar on Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences April 20, 1 pm eastern Register for a webinar on preventing adverse childhood experiences Prevention professionals and researchers are encouraged to learn about a strengths-focused, family-based program to prevent adverse childhood experiences

Indian Health Service Webinars Sponsored by the Indian Health Service (IHS) Tele-Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the IHS webinars listed below are intended for all health care team members. Upcoming webinars by series Child and adolescent behavioral health (3 pm eastern) April 20: Screening and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder May 4: After an Autism Spectrum Diagnosis: Next Steps May 18: Applied Behavior Analysis for Autism Spectrum Disorder Domestic and sexual violence (11 am eastern) April 21: Interventions for Children and Adolescents Displaying Problematic Sexual Behaviors April 28: Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Danger Assessment May 5: Intimate Partner Violence and Pregnancy May 12: Elder Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation May 19: Behavioral Health Intervention Strategies for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence May 26: LGBTQ2s Intimate Partner Violence

Community Health Representative ECHO Program Webinar Series Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and Indian Health Service staff will offer an ECHO Program webinar series for community health representatives and non-clinical staff who work in behavioral and community health. Pre-registration is not required. Same-day webinar access is available by clicking on the link for the webinar of interest either 5 minutes before the session begins or at any time during the session. Upcoming webinars (3 pm eastern) April 22: HIV April 29: LGBTQ-2S

Virtual CMS ITU Outreach and Education Trainings The CMS Division of Tribal Affairs offers virtual trainings to benefit coordinators and business office, patient registration, medical records, and purchased/referred care services staff. ITU staff are encouraged to register for the training for their respective IHS area, as the agendas will include area-specific issues and state Medicaid/CHIP presentations. However, you may register for other IHS area webinars if you are interested. Please check CMS’s website periodically for more information as these virtual events are scheduled and opened for registration. Upcoming Virtual ITU Trainings by IHS area Albuquerque: Weeks of April 26–May 3 Navajo: Weeks of May 3–10 Oklahoma City: Weeks of May 10–17 California: Weeks of May 17–24 Great Plains: Weeks of June 7–14 Bemidji/Nashville: Weeks of June 14–21

NIHB 2021 National Tribal Public Health Summit April 27–29 Virtual Register for the National Tribal Public Health Summit The theme of this year’s National Tribal Public Health Summit is “Indigenous Resilience in Tribal Public Health Practice.” Sponsored by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), the summit will bring together public health professionals, researchers, and policy experts to discuss evidenced-based emerging and promising practices in public, behavioral, and environmental health.

 

 

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