Covering Indian Country – June 2021

 

June 2021

 

Spotlight: Outreach to increase COVID-19 vaccination Now that COVID-19 vaccines are available to prevent severe illness in people ages 12 years and older, we are closer to ensuring our families, friends, and neighbors stay healthy and safe. Let’s help everyone get fully vaccinated as soon as possible! To that end, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services invites all of us to join the COVID-19 Community Corps. Community Corps members get timely access to fact sheets on vaccine safety, tips on talking with people about the importance of vaccination, and more. Our best path out of the COVID-19 pandemic is for every American to get a COVID-19 vaccination as soon as it is available to them. Additionally, the Self-Governance Communication & Education Tribal Consortium has created a COVID-19 vaccine informational toolkit for tribal governments (PDF, 904 KB, 4 pp) and several brief videos in which tribal members Share why they decided to get vaccinated Address concerns about vaccine side effects Recommend some credible sources of information about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) also continues to update its COVID-19 resource library. Some of JHCAIH’s newer resources are aimed at increasing the number of Native youth who are vaccinated. Those resources include a fact sheet for caregivers and Getting Back To Life, a social media toolkit.

 

June: Father’s Day

 

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 Set an example for healthy living. Schedule your next wellness visit today. https://youtu.be/2m36yOPnFLc #CMSNativeHealth Flyers and fact sheets Download these resources or order copies on the Tribal Products Ordering Page. Please allow 2 weeks for your order to be completed. The Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer (PDF, 426 KB, 1 p) explains how Medicaid enrollment benefits Native people and their communities. The Men’s Health Checklist (PDF, 1.4 MB, 2 pp) helps men of all ages track the preventive services they need to stay well. The Communities Need Healthy Men brochure (PDF, 755 KB, 2 pp) highlights ways in which health care coverage can protect families’ physical, mental, and financial health.

 

Health observances

 

June is Men’s Health Month American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) men are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, or Asian men. Data show that interventions like the Special Diabetes Program for Indians—Diabetes Prevention initiative can help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. However, most participants in that initiative were women. Recognizing the need for diabetes prevention programs that are specifically designed for AI/AN men, Washington State University’s Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health designed and implemented Strong Men, Strong Communities (SMSC). SMSC is a health and fitness program for overweight Native American men with no previous diagnosis of diabetes. As noted in an article in the American Journal of Men’s Health, the program reduces participants’ risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It also creates a culturally safe environment for men to reclaim traditional understanding and practices.

 

National HIV Testing Day: June 27 In observance of National HIV Testing Day, download and share 2 posters from the Urban Indian Health Institute: Know Your HIV Status (PDF, 48 KB, 1 p) Stand Up to HIV Stigma (PDF, 902 KB, 1 p) Medications are available to help manage HIV infection and prevent transmission to an HIV-positive person’s partner. However, many people who have HIV do not realize they are infected. Education to promote HIV testing and combat HIV-related stigma can increase the number of Native people who are treated.

 

Additional resources

 

Protecting Native youth from suicide A new resource is available to support Native youth suicide prevention efforts. Culture Forward: A Strengths and Culture Based Tool to Protect Our Native Youth from Suicide (PDF, 15.5 MB, 56 pp) highlights core themes that emerged during 6 months of listening sessions with more than 60 Native stakeholders. Developed by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health (JHCAIH) in partnership with Casey Family Programs, the report includes a foreword by current U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna). Hear Secretary Haaland’s thoughts on JHCAIH’s work in a brief video about the importance of suicide prevention efforts (1:06).

 

Achieving food security and advancing food sovereignty People are more likely to be healthy when they have enough to eat and the available food choices are nutritious and affordable. However, many families are struggling to put food on the table as a result of the pandemic. That’s why tribal leaders and presenters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), and the Administration for Community Living recently participated in Securing Our Sustenance, a webinar on food security and food sovereignty. ACF and the Administration for Native Americans also created a food security resource guide (PDF, 2.3 MB, 6 pp) for tribal leaders. The guide highlights federal food security grant opportunities and current COVID-19 program waivers and flexibilities that are available to support the efforts of: Childcare and early learning providers Elder care providers Community leaders and organizations that serve individuals and families

 

Funding opportunities

 

2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity Application deadline: July 6 View the NOFO opportunity, (search for CA-NAV-21-001) CMS has released an $80-million funding opportunity to bring on navigators in states with a federally facilitated marketplace. Through the 2021 Navigator Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), navigators will provide education and outreach about affordable health care coverage options and assist with the Marketplace enrollment process. New and past navigators are welcome to apply. Learn more about this opportunity through the Technical Assistance Session on June 28, from 3–4 pm eastern. Applicants may submit questions in advance of the session to Navigatorgrants@cms.hhs.gov.

Closing the Gap with Social Determinants of Health Accelerator Plans Deadline: July 6 View the Closing the Gap with SDOH Accelerator Plans funding opportunity The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion is offering grants to develop multisector action plans that address social determinants of health (SDOH) in communities experiencing health disparities and inequities. Approximately 20 awards of up to $125,000 each will be made for a 1-year performance period. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

I Strengthen My Nation challenge competitions Deadline: July 7 View the I Strengthen My Nation funding opportunity The National Institute on Drug Abuse, in partnership with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, is hosting 2 challenge competitions for youth with knowledge of American Indian and/or Alaska Native culture. The Art Challenge invites individuals and groups to submit any original form of art and describe how it depicts resilience against drug abuse. Approximately 25 prizes of either $500 (individual) or $1,000 (group) will be awarded for each winning entry. The Community Project Intervention Challenge invites youth to submit a 3–5 minute video and a 5-page written proposal describing a community project that promotes resilience against substance misuse. Up to $10,000 will be awarded for each winning entry.

 

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.

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 Bemidji/Nashville: Weeks of June 14–21

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. Suicide prevention webinar series (11 am eastern) June 23: Suicide Risk and Physical Health Conditions Domestic and sexual violence webinar series (11 am eastern) June 30: Missing and Murdered Indigenous People July 7: LGBTQ2s Intimate Partner Violence

Virtual fair: Welcome to Medicare June 23, 3–7 pm eastern Virtual Register for Welcome to Medicare Welcome to Medicare is a virtual fair for people turning 65, retiring, or joining Medicare because of a disability. Attendees will be able to ask questions and hear experts from the State Health Insurance Assistance Program national network discuss Medicare eligibility, how to navigate Medicare coverage options, and more.

10th Annual National Native Harm Reduction Summit July 21–23 Virtual Register for the National Native Harm Reduction Summit The National Native Harm Reduction Summit is an opportunity for behavioral health care professionals, social service providers, public health professionals, and community members to address issues related to hepatitis C, HIV, and drug use in tribal, urban Indian, and rural communities. Summit tracks cover innovation and mobilization, infectious disease, opioids and substance use, culture, and recovery and resilience.

 

 

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