CURRENT PROJECTS

AI/AN Surveillance Report
We are collaborating with statisticians at CDC/DSTD and IHS to publish an AI/AN-specific STD surveillance report based on CDC data and IHS population statistics. This report should be available electronically and in hard copy by July 2006.

Alaska Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Project
We are collaborating with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to assess chlamydia and gonorrhea prevention, treatment, and surveillance efforts at several sites.

IHS-STD/HIV Prevention Training Center Work Group
The IHS National STD Program and the CDC-funded National Network of STD/HIV Prevention Training Centers collaborate on a work group to identify and support STD-related training and capacity-building needs for providers of AI/AN.

Methamphetamine Initiative Work Group
Methamphetamine is a serious and worsening problem in Indian Country. It is destroying families and communities and is fueling a host of physical and mental health problems, including an increase of STDs, HIV, and viral hepatitis. This work group includes representatives from the IHS Division of Behavioral Health, the IHS Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention, the Billings Area IHS, and several tribal and community-based health and substance abuse programs. The work group will develop an IHS strategy to respond to the methamphetamine crisis in Indian Country.

National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD)
We work closely with NCSD to support state STD directors in the efforts to better address STD issues among AI/AN. As a result, a NCSD sub-committee was formed in 2005 to specifically identify and address STD issues among AI/AN on behalf of the coalition. We are supporting NCSD to develop fact sheets on STDs among AI/AN for each CDC project area (there are 65), to develop an “Indian Country 101” presentation for participants at the 2006 National STD Conference, and to develop in-service educational sessions for members of NCSD at their annual meetings.

School-Based STD Screening Guideline Work Group
A work group was formed in 2005 to adapt the Starting a School-Based Chlamydia Screening and Treatment Program developed by ETR Associates for Indian Country.

STD/HIV/Hepatitis Program Assessment
This project will develop recommendations on STD, HIV, and viral hepatitis prevention services for the I/T/U health care delivery system. IHS National STD Program will develop these recommendations through a comprehensive assessment at an IHS facility in the Northern Plains.

STD Materials for AI/AN
A work group will review existing STD prevention materials developed for AI/AN and make recommendations for their redesign and improvement.

STD Research Group
Our office convened a work group of prominent STD researchers and key tribal/IHS public health personnel to develop strategies to increase STD research in AI/AN populations. In addition to developing a manuscript which serves as a call to action to the public health community, the work group is also submitting a formal resolution to the American Public Health Association calling for more STD research in AI/AN.

Stop Chlamydia Project
Stop Chlamydia is a project that our office has supported for over 10 years. In exchange for case report data, we provide existing sites with free azithromycin. Recently, we have re-designed this project to collect parallel data to CDC’s Infertility Prevention Project data. These data are more useful to our program and to that of the participants, as we can now calculate positivity.

Tribal Jail Screening Pilot
We are pleased to support a tribal jail screening pilot project on a southwestern reservation. This innovative project will offer chlamydia screening to all detainees as an initial screening tool. A detainee who tests positive for chlamydia will be offered comprehensive STD and HIV screening.

STD Training Support
This year we were pleased to announce the availability of STD training support for I/T/U providers. Through a competitive application process, we identified 10 applicants from across the country, representing tribes, Urban Indian health programs, and IHS. We hope to repeat this opportunity in the future.