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NEW! COVID-19 TRIBAL RESOURCE CENTER
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Registration for the Tribal Nations Health Summit: 2021 White House Transition is Now Open!

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Vaccine Information and Tribal Support Page on NIHB’s COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center

In an effort to keep Tribes engaged and informed, NIHB offers this platform that contains communications, resources and advocacy materials on the development of the COVID-19 Vaccine.
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Giving Tuesday 2020: We Are Resilient. We Will Thrive. We Are Indian Country.

Join us in making an impact in Indian Country through Acts of Love on this global day of giving!
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Wearing a Mask is an Act of Love

Why do you wear a mask? Share a photo and your reason on social media! Tag NIHB and use the hashtag #ActofLove #Wearamask

NIHB Celebrates American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

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NIHB advocates for the highest level of healthcare for our Native veterans as the federal government has a dual obligation – as citizens of Tribal sovereign nations and for brave service in the Armed Forces.

View a map showing the population of Native veterans who access the Indian Health Service. https://bit.ly/NativeVetsData

NIHB Releases 2019 Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan Report

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released the 2019 Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan (PHICCS) Report that provides a comprehensive picture of Tribal public health infrastructure and activities, specifically, immunization, screening, and prevention/education activities that are widely occurring across Indian Country.
See the full report

News

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NIHB publishes weekly newsletters to keep Tribal leaders, public health program directors, providers, and advocates up to date on the latest news impacting Indian health.
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NIHB is Hiring!

We are seeking qualified candidates for the following open positions based in Washington DC:

Policy Analyst

Director of Congressional Relations

Public Health Project Coordinator (Emergency Preparedness)

Public Health Project Coordinator (Aging)

Public Health Program Coordinator (PHICCS)

Public Health Project Coordinator (Environmental Health)

Public Health Project Associate (Behavioral Health)

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Posted December 14, 2020

NIHB Statement on FDA Approval of Pfizer Coronavirus Vaccine for Use, Distribution

WASHINGTON, DC—December 14, 2020—The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) offered the following statement from CEO Stacy A. Bohlen on the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent approval of emergency use authorization to distribute the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.

Read the full release.


Posted December 9, 2020

President-elect Joe Biden Announces Nominations for HHS Leadership

On December 8, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced key nominations and appointments of his health team, that includes Dr. Anthony Fauci who will continue his role as Chief Medical Adviser to the President on COVID-19. The team are leaders with deep experience in public health, government, and crisis management.

  • Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services - Attorney General of California, long-time champion of expanding access to healthcare, and former Congressman who helped pass the Affordable Care Act.
  • Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General - A physician, research scientist, and former Vice Admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. He currently serves as co-chair of the President-elect’s COVID-19 transition Advisory Board.
  • Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - An expert on virus testing, prevention, and treatment. She is the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.
  • Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, COVID-19 Equity Task Force Chair - An expert on health care disparities. She is the founding director of Yale’s Equity Research and Innovation Center and co-chair of the President-elect’s COVID-19 Transition Advisory Board. Dr. Nunez-Smith will advise the President-elect on a whole-of-government effort to reduce COVID-19 disparities in response, care, and treatment, including racial and ethnic disparities.
  • Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - The nation’s preeminent expert on infectious diseases. Dr. Fauci will remain an essential voice both in informing the public about health risks and safety measures and in helping the scientific community, the Biden-Harris administration, and local officials overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Jeff Zients, Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response and Counselor to the President - An accomplished public servant widely known for his extraordinary track record successfully managing large and complex initiatives. Mr. Zients will advise the president-elect on the implementation of the federal government’s COVID response, including managing safe and equitable vaccine distribution, the pandemic supply chain, and coordination across federal agencies and state and local governments.
  • Natalie Quillian, Deputy Coordinator of the COVID-19 Response - A national security expert and former White House and Pentagon senior advisor who played an instrumental role in coordinating the Obama-Biden administration’s interagency response to the opioid epidemic.

    • Read the complete announcement here.


Posted December 8, 2020

NIHB, NCAI and NCUIH Send Joint Letter to Congressional Leaders on COVID-19 Relief for Indian Country

The National Indian Health Board, alongside the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) sent a letter to Congressional leadership on December 4, 2020. The letter urges Congress to include direct health relief funding to Tribes, including for vaccine distribution, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, third-party reimbursement shortfall relief, and other provisions.

Read the full letter.


Posted December 8, 2020

NIHB, NCAI and NCUIH Send Joint Letter to Congressional Leaders Urging passage of Native Veterans Bills

The National Indian Health Board, alongside the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) sent a letter to Congressional leadership on December 4, 2020. The letter urges passage of Native Veterans bills including legislation to establish a Tribal Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) and legislation to eliminate copays for Native Veterans, and to ensure the VA is fully reimbursing the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribes for services authorized under Purchased/Referred Care.

Read the full letter.


Posted November 16, 2020

NIHB Leads Efforts on Joint Letter to Indian Health Service Regarding Expanding Tribal Self-Determination and Self-Governance Authority for Special Diabetes Program for Indians

On Friday, November 13, NIHB was joined by ten Tribes and Tribal organizations in a letter submitted to Indian Health Service (IHS) Director Weahkee and members of Congress outlining the Tribes' final and official position on a legislative amendment to the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) to permit Tribes and Tribal organizations to receive SDPI awards through Title I self-determination contracts or Title V self-governance compacts.

Read the full letter


Posted November 10, 2020

NIHB sends letter to USCCR Regarding Withholding of COVID-19 Report

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has submitted a letter to the United State Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR) to express concern about their recent decision to not release a report that detailed COVID-19’s impact on Indian Country. In the letter we expressed our belief that this report contains information that would be vital for helping Tribal leaders respond to the pandemic, through both direct action and advocacy for policy changes. We are deeply disappointed in this decision and the lack of justification provided for it. We hope that the USCCR reverses this decision and releases their report.

Read the full letter


Posted November 3, 2020

NIHB Briefs Stakeholders on the Importance of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians

On Tuesday, October 27 the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), along with the Endocrine Society and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), hosted a virtual briefing to educate Congressional staff about the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) and the Special Diabetes Program (SDP) and its importance of extending both programs before the continuing resolution expires on December 11, 2020. Together, all three organizations are advocating for a long-term reauthorization of 5 year and $150 million per program per year.

Earlier in October, the Indian Health Service (IHS) announced the release of their 2020 Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) Report to Congress, Changing the Course of Diabetes: Charting Remarkable Progress. This new report highlights SDPI's ongoing and outstanding contributions to improvements in diabetes care and health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. In the report, Ann Bullock, Director of the IHS Division of Diabetes states, "These improvements have huge implications for quality of life and health care costs. Sustained efforts in diabetes prevention and treatment are critical to ensuring continued advances in the health of AI/AN people. The SDPI has been, and continues to be, key to this remarkable progress." A recording of the virtual briefing may be viewed here.


Posted November 2, 2020

New Deadline Announced for Tribes to Choose COVID-19 Vaccine Plan

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on today’s national webinar hosted by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB), that Operation Warp Speed has approved a one week extension for Tribes with healthcare facilities to determine their vaccine distribution preference. HHS sent a Dear Tribal Leader Letter urging that Tribes with healthcare facilities now have until November 6 to contact the Indian Health Service (IHS) to indicate if they would like to be included in IHS’ distribution or contact their state health authority if they want to be included in the state's distribution.

The expedited deadline for Tribes to respond with their decision quickly became one of NIHB's top concerns. In regard to the Administration’s evolving plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine, NIHB continues to offer a platform for Tribes to participate in national Tribal advocacy efforts to ensure the Tribes' voices are heard. NIHB commends the work of national and regional Tribal organizations, along with all Tribes across Indian Country, to make certain that the concerns of Tribal Nations are acknowledged and addressed. NIHB, with nine other organizations, submitted a letter to HHS Secretary Azar asking for an extension of the deadline, more information on the vaccine plans, and greater flexibility for Tribes.

Tribes are encouraged to reach out to their state health authority and their IHS Area Office COVID Vaccine Point of Contact to better understand the details of their COVID-19 plans to help make this decision based on the information available to date. The new deadline is November 6, 2020.

  • If your Tribe already submitted its preference and wishes to keep its decision, no further action is needed. Tribes can choose to receive the vaccine through their IHS Area Office or state health authority.
  • If your Tribe already submitted its preference and wishes to change its decision, please contact [email protected] to make a correction.

NIHB Resources on HHS/IHS COVID-19 Vaccine Planning


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