NCUIH Newsletter | August 26, 2019
|
|
Statement from Executive Director Francys Crevier
Washington, DC (August 16, 2019) – Today, the National Council of Urban Indian Health Executive Director Francys Crevier released the following statement:
“The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) has long encouraged Members of Congress and the Administration to honor the United States trust obligations to Indian Country including American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) on and off reservations. For over 20 years, we have advocated for proper funding of IHS, which includes Urban Indian health care, the overall betterment of Indian Country and the rights of Sovereign nations. NCUIH agrees with the Broken Promises report that emphasizes the critical role of the 41 Title V Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) funded by Indian Health Service that provide “the only affordable, culturally competent health care services available in urban areas. “ The report accurately states that 70% of AI/ANs live in urban areas and ‘many of the recurring health problems faced by Native Americans in general are more acute for those living in urban areas.’ We look forward to working with the 116th Congress on incorporating suggestions on how best to provide full, guaranteed funding to IHS for Tribes and UIOs including outlining steps to ensure UIOs are able to do their critical work.”
More Information
|
|
Presidential Hopefuls Meet in Iowa for Native American Forum
This week, NCUIH leadership joined as Presidential candidates gathered in Sioux City Iowa, for the Frank LaMere Native American Presidential Forum. Presidential candidates at the forum faced a panel including Native tribal leaders, tribal members, and Native youth, while answering questions related to issues facing Indian Country in the nation's first Native American Presidential Forum. The event was an important moment for the Native American community as it allowed discussions regarding crucial topics such as healthcare to be discussed with some of the nation’s top leaders, with an emphasis on Indian country. Of special importance was the Native youth, who were given the ability to remind candidates that their viewpoints regarding Indian country should be considered moving forward. While attending the forum, Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) outlined her support for Indian country and what she would do if she became President. The National Council of Urban Indian Health had previously released a statement regarding her plan.
|
|
New Public Charge Rule Will Lead to Widespread Decreases in Participation in Medicaid Programs
In August 2019, the Trump Administration announced a final rule that changes the public charge policies used to determine whether an individual applying for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible to the U.S. Under long standing policy, the federal government can deny an individual entry into the U.S. or adjustment to legal permanent resident (LPR) status (i.e., a green card) if he or she is determined likely to become a public charge. Under the rule, officials will newly consider use of certain previously excluded programs, including non-emergency Medicaid for non-pregnant adults, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and several housing programs, in public charge determinations. The changes will likely lead to decreases in participation in Medicaid and other programs beyond those directly affected by the new policy. Nationwide, over 13.5 million Medicaid and CHIP enrollees, including 7.6 million children, live in a household with at least one noncitizen or are noncitizens themselves and may be at risk for decreased enrollment a result of the rule. Decreased participation in these programs would contribute to more uninsured individuals and negatively affect the health and financial stability of families and the growth and healthy development of their children.
|
|
Research Indicates That Medicaid Expansion is Linked to Many Benefits
The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued an issue brief on the effects of the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on coverage; access to care and related measures; and various economic measures based on findings from 324 studies looking at these impacts since 2014. Research indicates that the expansion is linked to gains in coverage; improvements in access, financial security and some measure of health status/outcomes; and economic benefits for states and providers. Key findings include the following: 1) Medicaid expansion states experienced significant coverage gains and reductions in uninsured rates among the low-income population broadly and within specific vulnerable populations, although some waiver provisions appear to compromise coverage; 2) Medicaid expansion has improved access to care, utilization of services, the affordability of care, and financial security among the low-income population with improved self-reported health following expansion; and 3) expansion can result in state savings by offsetting state costs in other areas and expansions often result in reductions in uncompensated care costs for hospitals and clinics as well as gains in employment and growth in the labor market.
|
|
Trump’s Drug-Pricing Advisor to Leave HHS
John O’Brien, chief advisor to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar on drug-pricing reform is leaving the Trump administration. Azar said in a statement that Mr. O’Brien’s leadership in the formation and execution of the American Patients First Blueprint has led to prices and out-of-pocket costs being lower and expected to go lower still. O’Brien’s exit comes as HHS gave up its proposed rule to eliminate pharmacy benefit manager rebates in Part D and a judge struck down the administration’s mandate for drug companies to include their list prices in TV ads. He is scheduled to leave on August 22nd, with no immediate plans for a next step, according to an HHS spokesperson.
|
|
Reminder: Opioid Grant Program Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Comment Submission Extended to September 3
A letter notifying Urban Indian Organization leaders that the comment submission deadline for the Opioid Grant Program Urban Confer has been extended until Tuesday, September 3, 2019, and also provides information about a Virtual/In-Person Opioid Grant Program Information Session on July 31, 2019, in conjunction with the 16th Annual Direct Service Tribes National meeting is now posted on the IHS Web site and is available at the link below.
|
|
Call for UIOs to Participate in Health IT Modernization Survey
IHS and HHS are well underway on their Health IT modernization project, and as part of that work, they would like feedback from across Indian Country, including Urban sites on the current state of Health IT across the Indian Health Service (IHS). Currently, the HIT Modernization Project is focused on developing a recommended process that will assist the IHS as they work to modernize the HIT systems, including the Electronic Health Record (EHR) utilized by the IHS – the Resource Patient Management System (RPMS). With your voice, we can secure a stronger healthcare future for American Indian and Alaska Native communities!
The online questionnaire will help identify clinical, administrative, infrastructure gaps in the HIT system and identify what changes are required to meet the needs of healthcare facilities. The questionnaire will ask participants about the changes and improvements to RPMS they would most like to see. Please note, questions for the survey were developed from input received by users of RPMS. We ask for your timely participation in the data call to ensure that the perspective of your patients and their urban Indian health program is included, whether or not your health system utilizes RPMS regularly.
|
|
Upcoming Events Highlights
|
|
IHS Call with All Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders (September 5, 2019)
Please join IHS for the September call for Tribal and Urban Indian Organization Leaders regarding IHS updates.
Date: Thursday,September 5, 2019
Time: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM (Eastern)
Conference Call: 800-857-5577
Participant Passcode: 6703929
Webinar Adobe Connect: https://ihs.cosocloud.com/r4k6jib09mj/
Participant Password: ihs123
Event Sponsor: IHS
|
|
Joint Commission Suicide Prevention Webinar: Implementing the Safety Planning Intervention in Your Organization - Guidance on NPSG 15.01.01 (EP 6) effective July 1, 2019 (September 9, 2019)
Effective July 1, 2019, Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal 15.01.01 (EP6) requires organizations to follow their policies and procedures when providing counseling and planning follow-up care for individuals at discharge who have been identified as at risk for suicide. Suicide prevention safety planning is more than simply filling out a form. To assist healthcare organizations to better understand safety planning as a clinical intervention, The Joint Commission has partnered with suicide prevention experts, Gregory K. Brown, PhD from the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, Barbara Stanley, PhD from Columbia University Medical Center, and Christine Moutier, MD from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, to present a webinar focused on Implementing the Safety Planning Intervention.
Webinar Session objectives include:
- Introduce the concept of Safety Planning as a clinical intervention and not a form.
- Clearly delineate Safety Planning Intervention requirements for Emergency Departments vs psychiatric and behavioral health care settings
- Examine challenges for Safety Planning implementation in ED and urgent care settings
- Share best practice resources
A webinar recording and slides will be posted on the Joint Commission website several weeks after this session.
Webinar Date: Sep 9, 2019 11:00 AM CDT
|
|
Hope for Life Day (September 10, 2019)
On June 30, 2015, the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH), in partnership with the Action Alliance’s AI/AN Task Force, put forward a resolution at the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Mid-Year Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota. The resolution, “Creating an Annual National American Indian and Alaska Native Hope for Life Day (Suicide Prevention Awareness Day),” was the outcome of a one-year collaborative effort by task force members.
To help advance the Action Alliance’s priority to change the public conversation about suicide, the AI/AN Task Force developed National American Indian/Alaska Native Hope for Life Day, which coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. They also developed the National Hope for Life Day Toolkit to help community leaders, grassroots organizers, and health care professionals working in AI/AN communities implement a community-wide Hope for Life Day.
|
|
NCUIH Youth Council’s Indigi-Wellness Champion Campaign
Join the online campaign on September 10 - 20, 2019!
NCUIH Inaugural Youth Council Member Shoshanna Johnson (Absentee Shawnee, Sac & Fox Nation) wants to share with Native youth across Indian Country what it means to be an Indigi-Wellness Warrior, how to participate in the National Indigi-Wellness Warrior Social Media Contest and more HERE .
|
|
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - Annual Tribal Consultation Meeting (September 16, 2019 in Temecula, CA)
The ACF will host its Annual Tribal Consultation Meeting on September 16, 2019, in Temecula, California from 9am -5pm PDT. The session will take place at the Pechanga Resort and Casino. More information about the meeting is be posted here: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ana/2019-acf-tribal-consultation. All attendees must register for this consultation through this site.
Contact: ANA help desk at 1-877-922-9262 or ANACommissioner@acf.hhs.gov.
|
|
Technical Assistance & Research Highlights
|
|
11 Urban Indian Organizations Included in HHS Awards to Combat the Opioid Crisis
On August 8th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced awards across the US that totaled nearly $400 million to combat the nation’s opioid crisis. The awards enable UIOs to establish and expand access to integrated substance use disorder and mental health services.
There are 11 UIOs that received funding as part of the HHS's Five-Point Opioid Strategy, introduced under President Trump in 2017. Congratulations to:
- NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, INC.
- AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH & SERVICES
- INDIAN HEALTH CENTER OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY
- SAN DIEGO AMERICAN INDIAN HEALTH CENTER INC
- HUNTER HEALTH CLINIC INC, THE
- INDIAN HEALTH BOARD OF MINNEAPOLIS INC
- FIRST NATIONS COMMUNITY HEALTH SOURCE INC
- N. A. T. I. V. E. PROJECT, THE
- SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD
- NATIVE AMERICAN REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION INC
- GERALD L. IGNACE INDIAN HEALTH CENTER, INC.
|
|
|
Program Spotlight: Back to School Night at the San Diego American Indian Health Center (SDAIHC)
The San Diego American Indian Health Center (SDAIHC) hosted its Back to School Night at its Youth Center on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. The open house-style event celebrated the Youth Center’s 10th anniversary. Active youth members at SDAIHC, ages 10 to 24, received new backpacks, school supplies and other essentials. The mission of the Youth Center is to guide Native American youth and other community youth towards their full potential as healthy, well-rounded young adults using cultural, traditional, and non-Western modes of healing.
|
|
Program Spotlight: Surgeon General Visit to the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OCIC)
The Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OCIC) welcomed U.S. Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome Adams last week to tour the facility and discuss a variety of topics that included tobacco cessation and physical activity. The clinic strives to increase access to quality health care and wellness services to produce positive health outcomes for urban Indians living in the Oklahoma City area.
|
|
Program Spotlight: Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Visit to the Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa (IHCRC)
The Honorable James Byrne, general counsel, performing the duties of the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Mary Culley, tribal government relations specialist, visited the Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa to learn more about how they serve American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. Utilizing a patient-centered, multidisciplinary, medical home approach, the center offers a full range of health and wellness services tailored to the urban Indian community in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
|
|
Program Spotlight: The NATIVE Project’s Summer Youth Program
The NATIVE Project, an urban Indian health and community health clinic located in Spokane, Washington, has offered medical, dental, pharmacy, licensed mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and prevention services to community members over the last 30 years. One of their most popular prevention programs is the Summer Youth Program, which served 60 youth this year and provides four weeks of activities focused on culture, prevention, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Around 30 percent of the NATIVE Project’s current professional staff were once students in the summer program or their Indian Youth Leadership Program, which shows some of the positive outcomes of their programs.
|
|
Program Spotlight: The NATIVE Project’s Summer Youth Program
The NATIVE Project, an urban Indian health and community health clinic located in Spokane, Washington, has offered medical, dental, pharmacy, licensed mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and prevention services to community members over the last 30 years. One of their most popular prevention programs is the Summer Youth Program, which served 60 youth this year and provides four weeks of activities focused on culture, prevention, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Around 30 percent of the NATIVE Project’s current professional staff were once students in the summer program or their Indian Youth Leadership Program, which shows some of the positive outcomes of their programs.
|
|
New Resource: First Kids 1st Data Resource Book
The First Kids 1st (FK1) Initiative has published a Data Resource Book highlighting research and data on the resources that support Native youth to thrive. For an annotated bibliography, access the resource book appendix here. The First Kids 1st effort is led by four founding partners: the National Congress of American Indians; the National Indian Child Welfare Association; the National Indian Education Association; and the National Indian Health Board.
|
|
New Resource: Special Supplement Highlighting Tribal Epi Centers in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice
A free supplement in the September/October 2019 issue of the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice highlights the work of Tribal Epidemiology Centers. is available now. The 17 articles cover commentaries, research, and practice reports on topics including state partnerships, tobacco prevention, colorectal cancer, WIC access, and more. Papers such as those on tobacco initiation and quit line use in Oklahoma show innovate methods that highlight Urban issues.
|
|
New Resource: A Framework for Tribal Public Health Law
A new paper from Aila Hoss at Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law is available now for free, titled “A Framework for Tribal Public Health Law”. The article notes that “the field of public health law continues to expand… as a tool in advancing public health. However, much of this research has focused on the state and local governments and does not contemplate the cultural, legal, and practical realities of Tribes and American Indian and Alaska Native communities.” See section B.2 for coverage of Urban Indian Health Law.
|
|
Job Opening: Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake - Red Mesa Counseling Program Director
The Program Director is responsible for all administrative functions necessary to accomplish the program’s objectives and goals as they correspond to the Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake’s (UICSL) mission statement: “To Preserve the Heritage, Enhance the Well-Being, and Strengthen the Future of the People.” The Program Director is directly involved in program development and maintenance, including but not limited to the facilitation of collaborative community partnerships, writing applications for and administering third-party funding contracts/awards, long-term program and agency planning, ensuring the best possible care for program clients, and ensuring inter-program cooperation and integrative services.
|
|
Funding: UIHI 2019-2020 Community Grants Program Request for Applications
The Urban Indian Health Institute has released its applications for the Community Grants Program 2019-2020: An Indigenous Approach to Cancer (such as Colorectal, Cervical, and Breast) Prevention, Management, and Survivorship. The Request for Applications (RFA) encourages the use of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) traditional, cultural, and regional knowledge in developing, implementing, and/or supporting cancer education, prevention, management, and survivorship initiatives among urban Indian communities.
Eligibility is for Urban Indian Health Programs, National Urban Indian Family Coalition members, or Urban Indian programs and/or organizations receiving MSPI/DVPI funding. Four grants of $10,000 (distributed over a 12-month period) will be awarded for the time period of September 30, 2019 to September 29, 2020. Awardees will be announced September 13th, 2019.
Deadline: August 30, 2019
|
|
Funding: AmeriCorps Senior Corps Volunteer Grants
The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) seeks to increase the impact of national service in one or more counties across the country through its FY2020 Senior RSVP grant competition. CNCS intends to fund Senior Corps RSVP grants that support volunteers age 55 years and older in activities that serve community needs and respond to the National Performance Measures in the following focus areas: disaster; education; economic opportunity; environment; healthy futures; and veterans and military families. Expected awards will be in the range of $40,000 to $470,000. Applicants are encouraged to send a Notice of Intent to Apply by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Friday, August 30, 2019 via Survey Monkey.
Notice of Intent: August 30, 2019
Deadline for Applications: September 25, 2019
|
|
Funding: HUD for Specialized Housing and Services for Victims of Human Trafficking
Through the FY 2019 Specialized Housing and Services for Victims of Human Trafficking solicitation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs, in conjunction with OVC, seeks to address the housing and service needs of victims of human trafficking.
This solicitation has two distinct components and applicants may apply under one or both of the following:
Technical Assistance Applications
- The successful applicant will provide technical assistance to the possible 20 successful projects selected for under the Human Trafficking Program. HUD expects to make one award, with an estimated total amount awarded of up to $1 million.
- Apply for the Technical Assistance component by August 30, 2019.
Human Trafficking Program Applications
- Successful applicants will implement and provide housing and trauma-informed, victim-centered services to victims of human trafficking. HUD expects to make up to 20 awards, with an estimated total amount awarded of up to $13.5 million.
- Apply for the Human Trafficking Program component by October 30, 2019.
|
|
Call for Interest Letters on Opioid Response Initiatives from Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts is pleased to announce the Community Opioid Response and Evaluation (CORE) project, an effort to help communities on the front lines of the opioid crisis conduct evaluations of existing programs. With support from and in collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the CORE awards will provide funding and assistance for up to six community-based initiatives, composed of a lead applicant organization and their selected evaluation partner, to conduct evaluations of established programs. Interested organizations are invited to learn more and apply by August 30, 2019.
Deadline: August 30, 2019
|
|
IHS Call for Project Spotlights: National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September)
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Please provide a brief description of their project's activities for suicide prevention to spotlight during the month of September and during National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week, September 8 to 14, 2019. Project Spotlights will be hosted on both the IHS.gov/suicideprevention and at the IHS Division of Behavioral Health Facebook page. If you have any questions or comments, please contact pamela.endofhorn@ihs.gov. Complete this form to provide information to be spotlighted.
Deadline: August 30, 2019 by 5pm EST
|
|
Funding: American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities Aimed at Ending the HIV Epidemic in Indian Country
On August 6th, the Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Public Health Support, Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention (DEDP), in partnership with the IHS Office of Clinical and Preventive Services (OCPS) National Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) & Viral Hepatitis C (HCV) Program and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Minority HIV/AIDS Fund (MHAF) announced that it is accepting applications for competitive supplemental funds to enhance activities in the Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes and Urban Indian communities. The purpose of this IHS competitive supplement is to support communities in reducing new HIV infections and relevant comorbidities, specifically STI and HCV infections, improve HIV-, STI- and HCV-related health outcomes, and to reduce HIV-, STI- and HCV-related health disparities among AI/AN people.
Funding will be through cooperative agreement, with total funding identified for FY 2019 at $500,000. Individual award amounts will be up to $100,000 total costs per year, subject to the availability of appropriations and budgetary priorities of the Agency. For complete background information and application requirements, please see the Federal Register Notice here.
Deadline: September 5, 2019
|
|
New Funding Opportunity: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Parts A and B
This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding for the “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America — Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Parts A and B”. The program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). Grantees will be funded to implement effective and innovative strategies, interventions, approaches, and services to reduce new HIV infections in the United States. The overarching goal for this initiative is to reduce new HIV infections in the United States to less than 3,000 per year by 2030. Applications will be accepted 08/13/2019 to 10/15/2019, and awards are projected to be made on 03/01/2020.
Deadline: October 15, 2019
|
|
|
|
|
