First tribally affiliated medical school will open in 2020
|
|
Construction of the first tribally affiliated medical school has begun on the W.W. Hastings Hospital campus in Tahlequah, OK, thanks to a partnership between Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma State University (OSU).
The OSU College of Osteopathic Medicine plans to welcome its first cohort of 50 students in 2020, with an anticipated graduation date of May 2024.
Cherokee Nation and OSU officials hope the new medical school will help recruit Native students into health professions and increase the number of physicians who practice in rural and tribal communities.
|
Medicare covers annual wellness visits
|
|
Did you know that Medicare fully covers annual wellness visits?
Focused on preventing disease and disability, wellness visits are opportunities for patients to complete a risk-assessment questionnaire and review their medical history with a health care provider. Patients may also get their blood pressure checked and receive preventive services, such as flu shots.
Additional services, such as a physical exam, may be performed during a wellness visit but may not be considered preventive benefits.
|
|
Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model
The CMS Innovation Center has released a request for applications (PDF, 553 KB, 41 pp) for Medicare-enrolled ambulance suppliers and providers to participate in the new ET3 Model.
Typically, when people call 911 for a medical emergency, an ambulance transports them to a hospital, regardless of the level of care required. Under the ET3 Model, CMS will help avoid unnecessary trips to hospital emergency departments by giving ambulance care teams the additional options of:
- having qualified health care professionals treat patients on the scene or
- transporting patients to a doctor's office or urgent care clinic for treatment.
The new options could be particularly helpful for rural Native communities located miles away from the nearest hospital.
After reviewing submitted applications, the CMS Innovation Center will select and announce participants. The Center will then issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity for up to 40 cooperative agreements in the selected participants' geographic areas. Local governments, their designees, and other entities that operate or have authority over at least one 911 dispatch will be eligible to apply for funds.
For more information, review the request for applications, watch a webinar recording, or review a fact sheet. You can also email questions to ET3model@cms.hhs.gov.
|
|
American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Deadline: July 29, 2019
View the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services funding opportunity: ED-GRANTS-061319-002
The Department of Education is offering grants to support culturally appropriate vocational rehabilitation services for American Indians and Alaska Natives who have disabilities.
Funding will be awarded to 42 state or federally recognized tribal governments and organizations.
|
Expansion of Practitioner Education
Deadline: August 2, 2019
View the Expansion of Practitioner Education funding opportunity
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is accepting applications for the integration of substance use disorder (SUD) education into the standard curricula of relevant health care and health services education. The goal is to better meet the needs of individuals who need SUD treatment and do not receive it.
The project period is 2 years with an award of $250,000 for up to 10 awardees. Professional organizations representing health care professionals are invited to apply.
|
Tribal Opioid Response
Deadline: August 6, 2019
View the Tribal Opioid Response funding opportunity
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration encourages federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations to apply for fiscal year 2019 Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) grants.
The purpose of the TOR program is to increase access to culturally appropriate, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder in tribal communities.
|
|
National Conference on American Indian/Alaska Native Injury and Violence Prevention
July 23–25, 2019
Denver, CO
Register for the National Conference on AI/AN Injury and Violence Prevention
The theme of this Indian Health Service Injury Prevention Program conference is "Bridging Science, Practice, and Culture." The target audience includes injury prevention practitioners, injury researchers, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders.
|
16th Annual Direct Service Tribes National Meeting
July 30–31, 2019
Albuquerque, NM
Register for the Direct Service Tribes National Meeting
Sponsored by Indian Health Service, the Direct Service Tribes National Meeting will focus on supporting community wellness and strength. An open forum session will address Direct Service Tribes' health priorities.
|
2019 Diabetes in Indian Country Conference
Aug. 6–9, 2019
Oklahoma City, OK
Register for the Diabetes Conference
Health care providers and Special Diabetes Program for Indians grantees are encouraged to attend the Indian Health Service 2019 Diabetes in Indian Country Conference for updates on addressing diabetes.
|
2019 National Title VI Training and Technical Assistance Conference
August 13–16, 2019
Minneapolis, MN
Register for the National Title VI Training and Technical Assistance Conference
Plan to attend this conference, hosted by the Administration on Aging Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs. The draft agenda includes workshops on topics such as best practices in tribal nursing homes, disaster preparedness, adult day care, and home care assistance.
|
CMS ITU Outreach and Education Training
August 14–15, 2019
Norwich, CT
Register for the ITU training in Norwich
The target audience for CMS ITU trainings is business office staff, benefits coordinators, patient registration staff, medical records staff, and purchased/referred care services staff. Topics include CMS Division of Tribal Affairs updates, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, state-administered programs, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs.
|
Fourth Annual Conference on Native American Nutrition
September 15–18, 2019
Prior Lake, MN
Register for the Conference on Native American Nutrition
This conference is for tribal officials, researchers, and others with an interest in Native nutrition and food science. Topics include youth voices, urban and rural nutrition issues, and more.
|
NIHB's 36th Annual National Tribal Health Conference
September 16–19, 2019
Temecula, CA
Register for the National Tribal Health Conference
Plan to attend the National Tribal Health Conference, sponsored by the National Indian Health Board (NIHB). The conference will focus on how updating health policies impacts tribes. Your attendance will help NIHB increase tribes' capacity and ability to advocate for public, behavioral, and environmental health priorities.
|
|
Contact Us
Do you have news to share? Send it to coveringic@kauffmaninc.com for possible inclusion in an upcoming newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.
|
About the Newsletter
Covering Indian Country is published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Tribal Affairs to share resources, success stories, and best practices with the people who connect tribal communities to health coverage.
Download Adobe Reader for the best reading experience with PDF files.
|
|
|
