Spotlight: Promoting flu vaccination
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Getting a seasonal flu shot each year helps prevent flu-related hospitalizations for pneumonia and other complications.
And this year, preventing hospitalizations is especially important given COVID-19’s strain on our health care system and the medical professionals who staff it.
CMS is committed to using outreach and education to promote flu vaccination, with a focus on Medicare beneficiaries and vulnerable populations. To that end, the agency has released a Fight Flu toolkit (PDF, 1.7 MB, 24 pp) for advocacy and grassroots partners.
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Now, more than ever, everyone needs to do their part to prevent the spread of flu.
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CMS has also launched a Flu Vaccine Partner Toolkit, which contains a variety of resources—including videos, postcards, printable sticker sheets, and sample social media messages and graphics—for several target audiences.
Additionally, the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs has developed materials to educate people about the importance of flu vaccination. These materials serve as useful reminders that flu shots are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Marketplace plans. For more information on coverage of flu shots for adults enrolled in Medicaid, please check with your state Medicaid agency.
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December: Sharing holiday traditions and medical history
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Help families stay safe from COVID-19 this holiday season
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A recent article in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlights the importance of mask-wearing, physical distancing, and contact tracing to limit transmission of COVID-19.
The article details findings from a COVID-19 outbreak investigation conducted by the Hopi Health Care Center’s Community Health Department in June 2020. Contact tracing showed that inconsistent mask-wearing and in-person gatherings of family members from different households helped spread COVID-19 among Hopi community members.
Meeting up with people from more than one household increases everyone’s risk for COVID-19. That’s because COVID-19 often spreads through contact with people who are infected but show no symptoms.
Share the following tips to help families stay healthy and minimize COVID-19 transmission, especially during the holiday season:
- Limit in-person gatherings to members of your own household unit
- Stay at least 6 feet away from people who do not live with you
- Avoid any non-essential trips away from home
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth to protect yourself and others in your community
- Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol
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NIHB releases report on public health capacity
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The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is committed to strengthening tribal public health systems and advancing health equity. To that end, the organization recently released its Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan Report (PDF, 30 MB, 96 pp).
Conducted in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the capacity scan is intended to help tribal health organizations:
- Identify needs and strengths
- Determine how to allocate resources effectively
- Establish a baseline to measure progress over time
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SDPI 2020 report to Congress highlights successes
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IHS’s sixth interim Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) report to Congress is now available.
Titled Changing the Course of Diabetes: Charting Remarkable Progress (PDF, 5 MB, 12 pp), the report highlights SDPI’s pivotal role in improving access to diabetes treatment and prevention services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).
Such services helped significantly decrease the number of AI/AN adults with diabetes. Rates of diabetes-related deaths and hospitalizations for uncontrolled diabetes also declined.
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CHART Model – Community Transformation Track
General letter of intent due: January 12, 2021
Applications due: February 16, 2021
View the CHART Model – Community Transformation Track funding opportunity The Community Health Access and Rural Transformation (CHART) Model is a voluntary payment model designed to address health disparities in rural communities. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation is offering funds to build systems of care through the CHART Model’s Community Transformation Track. Up to 15 award recipients will be selected.
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Gather Food Sovereignty Grants
Applications due: January 14, 2021
View the Gather Food Sovereignty funding opportunity First Nations Development Institute is offering funds for Native American-led projects that promote tribal food sovereignty. Up to 13 awards of approximately $32,000 each will be issued.
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National Environmental Public Health Internship Program
Applications due: January 22, 2021
View the National Environmental Public Health Internship Program funding opportunity Tribal health departments are encouraged to apply to host graduate and undergraduate student interns for 10 weeks during summer 2021. Each host health department will be required to assign a mentor to their intern and offer experience with multiple environmental health activities.
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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.
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NNHRTI Webinar Series
The National Native Health Research Training Initiative (NNHRTI) webinars are opportunities for American Indian and Alaska Native scientists and health professionals to share knowledge that addresses the health needs of Native communities.
Please check NNHRTI’s webinar information page periodically for more information about upcoming webinars.
Date of upcoming webinar (held at 2 pm Eastern time)
January 13, 2021
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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.
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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 care coverage.
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