Covering Indian Country – July 2021

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 07/12/2021 04:30 PM EDT
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Covering Indian Country

July 2021

Spotlight: Ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccination
This social media ad features a Native woman wearing a face mask. The ad reads, "We can do this, Indian Country. I continue to do my part for all our people. Mask up. Keep six feet apart. Get vaccinated as soon as you can."

As we continue building confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, let’s do whatever we can to ensure vaccination is easy and accessible.

Vaccines.gov is one of the newer tools available to help people find a COVID-19 vaccination site in their area.

Available in English and Spanish, the federally supported website includes answers to frequently asked questions on several topics, such as how to schedule a vaccination appointment.

COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to anyone who wants one.

A snapshot of preliminary Medicare COVID-19 data for January 1, 2020–April 24, 2021 (PDF, 414 KB, 17 pp) confirms that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted American Indians and Alaska Natives. If you are an enrollment assister or health navigator, let clients know they can get help finding a COVID-19 vaccination site by:

  • Visiting Vaccines.gov
  • Calling their health care provider
  • Contacting their local state or tribal health department

We also encourage you to consult Resources for Integrated Care’s COVID-19 Vaccination Blog, which highlights promising practices for connecting hard-to-reach individuals with COVID-19 vaccination.

July: Sports safety
The July 2021 PSA features a Native youth on a skateboard. Protect your young athlete with the proper gear and health care coverage. Visit InsureKidsNow.gov or call 1–877–KIDS–NOW.

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

Public service announcements

Share these brief audio clips and videos, available in 10 Native languages and English, on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page.

SoundcloudAudio clips



YoutubeVideos
TwitterTweet it

Stay safe this summer. Sign up for health care coverage.

https://bit.ly/3hKpdML

#CMSNativeHealth

Flyers and fact sheets

A collage of 3 resources: (1) Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer (2) CMS's regional brochure for Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming (3) Native Communities Can Heal brochure

Access these resources online at your convenience.

  • The Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer (PDF, 507 KB, 1 p) lists the benefits available through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
  • CMS’s 12 regional booklets help people learn more about health care coverage and locate their nearest Indian health facility.
  • Native Communities Can Heal (PDF, 2.1 MB, 2 pp) highlights the role of behavioral health services in helping families build resilience and find balance.
 

Health observances

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
Front cover of Healing Our Protectors toolkit

In observance of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, download and share the toolkit, Healing Our Protectors: Building Resilience Among Tribal Law Enforcement Officers Through Cultural Interventions (PDF, 1.8 MB, 48 pp).

Prepared for the Mountain Plains Mental Health Technology Transfer Center, the toolkit includes:

  • Strength-based, culturally responsive recommendations for behavioral health care providers
  • Advice for police departments and officers who serve Indigenous communities
 

Additional resources

Serving and supporting survivors of sexual violence

A report on how Native survivors of sexual violence heal from their trauma is now available from the Urban Indian Health Institute.

Cover of Supporting the Sacred: Womxn of Resilience

Providing a platform for survivors to share their stories, Supporting the Sacred: Womxn of Resilience includes a selection of responses to open-ended questions. The responses highlight the need for:

  • Cultural safety to help maintain survivors’ autonomy during the healing process
  • Safe space to maintain values, relationships, and cultural connectedness
  • Access to affordable health care
  • Community education and awareness to help prevent sexual violence from impacting future generations
 

Addressing addiction in tribal communities
Cover of the summer 2021 issue of Addressing Addiction in Our Native American Communities

The Summer 2021 issue of Addressing Addiction in Our Native American Communities is now available from the National American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center.

The newsletter includes:

  • Suggestions to help individuals and communities face adversity with resilience
  • Reflections on communities’ experiences with alcohol use during the pandemic
  • Lists of recent activities and upcoming events on behavioral health, tribal opioid response, and more

For more information about addiction, visit CMS’s behavioral health website for American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Funding opportunities

Opioid Crisis Innovation Challenge 2021

Application deadline: July 19

View the Opioid Crisis Innovation Challenge 2021 funding opportunity

The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts is offering grants for innovative projects that focus on health equity and patient-centered solutions to the ongoing opioid crisis. Grantees can expect to receive up to $300,000 a year for up to 2 years.

Health Center Program Service Area Competition

Deadline: July 19

View the Health Center Program Service Area funding opportunity

The Health Resources and Services Administration is offering a grant to support the provision of comprehensive, culturally competent primary health care services to populations currently served by the Health Center Program. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Accessing Social Determinants of Health Data through Local Data Intermediaries Initiative

Deadline: July 28 at 6 pm eastern

View the Accessing Social Determinants of Health Data funding opportunity

The Office of Minority Health (OMH) is offering funds for projects that facilitate local stakeholders’ access to and use of community-level data to address health disparities and advance health equity.

OMH expects to award funds to 2 grantees, each of whom can expect to receive a maximum of $250,000 per year for up to 3 years. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Calendar of events

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.

Indian Health Service Webinars

Sponsored by the Indian Health Service (IHS) Tele-Behavioral Health Center of Excellence, the IHS webinars listed below are intended for all health care team members.

Suicide prevention webinar series (11 am eastern)
July 14: Responsible Ethical and Effective Care of Suicidal Patients

Pediatric immunization webinar series (3 pm eastern)
July 14: Pediatric Immunizations: Review of 2020 HHS Campaign to Address Childhood Immunizations, with Best Practices from Northern Navajo Medical Center Pediatric Clinic and Whiteriver Pharmacy

10th Annual National Native Harm Reduction Summit

July 21–23
Virtual
Register for the National Native Harm Reduction Summit

The National Native Harm Reduction Summit is an opportunity for behavioral health care professionals, social service providers, public health professionals, and community members to address issues related to hepatitis C, HIV, and drug use in tribal, urban Indian, and rural communities. Summit tracks cover innovation and mobilization, infectious disease, opioids and substance use, culture, and recovery and resilience.

23rd Biennial NICOA Conference

August 1–6
Reno, NV
Register for the NICOA Conference

Plan to attend the 23rd biennial National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) conference. The conference’s theme is “Resilience for Tomorrow... Together.” Workshop sessions will cover long-term services and supports, elder abuse prevention, caregiver support, and more.
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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 care coverage.


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