Covering Indian Country – February 2022

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 02/09/2022 02:15 PM EST
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Covering Indian Country

February 2022

Spotlight: Boosting community immunity
Indian Health Service's Myths & Facts flyer with image of mountains and 6 people holding hands

The Omicron variant’s rapid spread underscores the importance of ensuring as many people as possible are vaccinated against COVID-19.

Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 helps prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. And getting a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot provides an extra layer of protection.

Help boost community immunity by visiting the Indian Health Service website for flyers and signs that address concerns regarding COVID-19 vaccines. The materials are available in different designs to reflect the diverse environments in which American Indian and Alaska Native people live.

Everyone 12 years of age and older should get a COVID-19 booster shot.

Additionally, download and share Do’s and Don’ts When Talking to Others About COVID-19 (PDF, 2.2 MB, 1 p), a tip sheet created by the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health.

Finally, visit the We Can Do This campaign website for videos, social media posts, and other resources encouraging fully vaccinated people age 12 and older to get a COVID-19 booster shot.

February: Dental health
TThe February 2022 PSA features 3 smiling Native youth. It's never too late. Schedule a dental health visit for your children today. Schedule a dental visit today. Visit InsureKidsNow.gov or call 1-877-KIDS-NOW. Contact your local Indian health care provider for more information, visit Healthcare.gov, or call 1–800–318–2596.

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 Native languages and English, on your local radio station, website, and Facebook page.

SoundcloudAudio clips



YoutubeVideos
TwitterTweet it

Make oral health a priority. Schedule a dental visit today.

https://youtu.be/TJiNnDUAZgM

#CMSNativeHealth

Flyers and fact sheets

A collage of 3 resources: (1) Medicaid Enroll Any Time flyer with image of a woman kissing a child (2) My Health: Dental Care for Children fact sheet (3) Essential Health Benefits for American Indians and Alaska Natives brochure

Download these resources or order copies on the Tribal Products Ordering Page. Please allow 2 weeks for your order to be completed.

 

Health observances

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month
Toby the Tooth, the Strong Teeth Strong Kid campaign's mascot

Dental care visits during early childhood can help prevent tooth decay and keep gums healthy.

In observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month, share the link to Strong Teeth Strong Kid. The American Indian-led campaign features resources for caregivers, including a 3-minute video that explains:

  • What to expect during a child’s first dental care visit
  • Why caregivers should limit children’s consumption of sugary snacks and drinks
  • The benefits of brushing and flossing daily
 

American Heart Month

Each February, we observe American Heart Month. To help address high rates of heart disease and stroke in Indian Country, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) created Honoring the Gift of Heart Health, a culturally appropriate curriculum for health educators.

Front cover of Honoring the Gift of Heart Health: A Heart Health Educator's Manual for American Indians

NHLBI is committed to ensuring the curriculum and supporting materials remain current and relevant. To that end, NHLBI funds tribal organizations’ implementation and assessment of the curriculum through The Heart Truth community subcontract program. Funds for the 2021–2022 program year were awarded to:

  • Kewa Health Outreach Program in Kewa Pueblo, NM
  • Center for American Indian Health Research at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, OK
 

Additional resources

Upcoming deadline for input on NIOSH’s strategic plan

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites tribes to review and comment on a draft document, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Worker Safety and Health Strategic Plan, 2022-2031 (PDF, 219 KB, 8 pp).

Children who have received the vaccine are less likely to be hospitalized for severe illness or to spread COVID-19.

The draft includes objectives within the following focus areas:

  • Research
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Capacity building

The deadline to submit written remarks is 5 pm Eastern on February 24. All written remarks must specify a tribal affiliation and include the docket number (NIOSH 345).

Survey to learn more about Native urban elders’ needs

Coalition on Urban Indian Aging logo

Wide-reaching efforts to gather data on the health and well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native elders will enhance advocacy and policymaking on their behalf.

To that end, the Coalition on Urban Indian Aging urges all urban Indian organizations (UIOs) to participate in the Native Urban Elder Needs Assessment Survey (NUENAS 1.0).

Each participating UIO will receive a $250 honorarium and up to $2,500 in incentives for elders who complete NUENAS 1.0.

UIOs may opt to administer an electronic or paper version of the survey. To learn more, email the Coalition or view the Coalition’s video about NUENAS 1.0.

The survey will remain open through June 30, 2022.

Funding opportunities

ReConnect loans and grants

Deadline: February 22 at 11:59 am Eastern

View the View USDA’s ReConnect funding opportunity

Internet connectivity can help increase access to health care services and enhance public safety. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering funds to expand broadband access in rural areas. Tribes are encouraged to apply.

Udall undergraduate scholarships

Deadline: March 3
View the View the Udall undergraduate funding opportunity

The Udall Foundation offers scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate sophomores and juniors pursuing careers related to tribal public policy, Native health care, or the environment.

The foundation anticipates awarding 55 scholarships of up to $7,000 each. New Udall scholars should plan to attend an orientation on August 2–7, 2022, in Tucson, AZ. For access to the application, contact a Udall faculty representative.

Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program

Deadline: March 18

View the rural public health workforce funding opportunity

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy is offering funds to expand public health capacity through health care job development, training, and placement in rural communities affected by COVID-19. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Funds for air quality monitoring

Deadline: March 25
View EPA’s air quality funding opportunity

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is offering funds to support air quality monitoring efforts and promote air quality monitoring partnerships between communities and tribal, state, and local governments. Approximately $2 million of the available funds will be awarded to tribal governments.

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 tele-education webinars listed below are intended for health care team members.

Addictions and recovery webinar series (12 pm Eastern)
February 15: Legal and Ethical Issues in Supporting People Living with Addiction
February 22: Evidence Based Screening & Comprehensive Biopsychosocial Assessment of Clients with Substance Abuse Issues
March 1: Overview of American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria Basics March 8: Treatment & Safety Planning
March 15: Drug Trends and Treatment Changes in 2020

Child and adolescent behavioral health webinar series (3 pm Eastern)
February 24: Autism Spectrum Disorder & Disruptive Disorders

Pain and opioid use disorder webinar series (2 pm Eastern)
March 15: Synthetic Opioid Overdose

Context Clues: Using SDOH to Enhance Treatment

The Mid-America Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network and Aetna Better Health of Kansas have developed the Context Clues webinar series to help health care providers and other interested parties identify and address social determinants of health (SDOH).

Register for the Context Clues webinars. Dates and topics of upcoming webinars are listed below.

February 17
Trauma and Chronic Stress (1–1:30 pm Eastern)
Military Deployment (1:30–2 pm Eastern)

March 17
Pediatric Sleep (1–1:30 pm Eastern)
Adolescent and Adult Sleep (1:30–2 pm Eastern)

April 21
Adjustment to Diagnosis (1–1:30 pm Eastern)
Adherence (1:30–2 pm Eastern)

Virtual CMS ITU Outreach and Education Trainings

The CMS Division of Tribal Affairs offers virtual trainings to benefit coordinators and business office, patient registration, medical records, and purchased/referred care services staff.

ITU staff are encouraged to register for the training for their respective IHS area, as the agendas will include area-specific issues and state Medicaid/CHIP presentations. However, you may register for other IHS area webinars if you are interested.

Please check CMS’s website periodically for more information as these virtual events are scheduled and opened for registration.

IHS Partnership Training Series
Now–February 18 (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 2 pm Eastern)

ACL/NICOA ITU Training Series
Now–April 19 (Tuesdays at 2 pm Eastern)

Upcoming Virtual ITU Trainings by IHS Area

Navajo: Weeks of March 21 and 28
Billings: Weeks of April 4 and 11 (mornings)
Portland: Weeks of April 4 and 11 (afternoons)
Albuquerque: Weeks of April 18 and 25
Oklahoma City: Weeks of May 9 and 16
California: Weeks of May 23 and 30
Great Plains: Weeks of June 6 and 13
Nashville: Weeks of June 20 and 27 (mornings)
Bemidji: Weeks of June 20 and 27 (afternoons)

Virtual Tribal Leaders Training Series

Now–April 21 on Thursdays at 2 pm Eastern
Register for the Tribal Leaders Training Series

CMS, in partnership with National Indian Health Board, is committed to enhancing tribes' ability to access third party resources. To that end, CMS invites tribal leaders, health directors, and health care administrators to join the Tribal Leaders Training Series. The series will cover programs and benefits available through Medicare, Medicaid, the Marketplace, and more.
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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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