On November 4, 2021, the Biden Administration announced the details of two policies to fight COVID-19. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced vaccinations rules that covers two-thirds of all workers.

According to the OSHA rule, employers with 100 or more employees need to make sure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests negative for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis. Under this rule employers are required to provide paid time for all employees to get vaccinated, and ensure all unvaccinated workers wear a face mask in their workplaces.

The CMS rule requires that health care workers at facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid are fully vaccinated which applies to more than 17 million workers at approximately 76,000 health care facilities, including hospitals and long-term care facilities.

As sovereign nations, Tribes have the authority to protect the health and well-being of their citizens. American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) may be exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace therefore, vaccination is recommended for all eligible Tribal citizens. Unvaccinated AI/AN workers are more likely to contract and transmit COVID-19 in the workplace than vaccinated workers and can also put their families and Tribal community at risk. Tribal codes are one way to address occupational health and safety to prevent and mitigate exposure in the workplace. These codes can incorporate federal or state occupational safety and health laws. Based on the two rules, it is recommended that Tribal employers with 100 or more should implement a vaccine mandate or test employees for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis. Read more.

NIHB is requesting applications for a new opportunity for supporting maternal American Indian and Alaska Native maternal health through Tribal-led maternal mortality review committees (MMRCs). NIHB anticipates funding up to 12 proposals from Tribes, Tribal consortia, and Tribal organizations for up to $7,500 each. Through this opportunity, grantees will participate in a self-assessment over an 8-month period to explore key components of Tribal-led MMRCs and assess their readiness to establish and sustain a Tribal-led MMRC. Tribal-led MMRCs that respect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) culture may result in identification of meaningful and effective maternal mortality prevention strategies for AI/AN communities. The intended outcomes for the Tribal-led MMRC Self-Assessment project include: Understanding the unique needs of Tribes for maintaining a successful MMRC, increasing knowledge capacity in AI/AN maternal mortality prevention efforts, and increasing partnerships among Tribes and Tribal organizations. To download the application packet and read more about the project, click here. 

The Campus COVID-19 Vaccination and Mitigation Initiative is pleased to announce the second round of Mini-Grants for activities in spring 2022. Mini-grant funds will help address challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and in support of healthy and thriving campus communities, including students, staff, and faculty. Funds may be used to augment existing or new COVID-19 vaccination and mitigation strategies. Community and Tribal-based organizations with expertise in COVID-19 vaccination and mitigation efforts in service of colleges and Tribal colleges from North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming are strongly encouraged to apply.

Find out more about the Mini-Grants here.

Submit your Mini-Grant application here.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are pleased to announce the extension of applications for the fourth cycle of funding for Strong Systems, Stronger Communities (SSSC) for Tribes. Through this opportunity, grantees will participate in self-assessment of capacity and departmental needs or perform work by choosing projects related to performance improvement or systems improvement. NIHB anticipates funding up to 8 proposals under 2 categories:

The new application deadline is Wednesday, November 17, 2021, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The full funding description and application packages can be found here.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is seeking qualified candidates for the following open positions in the Public Health Policy and Programs Department based in Washington, DC.

Job descriptions are available here.

Did you know that 59% of Tribal Health Organizations who responded to a national Tribal survey report having some type of public health law and/or policy in their Tribal service area, as enacted by the Tribe? The remaining 41% were unsure or reported none. Public health laws and policies are an important tool for sovereign Tribal nations to promote and protect the health of their community members. Learn more about the Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan (PHICCS) here.

On November 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a joint letter to school officials. These two departments urged school officials to (1) host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at their school(s), (2) distribute information about the COVID-19 vaccine to all families including American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families with children ages 5–11 years, and (3) hold conversations with their school communities on the COVID-19 vaccine. To assist with implementation the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided considerations for planning school-located vaccination (SLV) clinics for any routinely recommended vaccine as well as COVID-19 vaccine. This guidance should be used in conjunction with guidance for planning vaccination clinics held at satellite, temporary, or off-site locations and the satellite, temporary, and off-site vaccination clinic supply checklist. The COVID-19 Public Education Campaign a campaign created by HHS provided a guide for hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics at schools. Tribal Schools can download, print, and share these materials. Note that, when printing this document as PDF, make sure to use your browser’s print settings to set page margins and remove the header and footer. For the best experience, use Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. Widespread vaccination across Indian Country is important to protect Tribal communities, including children ages 5-11 years old who are now eligible for the vaccine. School based vaccination clinics is one way to reach Tribal citizens who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine and other routinely recommended vaccination. Read more.

Mothers are cherished, sacred members of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, and hold distinct roles of nourishing, teaching, and leading their families. For many, pregnancy can be an exciting, joyous time, and also a time when you may experience numerous physical and mental changes. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to better understand and amplify the ways in which AI/AN mothers, partners, caregivers, and community members can best keep mothers and babies healthy and safe during pregnancy and beyond. This knowledge is essential to protecting Native families and communities.

To do this, CDC is contracting with Grey and Gray, a Native creative agency, and the Fors Marsh Group to conduct online focus groups. They are requesting input from AI/AN mothers and the people who help them during pregnancy/birth (e.g., partners, elders, family, midwives, traditional birth attendants, doulas, nurses or other healthcare workers, etc.). What is shared will lead to better support and services for Native families in your area and across the US. This online focus group pays $100 for those who qualify for this 90-minute group discussion. If you or someone you know might be interested, contact Fors Marsh at insights@forsmarshgroup.com.

National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is offering technical assistance to support Tribal injury surveillance and prevention efforts. Topics include but are not limited to analyzing state policies that may impact data sharing or establishing data sharing partnership agreements.

For questions and more information, contact Nina Martin (nmartin@nihb.org, 202-548-7299).

The Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center’s IDEA-NW Project, together with an inter-disciplinary team of experts from across the nation, developed NativeDATA. This is a free online resource that offers practical guidance for Tribes and Native-serving organizations on obtaining and sharing health data. NativeDATA is an initiative of IDEA-NW, a project working to improve data and enhance access for Tribes in the Pacific Northwest and across Indian Country. Read more.

In July 2020, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities to ensure that research efforts would be inclusive of and benefit communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Through the CEAL Alliance, NIH is funding teams across 21 states to conduct community engaged research and outreach to address misinformation, mistrust, and help strengthen COVID-19 vaccine confidence as well as access to prevention, testing and treatment. Several resources are available including the CEAL Resource Catalog and Content Toolkit.

The CEAL Resource Catalog includes resources such as FAQs, fact sheets, infographics, and videos you can share on different COVID-19 topics including, but not limited to, vaccine ingredients, vaccine types, and tips for community outreach and engagement. Click here to view the Resource Catalog.

The CEAL Content Toolkit includes infographics, social media, and videos coupled with images and post copy for you to easily share in your newsletters, website, and social media. The content highlights vaccine and clinical research materials and links to additional content found in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 toolkits. Click here to view the Content Toolkit. Suggested social media post copy is available here.

The National Indian Health Board is committed to serving Tribal Nations in response to the coronavirus outbreak. We welcome your requests and feedback. Contact Courtney Wheeler at cwheeler@nihb.org or 202-507-4081.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a great tool to help you make decisions on when to seek testing and medical care. Tribal members who are 13 and older, and parents and caregivers of children ages 2 to 12 can use the tool to help decide when to seek testing or medical care if they suspect they or someone they know has contracted COVID-19 or has come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Tribal members can use the on-line tool to find recommended actions and resources based on their response to questions in the Self-checker tool. 

Today! Friday, November 12, 2021 at 2:30 - 4:00 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), is hosting the third webinar in the #ACTOFLOVE COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series co-hosted with the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP). The webinar will be held on Friday, November 12.

This webinar will focus on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, and the third shot for certain immunocompromised populations, as well as current information about the vaccines and vaccination for children under 12 years of age.

Submit questions ahead of time to dgalligher@nihb.org so presenter(s) have time to review them. Please come prepared to ask questions or share your own insights and experiences.

Click here to register.

The Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) will hold a COVID-19 Town Hall Series on "What you need to know about Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs)" on Sunday, November 14, 2021. Physicians, providers, or any Tribal members with an interest in learning more about the therapeutics of Monoclonal Antibody are welcomed to join. Register here.

Join the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and Marisa Erven (Coquille Tribe of Oregon), illustrator and co-writer for a reading The Friendship Makers and Stars that Connect Us, part of the Star Collection books written for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children in grades K-3.

Families, parents, and teachers are welcome to join! Read more here, and register here. 

Friday, November 19, 2021, from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is excited to announce the 2021 Don't Miss Your Shot: COVID-19 Youth Summit. The Youth Summit will be virtually held on Friday, November 19, 2021.

Register for the Summit here.

The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) is pleased to invite you to their 2nd Annual Virtual Summit: Healing in a Time of Truth and Justice, to be held on Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20, 2021.

This is also a time for action. NABS will be providing the latest updates on the bill that has been introduced into Congress for a Truth and Healing Commission on U.S. Indian Boarding Schools, including ways that you can support this crucial legislation. There is an international groundswell of support for recognizing and seeking accountability for the harms done during the assimilative Indian boarding school era—so we know we must act now.

Register here.

The Harvard T.H. CHAN, School of Public Health will hold a webinar on “Understanding Long COVID: The Unseen Public Health Crisis” on Friday, November 19, 2021. Long COVID-19 now affects millions around the world, its lasting symptoms prevent people from working, socializing, and carrying on with their day-to-day lives. For some individuals, especially for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) who have been hit hard by COVID-19, the effects can cause an additional burden. We together need to raise awareness and better understand this disease in order to prevent the next public health crisis. Register here.

Join the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) and our esteemed experts to discuss the ways in which healing is critical to prevent against future violence in Tribal communities. Last year, NIHB hosted a series of conversations with Tribal public health practitioners, service providers, and experts to strengthen understanding about current practices, programs, policies and needs for violence prevention in Tribal communities. One of the things we heard during those sessions was the need to focus on Tribal ways of healing in order to prevent violence.

Register here!

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announced that the Clinical Investigator Training Course (CITC) that were conducted in person for more than ten years, and unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic was postponed in 2020; this year also, it will be an abbreviated, virtual update rather than a full course. The agency is hopeful that the full course will resume in 2022.

Register for this training webinar.