July 2012 Blogs

IHS National Combined Councils Meeting

The IHS National Combined Councils (NCC) held a working meeting at IHS Headquarters in July. This gathering of key administrative and clinical leaders worked on priority issues identified at the last NNC meeting in January. They met as Councils to discuss their provider/position specific issues and then met in mixed groups to develop action plans on 5 priority issues: HR/workforce development, recruitment and retention, hospital consortium/accreditation issues, prescription drug abuse, and Contract Health Service (referred care). They developed specific actionable steps, and I am grateful to the attendees for helping us move forward on these important priority issues. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Committee on Native American Child Health

IHS meets regularly with the Committee on Native American Child Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics to discuss child health issues and review findings from their regular pediatric site visits. Here are pictures from a recent meeting held in May:

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National Native American AIDS Prevention Center

I met with the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center Board of Directors on July 19 in Washington, D.C. We discussed the IHS HIV/AIDS Program activities and discussed their recommendations for efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in the Indian health system. Here are pictures from the meeting.

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National Indian Health Board

I met with representatives from the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) to discuss our collaborative activities. The NIHB assists the IHS with tribal consultation activities, education and outreach on the Affordable Care Act, and other health initiatives; and IHS is grateful for our partnership. Here is a picture from the meeting:

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IHS 2012 National Behavioral Health Conference

I attended the IHS 2012 National Behavioral Health Conference in Bloomington, MN, in June and had a chance to provide an IHS update. The conference theme was "Mobilizing Partnerships to Promote Wellness" and emphasized the importance of collaboration on behavioral health issues for American Indians and Alaska Natives. The conference also included the annual meetings for the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative and the Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Tribal Self Governance Advisory Committee

I met with the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee in June, and we discussed issues important to Tribes who manage health care programs that were formerly managed by IHS. We watched TV coverage of the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act and were able to share the moment that all the new benefits of the Act were upheld, including the reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Tribal Prescription Drug Abuse Summit

A Tribal Prescription Drug Abuse Summit was held in the Bemidji Area in July. The meeting was for IHS and tribal partners to develop action steps to address this growing problem in tribal communities. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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CHASM Team Rosebud Tribe Deployment

The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Community Health and Service Mission (CHASM) deployed officers to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in June to conduct field training while providing health services in the community. Here are pictures from the deployment:

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SCIA Investigation of IHS Aberdeen Area: Update

I sent a letter to Tribes to provide an update on our Agency response to the 2010 Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) Investigation of the IHS Aberdeen Area, and our overall reform efforts to improve the way we do business in all IHS Areas. Here is a copy of the letter [PDF - 30K] and its attachment [PDF - 150K].

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Absentee Shawnee Little Axe Health Clinic Grand Opening

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe opened their new health clinic near Little Axe in June. It was built under a Joint Venture Agreement with the Indian Health Service. The Tribe funded the construction of the facility and IHS requested funding for staffing of the clinic. Here are pictures from the Grand Opening:

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2012 Nurse Leaders in Native Care Conference

The 2012 Nurse Leaders in Native Care Conference was held in June in San Diego, CA. This annual national conference is a collaborative forum that provides an opportunity for nurses serving in IHS, tribal, and urban (I/T/U) Indian health programs to enhance their nursing practice skills and improve patient care. The presentations included current, practical, and clinically-oriented evidence-based practice information addressing improving quality and access to care, nursing leadership, inpatient nursing, ambulatory nursing, and public health nursing in I/T/U settings. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee Quarterly Meeting

The IHS Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee met in June to discuss issues common to Tribes who are served by health programs directly managed by the IHS. I met with the committee and toured the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Health Clinic. Here are pictures from the meeting and site visit:

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Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars

The Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars, sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, visited IHS Headquarters in Rockville in June to learn about the Indian Health Service. The Scholars are rising college seniors and recent college graduates who spend the summer learning about health policy and working in congressional offices. Here are pictures from their visit:

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IHS Injury Prevention Fellowship Program

The IHS Injury Prevention Fellowship Program met in Rockville, MD in May. The Fellowship includes training in community interventions, coalition building, injury epidemiology, program evaluation, presentation skills, and field work to promote injury prevention in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Here's a picture from the meeting:

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IHS Area Dental Officers Meeting

The IHS Area Dental Officers met at IHS Headquarters in May. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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IHS HIV/STD All Partners (I/T/U) Meeting

The IHS HIV/STD All Partners (IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health programs) Meeting was held in Scottsdale in May. The meeting provided important updates and training on prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and STDs. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Let's Move! in Indian Country Anniversary Event

A celebration of the first anniversary of the Let's Move! in Indian Country initiative was held at the White House in June and featured a panel discussion of individuals who shared their stories on how they are helping make this initiative a success. Clifton Kenon, Jr., spoke on the panel about the Indian Health Service's Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and how the IHS Rosebud Hospital is on track to be the first IHS hospital to achieve Baby Friendly Hospital certification for its efforts to promote breastfeeding to reduce childhood obesity. Here are pictures from the meeting and a link to a blog about the event:

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HHS Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee Meeting

The HHS Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee met in May in Washington, D.C., and discussed progress on their priorities, which include tribal-state relations, increasing tribal access to grants, expanding self-governance in HHS, the Affordable Care Act, and budget priorities for HHS operating divisions. Here is a picture from the meeting:

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Behavioral Health Meetings

The National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health met at the end of April and discussed recommendations for the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative and the Domestic Violence Prevention Initiative. After that meeting, the Behavioral Health Work Group met to discuss technical issues related to the activities and programs of the IHS Division of Behavioral Health. Here are pictures from the meetings:

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2012 Annual National Medical Providers Best Practices & GPRA Measures Conference

The 2012 Annual National Medical Providers Best Practices & GPRA Measures Conference was held in Sacramento, CA, in April. The agenda and presentations can be found at: /california/index.cfm/clinical-management/government-performance-and-results-act-gpra11/resources-for-government-performance-results-act/medical-providers-best-practices-conference/. Here are some pictures from the meeting:

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Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians - Joint Venture

I signed the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Joint Venture Construction Agreement with Chief Phyliss Anderson recently. The Joint Venture Construction Program is a partnership in which the Tribe agrees to fund and construct a health facility and the Indian Health Service requests new/additional staffing funding from Congress. Here are pictures from the signing:

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Long-Term Services and Supports Conference

The 2012 Long-Term Care Services and Supports Conference was held in March in Denver, CO. The event was hosted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Indian Health Service, and Administration on Aging (which is now a part of the new HHS Operating Division entitled Administration for Community Living). The meeting was a great opportunity to share information and best practices, and the presentations are available at: http://www.kauffmaninc.com Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  . Here are some pictures from the conference.

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The Weight of the Nation

The obesity epidemic is one of the most significant health issues facing the United States today. We know that obesity leads to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, and kidney disease, which are leading causes of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives. I encourage you to visit the website and learn about The Weight of the Nation, which is a documentary series that aired on HBO recently that looks at the obesity crisis in all communities in the nation. You can request a community action kit at the website, view the films, and learn more about what you can do to take action. It is important that we all accept that obesity is a serious health threat to our communities and take action now to address this crisis. Please help with this important public health campaign.

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2012 Annual Tribal Self Governance Conference

I attended the 2012 Annual Tribal Self Governance Conference in May in New Orleans. This meeting highlighted issues and best practices for Tribes who manage health programs that were formerly managed by the Indian Health Service. Here are pictures from the meeting:

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Tribal Delegation Meetings: May 2012

Five Tribal Delegation Meetings were held in May at the Self Governance Conference - Oklahoma Delegation, Alaska Delegation, Susanville Rancheria, Feather River Indian Health, and Northern Valley Indian Health). Here are pictures from the meetings:

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Director’s Blog: Update

I will be posting several blogs over the next few days to catch up on events in the past 2 months. We will be posting 3-4 of them per day so make sure to scroll down next time you visit the blog so you can see them all. Thanks.

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AIDS 2012 Conference

As the Indian Health Service (IHS) prepares to participate in the AIDS 2012 Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  conference later this week, I am reminded of both the mission of the Indian Health Service and the importance of collaboration with our partners within the HIV community.

The IHS is fully committed to helping our nation move toward an AIDS- free generation because our mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) to the highest level. Our agency works year-round to ensure that comprehensive, culturally acceptable personal and public health services are available and accessible to AI/AN people. Our HIV/AIDS Program supports quality health care provision in rural and urban settings. We partner with communities, grantees, and health care providers throughout Indian Country to educate patients about HIV, train providers on strategies to increase HIV testing rates and retention in care, and enable those AI/AN living with and affected by HIV to have access to the highest quality care.

Before and during the AIDS 2012 conference, in recognition of this commitment, the IHS will participate in discussions about our collaborations, successes, and challenges related to "turning the tide together."

The IHS will be participating in the International Indigenous Pre-Conference on HIV & AIDS "TO SEE AND BE SEEN" Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  to be held on July 20 and 21, 2012, in Washington, D.C. We look forward to the opportunity to exchange ideas with indigenous leaders from around the world about culturally appropriate responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic at this important time.

On July 25, from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., IHS will be hosting a panel entitled "Turning the Tide with Communities" at the Indigenous Networking Zone Global Village, Indigenous Circle: Decolonizing HIV and AIDS. During this event, IHS will be announcing the availability of some new tools for communities to address HIV and AIDS, including a collection of resources for tribal decision-makers. The Global Village Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  is a vital part of the AIDS 2012 conference. Truly it is "a diverse and vibrant space where community gathers from all over the world to meet, share and learn from each other." In the Global Village and across the conference venue, we will meet with people from around the world, including staff, advocates, and stakeholders from the U.S. HIV community who currently partner with the Indian Health Service.

The austere reality of our times makes it difficult for many health care providers, grantees, and community members to attend conferences such as AIDS 2012. Many of our partners will participate in the conference virtually via the daily webcasts Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  or through a conference hub Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov . I'm proud to know that several of our IHS grantees applied to the AIDS 2012 conference organizers for permission to offer conference hubs. These partners collaborate with the Indian Health Service HIV/AIDS Program to offer technical assistance related to HIV awareness. Our partners have recognized that provision of a hub would be a tremendous way to extend the conference conversation to more providers and organizations that reach the AI/AN communities.

I encourage you to review the list of approved hubs Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  for sessions that may be planned for locations near you. The list is regularly updated and already includes one hub that is being convened by the National Native American AIDS Prevention Center Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov , our technical assistance partner located in Denver, Colorado.

Next week, as the scientific resources for turning the tide are examined at AIDS 2012, we will be working to identify even more strategies to help the movement toward an AIDS-free generation. Effective incorporation of promising strategies for prevention, care, and treatment will rely on the continuation, expansion, and initiation of many collaborations, including those between the Indian Health Service and the communities we serve.

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IHS Tribal Consultation Summit Update

I sent a letter to tribal leaders to invite them to the IHS Tribal Consultation Summit scheduled for August 7-8,2012, in Denver, CO. We now have the hotel information and a draft agenda. Hope to see you there!

Here is a copy of the letter [PDF - 25KB] and draft agenda [PDF - 64KB].

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Health Care Facilities Construction Consultation

Today, IHS is initiating a consultation on the IHS health care facilities construction process. Here is the letter [PDF - 89KB] mailed to Tribal leaders and its enclosure. [PDF - 45KB] Comments are due in writing by August 31, 2012.

We will also hold a workshop session on this topic at the upcoming Tribal Consultation Summit on August 7-8, 2012, in Denver, CO. We are working to confirm the hotel for the Summit and should have information by next week, but it is definitely in Denver for those of you who are making travel arrangements. As soon as it is confirmed, we will post the hotel information on this blog and on our tribal consultation web site.