November 2011 Blogs

Tribal Delegation Meeting: Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board

I met with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board in a Tribal Delegation Meeting at the National Congress of American Indians Annual Conference in Portland Oregon earlier this month. Here is a picture from the meeting:

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Tribal Consultation: Federal Advisory Committee Act

I recently sent a letter to all tribes initiating a formal consultation on issues surrounding the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Specifically, I requested input on how the IHS can ensure that its advisory workgroups and committees comply with FACA or the Intergovernmental Exception to FACA. Input is due within 60 days from the date of the letter (11/9/2011) and written comments can be sent to consultation@ihs.gov. I will review the input with my Directors’ Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation and they will help develop final recommendations. Here is a copy of the letter. [PDF - 59KB]

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USET Annual Board of Directors Meeting

I attended the United South Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) Annual Board of Directors’ Meeting in Choctaw MS this past month. I provided an IHS update and answered questions from Board members. Here are some pictures from the meeting:

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Tribal Self Governance Advisory Committee

I met with the IHS Tribal Self Governance Advisory Committee and we discussed several priorities, including the budget, convening a contract support costs workgroup, the Affordable Care Act and IHCIA implementation, and expansion of Self Governance in HHS beyond the IHS. I appreciate the committee’s assistance and partnership in our progress in these areas. Here’s a picture from the meeting:

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Tribal Delegation Meeting - Chickasaw Nation

I recently met with the Chickasaw Nation in a tribal delegation meeting at IHS headquarters. They discussed their progress since the opening of the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center and their progress on construction of their Ardmore outpatient health facility Joint Venture construction project along with the facility staffing needs of both facilities. Here’s a picture from the meeting:

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Elbowoods Memorial Health Center Opening

The Elbowoods Memorial Health Center celebrated its opening on October 27, 2011. The facility was built to serve the Three Affiliated Tribes in North Dakota with congressional funding through the Army Corps of Engineers. Here are some pictures from the grand opening:

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California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc., 42nd Annual Board of Directors Meeting

I attended the recent California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. (CRIHB), 42nd Annual Board of Directors Meeting in Reno, NV. I provided an IHS update and answered questions in the Tribal Government Consultation Committee and the Program Directors' Committee meetings. Here are some photos from the meeting:

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Alaska Area Action Summit for Suicide Prevention

In October, HHS (IHS, SAMHSA) and DOI (BIA, BIE) held the Alaska Area Action Summit in Anchorage, Alaska. While we held an Action Summit for Suicide Prevention in Scottsdale, Arizona, in August, it was important to hold a Summit in Alaska because mortality rates from suicide in youth and young adults are much higher in Alaska than in all other IHS Areas. The Summit brought together behavioral health providers, tribal leaders, health care providers, law enforcement, first responders, and school personnel to share up-to-date research, best practices, and promising practices to address suicide and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and aftercare. Here are some pictures from the Summit:

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IHS Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Launch

I attended the launch of the IHS Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the Phoenix Area, which featured the work of the Phoenix Indian Medical Center and Whiteriver Service Unit. It was held with the 13th Annual Women’s Health Expo.  The IHS BFHI was established as a part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move in Indian Country Initiative and promotes breastfeeding to help reduce overweight and obesity in American Indian and Alaska Native youth. Here are some pictures from the launch event:

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Chief Medical Officers Office of General Counsel Meeting

The IHS Chief Medical Officers from each region and our Office of General Counsel colleagues met to discuss a range of medical and legal issues in the operation of IHS. Here's a picture from the meeting:

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Tribal Delegation Meeting: Crow Creek Sioux Tribe

I met with the Chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in a tribal delegation meeting and discussed a number of issues of importance to the Tribe. Here’s a picture from the meeting:

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Why are American Indians and Alaska Natives getting Cancer?

One of the most common questions that I get when I meet with tribal leaders and community members is “why are more of our tribal members getting cancer?” Often they mention a concern about environmental exposures or possible unknown factors. However, there are many known causes of cancer, and several of them are preventable. For example, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use are common in our communities and they are risk factors for cancer. One of the risk factors is simply age, and since our population is growing older, the risk for cancer also increases. I encourage everyone to talk with their doctor about how to reduce their personal risk for cancer and to learn more about what they can do. Even though we cannot change some things (like getting older!), we can take action to reduce our risk for cancer by stopping smoking, engaging in regular physical activity, making healthier food choices, and getting regular medical check-ups. Here’s a good website from the National Cancer Institute Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  on what you need to know about risk factors for cancer.

There also was a good article recently on this in This Week from Indian Country Today. Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov