NIHB 10th Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit

May 13-15, 2019 | Albuquerque, NM

On May 13 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) kicked off its 10th Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit with open plenary messages from national leaders committed to working jointly with tribes, such as the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams and Indian Health Service Director RADM Michael Weahkee. Health care experts like Dr. Donald Warne, Dr. Spero Manson and Ms. Lisa McGuire with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discussed pressing issues on adverse childhood experiences, tribal health data, HIV and Alzheimer’s in Indian Country, respectively. Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM) also addressed attendees via video message. Read the press release from day one of the summit. Indianz.com also covered the opening plenary session, view their coverage here.

During the opening reception, attendees viewed the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPT) poster session and NIHB presented the 2019 Native Public Health Innovation Awards. Two individuals and one Tribal organization were recognized for their effective approaches to and significant impact on American Indian and Alaska Native public health. James Segura, Board of Directors Chairman of the Southcentral Foundation from Alaska, was the national recipient. Dr. Melanie Nadeau, Operational Director with the American Indian Public Health Resource Center in North Dakota, was the regional recipient. The California-based Toiyabe Indian Health Project’s Infection Control and Safety Committee was the local recipient. Read the press release on the award winners.

Over the two-day summit, nearly 600 Tribal public health professionals, researchers and community-based service providers attended sessions focusing on five public health tracks: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Public Health Policy, Infrastructure and Systems; Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health; Environmental Health and Climate Change; and Emergency Preparedness and Emerging Issues in Public Health. Native youth were also present.

A group of three Native youth volunteers acted as reporters and photographers on the ground and they interviewed Summit presenters and attendees and learned about Tribal public health programs from across Indian Country. Read the press release on the Native youth presence at the Summit.

On Wednesday, May 15, NIHB hosted a “free” day. The public and media were invited to sit in on several federal listening sessions, such as the Veterans Affairs (VA) and IHS session on updating a MOU; CDC session on e-cigarettes in Indian Country; and a special session with HHS on developing a national strategy for HIV and STDs. In addition to the listening sessions, participants had the option to attend training on opioid response planning, grant writing, suicide prevention and environmental health. Special workshops on “Culture and Drugs Don’t Mix” and art therapy as trauma treatment for Native youth were also offered.

Thank you to attendees, presenters, sponsors, exhibitors, Tribal leaders and health professionals for making the 10^th Annual National Tribal Public Health Summit a success!