Giving Tuesday Press Release

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PRESS RELEASE

(Download in PDF)

 

Pledge $10 or more as NCUIH Celebrates #GivingTuesday to Keep Fighting to make sure our Health Care Needs are Met!

Washington, D.C.  Nov 27, 2018– This #GivingTuesday, please consider pledging $10 or more a month as NCUIH participates in this global effort by raising awareness on the needs of the over 70% of American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban areas!

Join #NCUIH and participate in our #GivingTuesday Campaign!  Share the love of the season, share the #NCUIHLove and help us!  Why? NCUIH is at the forefront of protecting and advocating for Indian health and tribal sovereignty ensure the future of our Urban Indian Health Programs (#UIHPs).

NCUIH works with Congress to promote awareness of AI/AN disparity issues and resources to better serve our AI/AN communities in urban settings. UIHPs receive from NCUIH the best and most up to date technical assistance and representation as possible; as well as to keep up to date with the regulatory, technology-related and public health topics that are impacting   UIHPs’ capacity to serve our siblings in a culturally competent and responsive way. Click here to donate now!

For over 20 years, NCUIH has devoted all of its efforts to advocate for Urban Indian Health Programs’ interests and needs before Congress and Federal agencies. NCUIH works with Congress to promote awareness of AI/AN disparity issues and resources to better serve our AI/AN communities in urban settings. 

A)   Advocating to improve our Urban Health facilities’ viability— as healthcare becomes more expensive and specialized, UIHPs need to ensure financial viability. Many current regulations are deterring facility expansion. NCUIH’s regulatory efforts need your help to:

  • Ensure that UIHPs are included and able to benefit from policies and that allow for service expansion
  • Ensure that UIHPs have the necessary regulatory backup to cover the most pressing needs of our siblings, aunties, and uncles living in urban settings
  • Ensure new and existing members of Congress are aware of the unique needs of Urban Indians and the importance of including Urban organizations in future legislation,

Join the #GivingTuesday share the #NCUIHLove

B)   Youth Suicide Prevention—#NCUIH‘s Youth Advisory Council needs your help to:

  • Expand the training and opportunities for the Council to be equipped to be the future Urban Indian Health Leaders—and to
  • Increase the number of forums for our Urban Indian Youth to educate all of us on the optimal way to keep our youth safe and healthy!

Join the #GivingTuesday share the #NCUIHLove

 “At #NCUIH we are extremely inspired by how the #GivingTuesday community has embraced this concept of giving”, said Francys Crevier, Executive Director of NCUIH. “As we prepare for November 27, we’re thrilled and excited by the community’s generosity. Now, more than ever, we need your help.”

Those who are interested in joining #NCUIH this #GivingTuesday initiative can:

  1. Donate  at least $10 per month and be an integral part of NCUIH’s life-changing work (less than 2 drinks at Starbucks and it is going to protect the future of Indian health!)
  2. Donate a one-time lump amount
  3. Share our Facebook posts and retweet us to spread the message #NCUIH, #GivingTuesdayshare the #NCUIHLove
  4. Donate through Amazon! Go to www.smile.amazon.com  and select “National Council of Urban Indian Health” as your supporting charity.

Visit www.ncuih.org for more details about NCUIH Visit our Facebook page or follow @NCUIH_Official on Twitter Spread our #NCUIH, #NCUIHLove and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on Twitter

About #NCUIH:

NCUIH is the only national 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban settings

About #GivingTuesday

Founded by the team in the Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact at 92nd Y Street  http://www.92Y.org, #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in all 50 states and in countries around the world. This year, #GivingTuesday falls on November 27, 2018.

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving that harnesses the collective power of individuals, communities and organizations to encourage philanthropy and to celebrate generosity worldwide. Following Thanksgiving and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this year’s #GivingTuesday will take place on November 27th, 2018 and will kick off the giving season by inspiring people to collaborate and give back.

Student Extern Opportunities!

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Student Extern
Department of Health And Human Services
Indian Health Service

Open & closing dates: 11/01/2018 to 02/01/2019

Pay scale & grade: GS 3 – 9
Salary: $14.14 to $34.97 per hour
Location Negotiable After Selection, United States, Many vacancies

Current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Includes internships, pathways and other student programs.

Announcement number: IHS-19-GR-10348938-ESEP/MP

Summary
Become a part of an innovative, dynamic, nationwide organization of dedicated health care providers working to meet the individual health care needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Indian Health Service (IHS) employees are considerate in our care, creative in our approach, enthusiastic about our work and compassionate with our patients.

Urban FMAP Fix Bill Introduced

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2017

Contact: Francys Crevier
NCUIH Executive Director
FCrevier@NCUIH.org

 

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH), which represents 41 urban Indian organizations (UIOs) with Title V contracts across the nation, appreciates the bipartisan legislation to be introduced by Representative Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM-3) and Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) to fix Medicaid for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients who are served by UIOs.

Title V UIOs, which constitute an integral part of the Indian Health Service (IHS), are non-profit corporations which recruit and retain their own staffs in order to provide high-quality, culturally-competent health care to AI/AN people who live off of reservations.

“Medicaid is a vital health care program for AI/AN people,” declared Ms. Ashley Tuomi, NCUIH’s President.  “Congress authorized all three parts of IHS to bill Medicaid for services provided to eligible AI/AN people in order to supplement chronic underfunding of IHS and thus better fulfill the federal government’s Trust Responsibility to provide health care to AI/AN people.”

“In recognition that it would honor the Trust Responsibility to AI/AN and stretch dollars for the Indian health system,” continued Ms. Tuomi, who is also the CEO of American Indian Health & Family Services of Southeast Michigan, in Detroit, MI, “Congress provided that states would be reimbursed by the federal government at a Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) of 100.  However, UIOs were not explicitly mentioned in the law, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services states it lacks the discretion to authorize 100% FMAP for UIOs.”

“That’s why the legislation introduced by Senator Udall and Representative Lujan is so important,” declared Ms. Linda Son-Stone, who is the executive director of First Nations Community Healthsource, in Albuquerque, NM.  “It would simply include UIOs in the FMAP law, so that all three parts of IHS are treated the same with respect to Medicaid reimbursement.  More importantly, it will allow UIOs to provide more high- quality, culturally-competent health care services to urban Indians, who currently experience health care conditions and outcomes that are markedly inferior to their non-Indian counterparts in urban areas.”

“In fact,” continued Ms. Son-Stone, “the two largest UIOs, in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, have been so successful in part because of a legal exception through which their state of Oklahoma already receives 100% FMAP.  We appreciate the strong leadership of Representative Lujan and Senator Udall on this very important issue, which would allow UIO patients in New Mexico and other states to benefit from the same arrangement.”

Ashley Tuomi Shares Personal Message on Infant at Work Policy

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Hi my name is Brendyn Alexander Smallwood and tomorrow I wil be 3 weeks old. Today is my first day of work at American Indian Health and Family Services of  South  Eastern  Michigan! 

Because of an infant at work policy, I am able to return to work after just three weeks from giving birth. This policy was implemented in 2011, before I started working for American Indian Health and Family Services. Even though I did not create the policy, I immediately saw the benefit of the program. There have been a number of employees who have used this program successfully in the last five years. Today, I begin my adventure of returning to work with my son.

I’m not going to sugar coat things and say that our program is perfect or that there are zero distractions with an infant at work, but so far from what I have seen the benefits outweigh any of the negatives. I also have to say that we are in the process of revising our program and policies to fix some of the programs that we have come across.

Some of the benefits include: Getting the employee back quicker (As in my case- although most people still take a longer leave than I did), bonding doesn’t stop because the parent has to go back to work, retention increases, higher morale, and in many cases increased breastfeeding rates.

The reason that I am sharing this today, is that I want to encourage other organizations to look at the possibility of creating an infant at work policy. I would love to share our policy and have a conversation with your leadership about the possibility of implementing the program. There are also a lot of resources available online including the Parenting in the Workplace Institute (https://www.babiesatwork.org)

15 UIHPs awarded IHS Grants to Support Behavioral Health Programming

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REPOST from IHS
10/04/2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: (301) 443-3593, newsroom@ihs.gov

IHS Awards $16.5 Million in Grants to Support Behavioral Health Programs

Indian Health Service (IHS) made awards to four behavioral health programs serving American Indians and Alaska Natives across the United States. The four programs are Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention (SASP) and Domestic Violence Prevention Program (DVPP), as well as Behavioral Health Integration Initiative (BH2I) and the Preventing Alcohol-Related Deaths (PARD), which are both new programs.

“These awards will address the critical behavioral health needs seen in our tribal clinics, hospitals and Native communities,” said Rear Adm. Michael D. Weahkee, acting director of the Indian Health Service. “IHS is committed to providing resources to facilities to provide coordinated community responses, increase access to preventive care, integrate behavioral health with primary care, provide alcohol detoxification services, and incorporate culturally appropriate practices and services to our patients.”

Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Program

The SASP funding opportunity provides culturally appropriate prevention and early intervention strategies aimed at reducing suicide and substance use and misuse among Native youth up to age 24. Funded projects work to implement evidence-based, practice-based, and emerging practices to build resiliency, foster positive development, and promote family engagement. IHS awarded $5.6 million to 43 projects.

The following IHS facilities, tribes, tribal organizations and Urban Indian Organizations received funding:

  • Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, $236,407
  • Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc., $299,828
  • American Indian Health & Services, Santa Barbara, California, $200,000
  • American Indian Health Service of Chicago, Inc., $115,000
  • Anadarko Indian Health Center, Anadarko, Oklahoma, $296,157
  • Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Odanah, Wisconsin, $136,919
  • Bay Mills Indian Community, Brimley, Michigan, $100,948
  • Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Alaska, $141,828
  • Copper River Native Association, Copper Center, Alaska, $155,346
  • Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments, Alaska, $100,000
  • Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Roseburg, Oregon, $27,667
  • Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Alaska, $299,038
  • Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, $50,000
  • Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, $100,000
  • Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians, Peshawbestown, Michigan, $42,950
  • Ho-Chunk Nation, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, $125,000
  • Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, $51,657
  • Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Oklahoma, $107,035
  • Indian Health Center, Inc. Lincoln, Nebraska, $100,000
  • Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, $50,000
  • Kenaitze Indian Tribe, Kenai, Alaska, $250,000
  • Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Carnegie, Oklahoma, $152,258
  • Kyle Health Center, Kyle, South Dakota, $144,454
  • Native American Community Health Center (Phoenix), $190,064
  • Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Portland, Oregon, $27,666
  • Norton Sound Health Corporation, Nome, Alaska, $275,858
  • Oklahoma City Indian Clinic, $151,811
  • Orutsaramiut Native Council, Bethel, Alaska, $239,097
  • Passamaquoddy Indian Township, Maine, $25,000
  • Phoenix Indian Center, $197,443
  • Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Kingston, Washington, $132,332
  • Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Mayetta, Kansas, $300,000
  • Pribilof Islands Aleut Community of St. Paul Island, Alaska, $118,500
  • Ramah Navajo School Board, Inc., Pinehill, New Mexico, $50,000
  • Seattle Indian Health Board, $100,000
  • SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Juneau, Alaska, $50,000
  • Southern Indian Health Council, Inc., Alpine, California, $50,000
  • Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Ignacio, Colorado, $50,000
  • Taos Pueblo Central Management System, Taos, New Mexico, $50,000
  • White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians, White Earth, Minnesota, $11,750
  • Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Winnebago, Nebraska, $90,997
  • Wyandotte Tribe of Oklahoma, Wyandotte, Oklahoma, $102,803
  • Yankton Sioux Tribe Boys and Girls Club, Yankton, South Dakota, $96,193

Domestic Violence Prevention Program

The DVPP funding opportunity expands outreach and increases awareness of domestic and sexual violence, provides victim advocacy, intervention, case coordination, policy development, community response teams, community and school education programs, and forensic healthcare services. IHS awarded $2.9 million to 20 projects.

The following IHS facilities, tribes, tribal organizations and Urban Indian Organizations received funding:

  • California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc., Sacramento, California, $144,000
  • Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Siletz, Oregon, $125,000
  • Crownpoint Health Care Facility, Crownpoint, New Mexico, $200,000
  • Fairbanks Native Association, Fairbanks, Alaska, $200,000
  • Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc., Rio Rancho, New Mexico, $150,000
  • Kawerak, Inc., Nome, Alaska, $207,341
  • Minneapolis American Indian Center, Minnesota, $100,000
  • Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska, $100,000
  • Nevada Urban Indians, Inc., Reno, Nevada, $100,000
  • Nez Perce Tribe, Lapwai, Idaho, $50,012
  • Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Portland, Oregon, $83,000
  • Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Cedar City, Utah, $166,321
  • Pawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Pawnee, Oklahoma, $200,000
  • Phoenix Indian Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona, $199,997
  • Pine Ridge Indian Hospital, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, $80,000
  • Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Red Cliff, Wisconsin, $204,000
  • Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Agency Village, South Dakota, $200,000
  • Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake, Salt Lake City, Utah, $100,000
  • Utah Navajo Health System, Inc., Montezuma Creek, Utah, $194,500
  • Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, Winnebago, Nebraska $50,000

Behavioral Health Integration Initiative

The BH2I is a new funding opportunity at IHS and will assist awardees to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate behavioral health integration with primary care. Projects will operate on a 3-year funding cycle. IHS awarded $6 million to 12 projects.

The following IHS facilities, tribes, tribal organizations and Urban Indian Organizations received funding:

  • Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Durant, Oklahoma, $500,000
  • Ho-Chunk Nation, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, $500,000
  • Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Inc., $500,000
  • Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley, San Jose, California, $500,000
  • Kodiak Area Native Association, Kodiak, Alaska, $500,000
  • Muscogee Creek Nation, Okmulgee, Oklahoma, $500,000
  • Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Lame Deer, Montana, $500,000
  • Red Lake Hospital, Red Lake, Minnesota, $500,000
  • Rocky Boy Health Board, Box Elder, Montana, $500,000
  • South Dakota Urban Indian Health, Inc., Pierre, South Dakota, $500,000
  • United American Indian Involvement, Los Angeles, California, $500,000
  • Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, Pendleton, Oregon, $500,000

Preventing Alcohol-Related Deaths

The new Preventing Alcohol-Related Deaths (PARD) grants will increase access to social detoxification, evaluation, stabilization, fostering patient readiness for and entry into treatment for alcohol use disorders and, when appropriate, other substance use disorders. Organizations that qualified for the grant must have a fully operational and staffed social detoxification program that primarily serves Indians. Projects will operate on a 5-year funding cycle. IHS will award $2 million to two projects.

The following tribe and city received funding:

  • City of Gallup, Gallup, New Mexico, $1,500,000
  • Oglala Sioux Tribe, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, $500,000

The IHS Division of Behavioral Health serves as the primary source of national advocacy, policy development, management and administration of behavioral health, alcohol and substance abuse, and family violence prevention programs.

Best Practices Research Memo: American Indians and Alaska Natives Living with Disabilities in Urban Areas

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American Indians and Alaska Natives living with disabilities in urban areas (“urban Indian”) face tremendous challenges to participate in their communities given their circumstances stemming from compounded biopsychosocial factors. Urban Indians living with disabilities remain largely unheard and marginalized. There are currently few resources and programs that allow for full participation and/or integration.1 Available data on this population is scarce, as current federal restrictions prevent the Census Bureau from delineating detailed information on disabilities in Indian Country. Cultural barriers can also restrict access to federal and state programs for which they are eligible, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Read full Memo here>>>

NCUIH Hires a New Executive Director

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 31st, 2017

Contact: Ashley Tuomi, DHSc

NCUIH President

President@NCUIH.org

On behalf of the National Council of Urban Indian Health, I am very pleased to announce that the Executive Director position has been filled by Francys Crevier. Francys previously served NCUIH as the Director of Governmental Affairs and has brought a lot of experience to NCUIH. Francys will assume her role as the Executive Director effective immediately.

Francys Crevier (Algonquin) has been serving Indian Country for a little over a decade. She has served in various capacities from clerking for Tribal supreme courts and working for the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to representing Tribes as in-house counsel and special prosecutor. She joined the Indian healthcare field in 2015 to advocate for better healthcare in Indian Country as well as educate Tribal members and communities on their alternative healthcare options. She joined NCUIH in 2016 as the Policy Analyst and Congressional Relations Liaison and later became the Director of Governmental Affairs. Francys received her J.D. from University of Arizona Law with a Certificate in Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy and her B.A. in Public Administration from Florida International University.

Please join me and the rest of the Board of Directors in congratulating Francys on her new position. There will be a welcome call on August 15th at 2pm. Look for the invite to come out soon for your chance to talk with our new Executive Director.

Sincerely,

Ashley Tuomi

NCUIH and NCAID Release a Major Survey on American Indians with Disabilities

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2017

Contact: Ryan Young Coordinator, Technical Assistance and Research Center
National Council of Urban Indian Health
202-544-0344
ryoung@ncuih.org

NCUIH and NCAID Release a Major Survey on American Indians with Disabilities

WASHINGTON – The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) in collaboration with the National Center on American Indians with Disabilities (NCAID) are conducting a comprehensive resource and needs assessment pilot project called “Native Communities Living United for Disability Equality” (NCLUDE). This first of its kind survey will examine the level of inclusion of urban AI/ANs living with disabilities in California, Oregon, and Washington. This assessment is meant to identify barriers to care and services, as well as opportunities to expand services, while increasing the knowledge base on this vulnerable population.

Urban AI/ANs living with disabilities face tremendous challenges to participate in their communities. Approximately 27 percent of nearly 5.4 million American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people living in the United States lives with a disability–a rate higher than any other demographic in the United States (2015 American Community Survey). There are roughly 1 million urban AI/ANs that live with disabilities, given that 71 percent of the AI/AN population lives in urban areas.

To read full Press Release click here.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Grant 2017 AIAN Outreach & Enrollment Cooperative Agreement Awards to Three Urban Indian Health Programs

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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) granted  on June 14, 2017, $3.7 million in awards for outreach and enrollment efforts to aid in enrolling American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) children in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These cooperative agreements will fund activities to reduce the number of AI/AN children eligible for, but not enrolled in, Medicaid and CHIP.

A total of eight cooperative agreements were awarded to Indian Health Service providers, Tribes and Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations in six states.Among the health programs awarded were 3 Urban Indian Health Programs: Native American Community Health Center, Inc. in Phoenix, AZ; Denver Indian Health and Family Services, Inc. in Denver, CO; and Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest in Portland, OR.

TheNational Council of Urban Indian Health congratulates these outstanding programs and their teams on this enormous success toin provideing outstanding outreach and enrollment services to their communities.

Read more on the CMS’ 2017 American Indian Alaska Native Cooperative Agreements >>>

South Dakota Urban Indian Health is seeking a full time Executive Director

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Title: Executive Director
Reports to: Board of Directors
STATUS: Full Time
Location: Sioux Falls, SD

South Dakota Urban Indian Health is seeking a full time Executive Director (ED). The (ED) serves as the chief executive officer for the multi-site healthcare organization in South Dakota and reports directly to the Board of Directors.

Responsibilities:

The ED has primary responsibility for organizational design and management, strategic planning, project development and documented policies and procedures. Their responsibilities also include maintaining/increasing financial security and support. They will lead as advised by the Board of Directors and administer and enforce the agency’s mission.

Qualifications:

  • Minimum of a Bachelors in public health, health administration, or related discipline with a minimum of 5 years related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Must have experience writing and managing grants, and securing funding resources
  • Must have management level experience in a non-profit and/or healthcare agency
  • Knowledgeable of current public health care issues
  • Experience with Urban Indian Programs preferred

Preference will be given to qualified Indian applicants, however all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. Must be able to provide Indian Preference documentation if claimed. Competitive wage based on qualifications with broad benefit package available.

Contact: Barb Pearson
HR Manager
barb.pearson@sduih.org
(605)339-0420 ext 1219
Website: www.sduih.org