NCUIH Receives Award to Support Urban Indian Health Programs

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 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Maurice “Mo” Smith, Executive Director

MSmith@ncuih.org, (202) 544-0344

 

WASHINGTON, DC —The Indian Health Service, Office of Urban Indian Health Programs (OUIHP) has awarded a cooperative agreement to the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) to act as an education and research partner for OUIHP and urban Indian organizations (UIO) funded under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act through public policy, research and data, structured training and technical assistance, and national representation. This program will support UIO to fulfill their mission to provide healthcare services to an estimated 80,000+ American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in urban settings in 21 states and more than 100 counties across the country.

The new award will allow NCUIH to provide highly specialized and culturally competent education and capacity building services to the UIO. In alignment with its mission, NCUIH will work collaboratively with OUIHP and the UIO leadership to support the following four core programmatic activities: a) Policy and Legislation Education; b) Research; c) Training and Technical Assistance; and d) Marketing, Public Relations and Outreach.

“We are eager to continue our work in Indian Country, raising awareness surrounding the healthcare needs of the Native Community,” says NCUIH Board President Ashley Tuomi. “I am excited for this opportunity, to continue fostering relationships with those providing healthcare services to the community, and for the continued growth of NCUIH. This is a great time to improve our relationships with programs and to continue advocating for the health of our community.”

“The Indian Health Service looks forward to a continued partnership with the National Council of Urban Indian Health to enhance access to quality health care for the urban American Indians and Alaska Natives that we serve,” said Sherriann Moore, Director of the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs, Indian Health Service.

NCUIH is a national 501(c) (3) non-profit urban Indian organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally competent health services for AI/AN living in urban settings. Its members include urban Indian organizations and providers across the country.

For more information go to www.ncuih.org.

National Council of Urban Indian Health supports Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2016

Contact: Francys Crevier
NCUIH Policy Analyst and Congressional Relations Liaison

FCrevier@ncuih.org

National Council of Urban Indian Health supports Standing Rock Sioux Tribe opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline

Washington, D.C. – Protestors in North Dakota, officials in Washington DC representing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department on the Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Prevention voice their concerns and seek support against Dakota Access oil pipeline contrition project.

The Dakota Access oil pipeline is intended to transport nearly 470,000 barrels of crude oil per day, through an approximate 1,100 mile pipeline from the Bakken region of western North Dakota across South Dakota and Iowa to Illinois where it will be connected to an existing pipeline with assess to Gulf of Mexico. A section of the pipeline is designated to run across Missouri River north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

While the pipeline will not run directly thought the Standing Rock Reservation it will be located several hundred feet upstream form Standing Rock’s boarder which poses conceivable irreversible harmful impacts on water, environment, resources, and land of Standing Rock Nation. The quality of water of the Missouri River, as the only natural source of water in the area, is crucial to the health as well as economic and cultural well-being of Standing Rock Sioux for generations to come.

Pursuant to federal environment and historic prevention laws, projects such as the
Dakota Access Pipeline are required to consult with federally recognized tribes living in near proximity prior to initiation of any construction activities. Unfortunately, Standing Rock Nation’s voiced concerns were not taken into consideration which, consequently, led to violation of the trust responsibility between the government and the Tribe.

In the light of this event, the President of National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH), Ashley Tuomi, wrote a letter to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in support of the opposition of Dakota Access Pipeline and a plea to initiate an Administrative process enforcing full Tribal input that would address consideration of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s health, environmental, and cultural well-being concerns.

Read President Tuomi’s letter of support to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Press Release: NCUIH 2016 Recognition Dinner Honors Native Health Leaders

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Contact:Maurice “Mo” Smith,
Executive Director
MSmith@ncuih.org,
(202) 544-0344
To see this release in html version click here

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians’ support helps recognize practitioners using culturally grounded approaches in collaboration with modern health practices

ALPINE, CA—The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has awarded the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) a grant to support the 2016 Pendleton Blanket Recognition Dinner, to be held on May 12, at the 18th Annual NCUIH Leadership Conference, Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, California. This generous contribution from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians enhances NCUIH’s ability to address key health issues facing American Indian and Alaska Native people living in urban areas, and helps NCUIH recognize Native health leaders.

The NCUIH will recognize American Indian and Alaska Native health leaders and medical practitioners who exemplify effective use of culturally grounded, strengths-based approaches and interventions, in collaboration with modern practices of health, education, and medicine, to improve the health and well-being of urban Indians. This year’s honorees are Donald Warne, M.D., director of the Master of Public Health Program at North Dakota State University, and Joe Bulfer, CEO of the San Diego American Indian Health Center.   By recognizing Native health leaders and their contributions to the well-being of urban Indians, the award acknowledges the importance of integrating traditional and culturally competent practices with overall health strategies to treat the whole person. These holistic approaches to addressing mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health and well-being are proven to have the best outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native patients, but are not fully embraced by modern health care systems.

“One of the most important aspects of Urban Indian Health Programs is our cultural strength,” says NCUIH Board President Donna LC Keeler. “At a recent meeting and workshop the discussion of ‘what is culture’ became very dynamic and powerful. It is very hard to actually pinpoint a definition of culture – it is more powerful to view the concept of ‘how’ you provide culturally sensitive care, rather than ‘what’ you provide. To me culture competency is like the wind—you can’t see it, but you feel it; you know when it is there and when it is not. It is hard to describe but you know it is real.”

Increasing awareness and educating health care providers and funders about the benefits of traditional, knowledge-based approaches are crucial to promoting their increased use and encouraging greater federal funding to incorporate them into health delivery systems

The Honorees
Donald Warne, M.D., M.P.H., the national honoree, is the director of the Master of Public Health Program at North Dakota State University and senior policy advisor to the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board. Dr. Warne is a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation from Pine Ridge, S.D., and comes from a long line of traditional healers and medicine men. He has a proven commitment to advancing American Indian and Alaska Native wellness through his advocacy for using science and ethics to improve Native public health; incorporating traditional holistic practices that treat the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual condition; and focusing more investment on preventive care to keep people healthy rather than waiting to treat them when they are sick.

Joe Bulfer, the local honoree, is CEO of the San Diego American Indian Health Center and has 30 years of experience promoting quality American Indian and urban Indian health care. Under his leadership, San Diego’s urban program has nearly doubled the number of clinical visits provided each year and increased the number of patients served by 60 percent, while consistently serving a majority of Native patients. Mr. Bulfer has been a NCUIH board member for the past three years, and has been a strong advocate for Native health during federal budget appropriation committee hearings on tribal sovereignty, self-determination, and Indian Health Care Improvement Act amendments.

About NCUIH
The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is a 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. Members include urban Indian Health organizations and providers across the country.One member organization, Native American Lifelines in Baltimore, was recently featured in two news pieces that recognize the unique experiences urban American Indians face in today’s society.

An article in the Native Health News Alliance, highlights Lifeline’s youth programming as a way for youth to heal from the toxic stressors they face in urban communities. Lifelines was also featured in PBS’s Frontline’s story, “Chasing Heroin: How the Heroin Epidemic Differs in Communities of Color.”Lifelines provides positive cultural experiences, including indigenous gardening and adult mentoring, to combat cultural loss and renew self-identity, delivering trauma-informed care specific to and informed by the unique experiences of urban American Indians