Smart Health Access: The Rise of Wellness Vending Machines
2026-01-29 14:00 - 14:45 (America/New_York)
January 29, 2026 | 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. ET

Smart Health Access: The Rise of Wellness Vending Machines
What if getting Narcan or a hygiene kit was as simple as using an ATM?
With American Indian and Alaska Native people experiencing one of the highest drug overdose death rates in the U.S., Urban Indian communities are installing Wellness Vending Machines that provide free, anonymous access to Narcan, fentanyl test strips, condoms, hygiene kits, smudge kits, Plan B, and needle exchange supplies. These machines expand access, reduce stigma, and empower individuals to manage their health on their own terms bridging service gaps and promoting safer, healthier outcomes for all.
Presenters:

Johnny Delgado, BAIHP
Dr. Ashleigh Herrera, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, California State University, Bakersfield

Objectives:

Learn how medical vending machines work and how they’re being used to expand access to care, reduce stigma, and serve as tools for prevention.
Identify the steps and partnerships to implement this model in urban Indigenous communities
Discuss how low-barrier innovations like vending machines can support prevention, wellness, and outreach efforts.

Audience:

UIO ED/CEOs
UIO Staff
Tribal Partners and Tribes

Innovating Through Storytelling: Health Campaigns in the Digital Age
2026-02-26 14:00 - 14:45
February 26, 2026 | 2:00 – 2:45 p.m. ET

Innovating Through Storytelling: Health Campaigns in the Digital Age
This session is the final learning opportunity in our Community of Learning (COL) Series: Navigating the Future of Health Care. Grounded in innovation and community-centered practice, this session explores how storytelling can be used to co-create health campaigns with community rather than delivering messages to them. Participants will gain practical strategies for meaningfully engaging community voices throughout campaign design and implementation, and learn how to select digital platforms and impact measures that prioritize trust, engagement, and real-world impact over one-way information sharing.
Presenters:

Lyz Best, Manager of Technical Assistance, NCUIH
River Carroll, Policy and Events Communications Associate, NCUIH

Learning Objectives:

Use story mapping to co-create health campaigns with community members, centering lived experience and cultural values.
Identify practical strategies for meaningfully involving community voices throughout the design and implementation of health campaigns.
Select appropriate digital platforms and impact measures that reflect community engagement, trust, and real-world outcomes.

Audience:

UIO ED/CEOs
UIO Staff
Tribal Partners and Tribes

Rethinking Nutrition: Why Traditional Foods Matter in Wellness and Beyond
2026-03-26 14:00 - 15:00
March 26, 2026 | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET
Despite the critical role nutrition plays in preventing and managing chronic disease, it is often inconsistently addressed in clinical care. This webinar explores how traditional foods and culturally grounded wellness practices can support whole-person health for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Designed for healthcare teams and community-based providers, the session highlights the connection between food as medicine, cultural knowledge, and improved health outcomes, while offering practical, respectful ways to integrate nutrition and holistic health conversations into clinical visits and community programs to promote healing, connection, and long-term wellness.
Presenters:

Nahla Holland, Senior Research Associate, NCUIH, Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation
Lyz Best, Manager of Technical Assistance, NCUIH

Objectives:

Explain the connection between traditional foods, food as medicine, and improved health outcomes.
Learn practical ways to integrate nutrition conversations and traditional food practices into clinical visits and community programs. Holistic approaches to health conversations.
Identify approaches for using nutrition to strengthen community connection, promote healing, and support long-term wellness.

Audience:

UIO ED/CEOs
UIO Staff
Tribal Partners and Tribes

Continuing Nursing Education (CNE)
Cardea Services is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.​​​
Upon successful completion of this activity 1.0 contact hours will be awarded.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the California Medical Association (CMA) through the joint providership of Cardea and National Council of Urban Indian Health. Cardea is accredited by the CMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Cardea designates this live event for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Successful completion of this continuing education activity includes the following:

Attending the entire CE activity
Completing the online evaluation
Submitting an online CE Request
