National Council of Urban Indian Health
1 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Suite 800-D
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202.544.0344
The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) has long supported equitable vaccination access for urban American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, AI/AN adults were over 20% less likely to have received their yearly vaccine and 40% more likely to be admitted to the ICU due to influenza than their non-Hispanic White counterparts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a renewed public attention to vaccine-preventable illness. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccination remains the best line of protection against at disease that has hospitalized AI/AN people 3.1 times as often as non-Hispanic White people.
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), NCUIH has been working to promote equitable adult vaccination and prevent severe illnesses such as COVID-19 and influenza. We do this by enhancing the resource and evidence base, developing effective strategies for health care organizations, and creating culturally appropriate materials for individual clinicians that reflect the needs of urban AI/AN people.
Vaccination Resources
Podcast Episode
NCUIH hosts River Carroll (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Policy and Communications Associate, Tiffani Stark, MHA, Public Health Manager, and Myca Grant Hunthrop, MPH, Public Health Project Coordinator, discuss the public health campaign, “Be a Good Relative” which focuses on vaccine equity and initiatives within urban American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Join the conversation as they share what made the campaign successful in encouraging vaccination against COVID-19 and how NCUIH later expanded the campaign to include flu and RSV vaccines.
Resource: Vaccine Equity Best Practices for Urban Indian Organizations
Review our guide of best practices for Indian Health Care Providers to increase vaccine uptake in urban American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
Be A Good Relative: Flu, RSV, COVID-19 PSA Flyers
Be A Good Relative: Campaign Toolkits
NCUIH has created two toolkits for partners to use in promoting COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations. Join us in our efforts to encourage urban Indians in our communities to #BeAGoodRelative and get vaccinated!
Be A Good Relative: COVID-19 Campaign Toolkit
Be A Good Relative: Annual Immunizations Campaign Toolkit
Vaccine Equity UIO Impact Statements
“The important part is to really share the information of the importance of getting vaccinated. We do that through materials from CDC and our partners here with the public health department.”
“The other key thing to take away from there is how big the equitable partnerships are. That’s what seems to be associated with the long-term success of mobile units…when I start making relationships with people, I have to make sure they’re equitable.”
“So in planning all of this for the mobile unit to arrive, you know, you really have to look at things like your scope of service, writing all that out. What are you planning to use the mobile unit for? So those scopes of services, creating manuals for the mobile units, the SOPs that go along with it.”
Videos
NCUIH has also created four videos that promote staying up to date on COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and other adult vaccinations.
Protecting the ones you love means protecting yourself. Be a good relative and talk to a provider to get vaccinated for COVID-19, Influenza, and other illnesses!
NCUIH is grateful to our three UIO Ambassadors of the #BeAGoodRelative campaign, who assisted with material review and rollout to create our influenza vaccination materials.
Flu Immunization
Annual Vaccines
COVID-19 Vaccine: Myths and Facts
Youth Immunization
Technical Assistance Available: Vaccination Plan Creation
NCUIH also provides direct support and technical assistance to UIOs who are developing or adapting vaccination plans. For more information, visit our Storytellers project or access templates and a discussion forum via our Emergency & Vaccine Planning Center.
DMV-Area COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic
Urban AI/AN people have long experienced disparities in access to vaccines. In April 2021, NCUIH partnered with Native American Lifelines (NAL), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) to increase availability of COVID-19 vaccinations for the over 65,000 urban Indians living in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan area.
For more information on the partnership, contact NCUIH. To schedule a vaccination appointment, contact Native American Lifelines in Baltimore.
This content was funded in part by a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC-RFA-IP21-2107). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this resource do not necessarily represent the policy of CDC or HHS and should not be considered an endorsement by the Federal Government.