In this issue: Wisconsin DHS Tribal Affairs Office, HRSA webinar, All of Us research program, and more
Spotlight: Gail Nahwahquaw with Wisconsin Department of Health Services Tribal Affairs Office
|
|
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services Tribal Affairs Office works in partnership with the state’s 11 federally recognized tribes, the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, and the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center to help build healthier tribal communities.
|
 |
|
Gail Nahwahquaw
|
|
“Each of the cabinet-level departments must have an annual consultation with the tribes. In the Health Department, we have consultations twice a year.”
– Gail Nahwahquaw, Director, Tribal Affairs Office,Wisconsin Department of Health Services
|
|
|
The three-person office administers Department of Health Services contracts with tribes, educates divisions and employees within the Department of Health Services about tribal communities and the state’s relationship to them, and ensures that Department services are culturally appropriate, said Tribal Affairs Office Director Gail Nahwahquaw. New employee training in the Wisconsin Department of Health includes a tribal relations section.
“We try to educate our coworkers to get us involved early,” Nahwahquaw said. “If it involves tribes, involve Tribal Affairs.”
The department executes one contract for each tribe, rolling in funding from different divisions. In addition to administering these contracts, the Tribal Affairs Office also serves as a liaison between sister agencies (like the Department of Children and Families) and tribes, assisting with issues such as Medicaid eligibility.
Nahwahquaw previously worked with Native communities on HIV/AIDS, mental health, and substance abuse outreach.
Notably, the Tribal Affairs Office is located in the department’s Office of the Secretary. “It speaks to the priority of tribal affairs in the department,” said Nahwahquaw.
The Tribal Affairs Office recently worked with the Wisconsin Department of Justice on Native-focused materials for the state’s opioid awareness campaign, Dose of Reality. The campaign offers data about opioid abuse within Native communities, resources for recovery, and communications pieces that tribes and other organizations can customize and distribute. Nahwahquaw said she would like to expand the campaign by adding recovery stories, as voiced from tribal representatives in a recent Tribe State Policy meeting in which Wisconsin was invited to participate.
“We need to show more of the success stories of long-term recovery,” she said.
|
|
October 2018: Fall back, plan ahead
|
|
Free technical assistance from HRSA
|
|
Register now for a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) webinar titled “Successful HRSA Tribal Grantees: A Discussion on Best Practices, Lessons Learned in Managing HRSA Grants.”
Intended for tribes, tribal organizations, and ITUs, the webinar will be held on October 10, 2018, from 1 pm to 2:30 pm eastern.
|
Join All of Us – a precision medicine research program
|
|
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is recruiting adults from underrepresented groups nationwide for a precision medicine research program called All of Us.
The goal is to enroll at least 1 million individuals who reflect our country’s diversity. NIH is especially interested in including people from rural populations with limited access to health care.
People who join All of Us will be asked to complete surveys and contribute medical information over a 10-year period. In return, they will have opportunities to learn about their health status and how it might affect others with similar DNA or background.
Precision medicine aims to replace the “one-size-fits-all” health care model with individualized treatments and prevention strategies. Initiatives such as All of Us are designed to gather enough data that will help researchers see health-related patterns across different populations.
|
Upcoming deadline for testimony on domestic violence
|
The 13th annual Government-to-Government Consultation on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women was held on August 21–22, 2018, in Sioux Falls, SD.
During the event, participants offered recommendations for strengthening federal law enforcement efforts against crimes of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native women.
Tribal leaders have until October 22 to submit additional written testimony and recommendations to the Office on Violence Against Women, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Non-elected/appointed tribal representatives contributing written testimony will need to provide either an authorizing resolution from their tribal council or a letter from their tribal chairman authorizing their input on behalf of their tribe.
|
New grant to support health literacy
|
|
October is Health Literacy Month, an annual observance to promote the importance of understandable health information.
Recently, New Mexico State University (NMSU) Foundation received a $20,000 grant from BlueCross BlueShield of New Mexico for a health literacy program that addresses adult obesity and diabetes in low-income ethnic communities.
NMSU’s year-long program will target the Mescalero Apache Tribe in Otero County and the Hispanic population in Sierra County. Both counties are located in southern New Mexico.
Led by Karen Kopera-Frye, PhD, Associate Dean of NMSU’s College of Health and Social Services, the health literacy initiative will help families adopt healthier eating habits and become more physically active.
|
New patient health resource
|
|
Coverage to Care recently released a new publication, My Health Coverage at-a-Glance, to help patients keep track of their health coverage and care providers in one place.
Health navigators can help patients fill in the form with information about insurance coverage, out-of-pocket costs, and care providers. Patients can then keep a printout of the form for reference.
|
Status of new Medicare cards
|
|
CMS has begun distributing new Medicare cards to beneficiaries across the country. Delivery dates will be staggered, so Medicare enrollees should continue using their current card until the new card arrives.
Enrollees who have yet to receive their new Medicare card can check out the map showing the status of card mailings in each state. Once a state’s card mailing has begun, it takes at least 1 month to finish.
Medicare beneficiaries can expect to be notified via email when their state’s new Medicare cards have been sent. Consumers also have the option of logging into their MyMedicare.gov account for updates.
|
|
49th Annual 2018 NIEA Convention and Trade Show
October 10–13, 2018
Hartford, CT
The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Convention and Trade Show brings together educators, students, and advocates to share teaching strategies and seek solutions to challenges that Native students face. The agenda features participatory workshops, research presentations, and poster sessions. Attendees include tribal leaders, administrators, organizations, programs, federal partners, business professionals, and experts in American Indian and Alaska Native education and policy.
|
NCAI’s 75th Annual Convention & Marketplace
October 21–26, 2018
Denver, CO
Register for the upcoming National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Convention & Marketplace. Areas of focus include American Indian and Alaska Native health care, economic development, cultural enrichment and preservation, community development, land and natural resources, and tribal governance.
|
CMS Region IX Outreach and Education Event
October 24–25, 2018
Tempe, AZ
The target audience for this CMS ITU training is business office staff, benefits coordinators, patient registration staff, medical records staff, and purchased/referred care services staff. Topics include CMS Tribal Affairs updates, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, state-administered programs, Social Security, and Veterans Affairs.
|
15th Annual “Fatherhood Is Leadership” National Conference
October 30–November 1, 2018
Fort McDowell, AZ
Hosted by the Native American Fatherhood & Families Association, this conference focuses on the well-being of families, individuals, and communities. Workshop topics include health and human service, criminal justice, prevention, fatherhood, and motherhood.
|
|
Contact Us
Do you have news to share? Send it to coveringic@kauffmaninc.com for possible inclusion in an upcoming newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.
|
About the Newsletter
Covering Indian Country is published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Division of Tribal Affairs to share resources, success stories, and best practices with the people who connect tribal communities to health insurance.
Download Adobe Reader for the best reading experience with PDF files.
|
|
