Covering Indian Country – November 2018

November 2018

Spotlight: Notah Begay III Foundation

The Notah Begay III Foundation (NB3 Foundation) promotes the health of Native youth by supporting efforts to reduce obesity and prevent type 2 diabetes with its NB3FIT youth sports program and national grantmaking.

Former professional golfer Notah Begay III (Diné) created the nonprofit NB3 Foundation in 2005. It recently reached a giving milestone of $4 million over the past 4 years. "These are folks on the ground doing very creative things," said NB3 Foundation President and CEO Justin Huenemann.

The NB3 Foundation recently partnered with the Nike N7 Fund to launch the Native Youth on the Move program to work with 10 grantees in the Albuquerque area to increase the number of Native youth participating in physical activities and sports.

November is busy for the NB3 Foundation. It hosts NB3FIT Week, the NB3FIT Cross Country Race, and the Zero to 60 Challenge. NB3FIT Week features tribal and Native-led organizations’ youth physical activity events across the country. In 2017, more than 10,000 Native youth participated in 21 states.

Additionally, the Zero to 60 Challenge encourages Native families to cut out sugary beverages and drink 60 ounces of water daily for one month.

November: Open Enrollment

Additional resources

Promoting healthy eating and culturally informed nutrition

A Feast for the Future participant examines a green pepper. (Photo courtesy of the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health)

Healthy eating grounded in indigenous traditions offers a key strategy to address American Indian and Alaska Native diabetes and obesity.

In a long-standing partnership with the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, several Native communities in the Southwest have developed, implemented, and evaluated activities that promote healthy eating and culturally informed nutrition. Collectively known as Feast for the Future (FFF), the activities include school-based, community, and family gardens; a traditional foodways education program for youth; and farmers' markets and workshops.

A free online toolkit is available to help communities customize the FFF program components to match their own needs. Toolkit users will have access to resources such as interactive guides and a fall/spring curriculum for students.

Notably, FFF is featured in a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report highlighting the significance of traditional foods in tribal communities.

Flu vaccination matters for health professionals

Cherokee hospital acheives 96% flu vaccination rate for staff

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that all health care workers and staff at health care and long-term care facilities get flu vaccines to protect themselves and patients. Even so, just 78.4% of health care personnel got the flu vaccine during the 2017-18 flu season.

Cherokee Nation's W.W. Hastings Hospital, however, is proving that dedicated staff can achieve much higher rates. The hospital was recently recognized by the Oklahoma Hospital Association for its 96% flu vaccination rate.

"The level of care and compassion that our staff shows certainly shines through in recognitions like this one from the Oklahoma Hospital Association, and we look forward to what these vaccinations rates will mean for the care of all patients who visit our facility during the flu season," said W.W. Hastings Hospital CEO Brian Hail.

The hospital's employee health nurse, Randi Duncan, makes it her personal mission to get vaccines to as many employees as possible. Duncan said it takes a multi-disciplinary team to plan for the flu season, including the pharmacy, infectious disease personnel, nursing, billing, and more. Then it takes persistence.

"My strategy is to make myself available at many varied times and days to ensure that everyone has a chance to get their vaccine. I always joke that employees can't hide from me," Duncan said. "I host employee-only flu clinics and I use my cart, commonly referred to as the 'cart of pain,' to deliver flu vaccines to the employees in their departments as a convenience. I know that it can be difficult to leave their patients or work stations, so I try to go to them as much as possible."

In addition, the hospital offers incentives. All employees who get their flu vaccines by the end of October are entered into drawings for prizes.

But, said Duncan, "the real reason we have such a high vaccination rate is because we have the best health services staff. We do not have a policy that requires our employees to get the flu vaccine, but they realize how important flu vaccination is to patient safety."

Supporting Native Veterans

Preventing vision loss in patients with diabetes

November is both National Diabetes Month and Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month.

The most common diabetic eye disease is diabetic retinopathy, which occurs when elevated blood sugar levels damage blood vessels in the retina, the tissue at the back of our eyes. Fortunately, retinal imaging cameras can help us detect the disease early and prevent vision loss.

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health in Oklahoma recently added retinal imaging cameras to three of its clinics. The department's Diabetes Prevention and Management Program staff encourage patients with diabetes to undergo retinal imaging every year.

Removing the stigma of talking about suicide

The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) is working to remove the stigma among Alaska Natives of talking about suicide. ANTHC is encouraging people to have an open dialogue about suicide, its causes, its impacts, and how to prevent it through its campaign—Tell Your Heart Story.

ANTHC offers trainings to help family members, friends, and community members learn how to bring up the subject of suicide, how to recognize people at risk, and how to start the conversations that can save lives.

Calendar of Events

NICWA Training Institute

December 4–6, 2018

New Orleans, LA

The National Indian Child Welfare Act's (NICWA) Training Institute provides an opportunity to keep current on child welfare. December's training institute will focus on "Understanding NICWA" and "Positive Indian Parenting." Register.

Native Wellness Institute Training Opportunities

December 5–7, 2018

San Diego, CA

The Native Wellness Institute (NWI) works to improve the well-being of Native communities throughout the United States. Consider attending one of NWI's four simultaneous events. Topics include youth leadership, healthy relationships, and prevention of violence against women. Youth ages 12-18 are invited to attend the Native Youth Leadership Academy. The other three events are intended for adults. Learn more (PDF, 1.8 MB, 1 p) and register.

CMS Region VIII Outreach and Education Event

December 12–13, 2018

Rapid City, SD

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.