Covering Indian Country – December 2022

December 2022

Spotlight: Affordable health care coverage

Each January, countless people resolve to take better care of themselves. Having health care coverage can make it easier to keep that resolution.

That’s why we encourage families to visit HealthCare.gov to find coverage that fits their health care needs and budget.

All Marketplace plans on HealthCare.gov must cover 10 essential health benefits, which include preventive care, emergency services, and more.

And thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, millions of people are eligible for tax credits that lower their premiums, thereby making comprehensive health care coverage more affordable.

Health care coverage can make it easier for people to take better care of themselves.

As 2023 approaches, please download and share the tribal version of Road Map to Better Care (PDF, 782 KB, 24 pp), which explains what health care coverage is and how to use it. Also, remind people in your community that December 15 is the deadline to enroll in a Marketplace plan with full-year coverage from January 1 onward.

Members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act shareholders can enroll in a Marketplace insurance plan at any time, not just during the yearly open enrollment period. Still, we encourage people to sign up during open enrollment to make sure family members who are non-tribal members are covered for the year.

The current open enrollment period ends January 15. Visit HealthCare.gov for information about health care coverage for American Indians and Alaska Natives. Also, view the presentation from a recent CMS Division of Tribal Affairs All Tribes Consultation Webinar on Marketplace open enrollment (PDF, 3 MB, 53 pp).

Additionally, register for one of the upcoming Health Insurance Marketplace Open Enrollment Period Stakeholder Webinars, which will provide you with critical information and resources to help consumers navigate open enrollment. Refer to this newsletter’s calendar of events for more information.

December: Flu prevention

Share this ad in your newsletter or on your website. For more information, please visit CMS’s Outreach and Education Resources page.

Additional resources

NCUIH fellowship opportunity

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) invites Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students to apply for an Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Fellowship.

Up to two IPC Fellowships will be awarded. Fellows will help NCUIH’s Project Firstline team:

• Develop culturally appropriate training materials and digital content
• Compile survey responses from participating urban Indian organizations (UIOs)
• Support UIOs’ efforts to meet all core requirements for IPC System Champions
• Participate in Project Firstline events and NCUIH’s annual conference

Each IPC Fellow will be expected to commit 15–20 hours per month for up to 10 months. Fellows will work remotely from a self-designated location with high-speed internet access.

The deadline to apply is December 15.

Toolkit to promote flu and COVID-19 vaccination

As winter approaches and people spend more time indoors, we can expect to see a rise in the number of cases of respiratory illness. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seasonal flu shots and a COVID-19 vaccine primary series for everyone ages 6 months and older. CDC also recommends that everyone ages 5 years and older get an updated (bivalent) COVID booster if they are eligible for it. To promote flu and COVID vaccination in Native communities, a social media toolkit is now available on the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health website. Please use the toolkit to remind people that a flu shot and an updated COVID booster: Can be given during the same health care visit Are available at pharmacies Are safe for pregnant women and elders Offer the best protection against illness

Funding opportunities

Minority fellowship programs for counselors in training

Deadline: December 31, 2022
View the minority fellowship program funding opportunities

The National Board for Certified Counselors Foundation offers fellowships to counselors in training who will work on behalf of an underserved population for two years after graduation.

• The Minority Fellowship Program for Mental Health Counselors supports students earning a master’s degree or doctorate in counseling
• The Minority Fellowship Program for Addictions Counselors supports students earning a master’s degree in a substance use disorder service program

Solid waste management grants

Deadline: December 31, 2022
View the solid waste management funding opportunity

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering funds to help grantees in rural areas address pollution of water resources and improve planning and management of solid waste sites.

Projects should be completed within 12 months. Federally recognized tribes are encouraged to apply.

Nursing Expansion Grant Program

Deadline: January 6, 2023
View the Nursing Expansion Grant Program funding opportunity

The Department of Labor is offering 15–25 grants to expand and diversify the pipeline of qualified nursing professionals.

Federally recognized tribal governments are encouraged to propose projects that fall into one of the tracks described below.

• The Nurse Education Professional Track will increase the number of clinical and vocational nursing instructors and educators
• The Nursing Career Pathway Track will train frontline health care professionals and paraprofessionals to advance along a career pathway and obtain postsecondary credentials for middle- to high-skilled nursing occupations

Rural Health Network Development Planning Program

Deadline: January 6, 2023
View the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program funding opportunity

Rural Health Network Development Planning Program grants are available to strengthen rural community health interventions and enhance care coordination.

The Health Resources and Services Administration expects to award:

• Approximately 15 grants for projects in the Regular Network Planning Track
• Up to five grants in the Achieving Health Equity Track

Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Training Program

Deadline: January 19, 2023
View the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Training Program funding opportunity

The Health Resources and Services Administration will fund training programs aimed at increasing access to pediatric clinicians who are qualified to evaluate, identify, and address autism and other behavioral health concerns.

Up to 15 grants will be awarded for a five-year performance period. Tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

RCORP-Overdose Response

Deadline: January 19, 2023
View the RCORP-Overdose Response funding opportunity

Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP)-Overdose Response grants are available to improve access to, capacity for, and sustainability of services in rural areas to help prevent, treat, and facilitate recovery from substance use disorder.

Approximately 40 grantees will receive up to $300,000 each for a one-year performance period. Federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations are encouraged to apply.

Calendar of events