Rural Tribal Health – Resources

Bridging the Rural–Urban Health-Care Divide Through Community Research Partnerships
Highlights a health equity program that partners researchers with a remote indigenous community. Discusses the Siamit program in a remote, predominately Iñupiat, region of Alaska that partners with Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital working to advance health equity.
Author(s): Lucas Trout, Margaret Smith, Linda Joule, Stuart Harris
Citation: Nature
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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Indian Health Service: Many Federal Facilities Are in Fair or Poor Condition and Better Data Are Needed on Medical Equipment
Examines the state of the Indian Health Service's (IHS) federally-operated medical facilities and equipment between January 2022 and November 2023. Describes IHS efforts to mitigate the negative effects aging facilities and equipment may have on patient care. Offers policy recommendations to the Director of IHS regarding equipment planning, acquisition, and management.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Improving Maternity Care for Indigenous Populations
Podcast episode featuring a discussion with Tina Pattara-Lau, M.D., maternal and child health consultant with the Indian Health Service Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, and Johnna Nynas, M.D., obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center. Describes common disparities and systemic barriers Indigenous people experience in maternity care and ways hospitals and healthcare organizations can address these challenges and provide culturally-focused care.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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CY 2024 Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1786-FC)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments for hospital outpatient and Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) services for calendar year 2024. Summarizes provisions regarding changes to the community mental health centers (CMHC) Conditions of Participation (CoPs); payment for intensive outpatient program (IOP) services; payment methodology for Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal facilities that convert to Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) status; the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR), Ambulatory Surgical Center Quality Reporting (ASCQR), and Rural Emergency Hospital Quality Reporting (REHQR) Programs; and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Gastrointestinal Cancer in American Indian and Alaska Native People
Provides information on incidence rates of various gastrointestinal (GI) cancers among non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (NH-AIAN) people with data broken down by sex and U.S. region.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Public Safety-Led Community-Oriented Overdose Prevention Efforts in Tribal Communities: Companion to the PS-COPE Toolkit
Toolkit supplement discusses community-based strategies for drug overdose prevention in tribal communities. Adapts PS-COPE framework to tribal communities social, cultural, and governing structures.
Additional links: PS-COPE Toolkit
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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Culture is Prevention: A Strength Based, Culturally Grounded Journey Toward Prevention, Intervention, and Healing
Provides an overview on the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) plan to address the crisis of missing or murdered indigenous people (MMIP). Discusses historical context and the social determinants of health (SDOH) that impact Native American/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Outlines culturally aware practices to support the public health pillars of prevention, intervention, healing, and delivery of ACF programs.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2023
Presents a number of demographic facts about American Indians and Alaska Natives drawn from U.S. Census data. Features breakdowns of population, federally recognized tribes, and the AI/AN veteran population, among other measures. Links to more Census products relating to AI/AN populations.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) New Markets Tax Credit Program (NMTC Program): Self-Assessment Guide for Native Organizations
Helps American Indian and Native Alaskan communities determine how they can best take advantage of the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund's New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program Native Initiative. Details the program eligibility qualifications for Native entities looking to apply.
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, U.S. Department of Treasury
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Psychologists Need More Experience Working With Indigenous Populations
Discusses the need for more psychologists with knowledge and experience working with Indigenous communities. Highlights the lack of cultural knowledge among psychologists about American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations.
Author(s): Karen Stamm, Meron Assefa, Luona Lin
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Psychological Association
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