Health News & Notes - Spring 2025 - Policy Edition
HEALTH NEWS & NOTES
POLICY
Spring 2025
Publication of The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Chairman’s Notes
Aaron Hines
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
NPAIHB Chairman
Dear Tribal Leaders, Delegates, and Tribal Health Directors,
Many actions over the past months have created instability in the federal government and uncertainty for Tribes and NPAIHB as to federal funding. The Executive Committee (EC) of the NPAIHB Board of Directors meets regularly with our Executive Director for organizational updates and to advise on policy advocacy. Tribal sovereignty, Trust responsibility, Treaty obligations, and NPAIHB’s fiduciary responsibility to NPAIHB are the foundations of all the decisions made by the Executive Committee and our Executive Director.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, we must hold firm and remain engaged.
The sovereignty of Tribal Nations predates the formation of the United States and the Constitution. The Trump Administration must recognize Tribal Nations’ sovereign status, honor our government-to-government relationship, and ensure the United States’ Trust responsibility and Treaty obligations.
Chairman’s Notes
Index
Board Delegates
Staff
Yellowhawk Partners with NPAIHB
Colville Tribes Partners with North Star Project
BOLD Spring Dementia Webinars & Training
Data Modernization with NWTEC
BOARD
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Aaron Hines, Chairman, Conf. Tribes of Umatilla Indian Reservation
Greg Abrahamson, Vice Chair, Spokane Tribe of Indians
Cheryle Kennedy, Secretary, Conf. Tribes of Grand Ronde
Rachel Edwards, Treasurer, Nez Perce Tribe
Kim Coombs, Sergeant-At-Arms, Shoalwater Bay Tribe
DELEGATES
Twila Teeman, Burns Paiute Tribe
Gene James, Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Vacant, Conf. Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation
Vacant, Conf. Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Illiana Montiel, Conf. Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua & Siuslaw
Cheryle Kennedy, Conf. Tribes of Grand Ronde
Judy Muschamp, Conf. Tribes of Siletz Indians
Aaron Hines, Conf. Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
E. Austin Greene, Conf. Tribes of the Warm Springs
Jen Procter Andrews, Coquille Indian Tribe
Sharon Stanphill, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
Kay Culbertson, Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Vacant, Hoh Tribe
Brent Simcosky, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
Nick Pierre, Kalispel Tribe of Indians
Tammy Anderson, Klamath Tribes
Jennifer Dickison, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho
Frances G. Charles, Lower Elwha S’Klallam Tribe
Maureen Kinley, Lummi Nation
Brook Sawyer, Makah Tribe
Jaison Elkins, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe
Rachel Edwards, Nez Perce Tribe
Michael Christensen, Nisqually Indian Tribe
Lona Johnson, Nooksack Tribe
Michelle Richards, Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation
Jolene Sullivan, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
David Tonemah, Puyallup Tribe
Jolene Winger, Quileute Tribe
Noreen Underwood, Quinault Indian Nation
Quintina Bowen, Samish Indian Nation
Tempest Dawson, Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe
Kim Coombs, Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
Donna K. Thompson, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
Denese LaClair, Skokomish Indian Tribe
Robert de los Angeles, Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
Greg Abrahamson, Spokane Tribe of Indians
Vacant, Squaxin Island Tribe
Melissa Morgan, Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians
Steve Kutz, Suquamish Tribe
Alana Quintasket, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Kate Denny, Community Health Provider Program Manager
Krystie Holder, THRIVE 988 Project Coordinator
Larissa Molina, TOR Project Manager
Lisa Griggs, TCHP Project Manager
Matthew Town, Clinical Support Services Division Director
Megan Woodbury, ECHO Project Manager
Mike Feroglia, Project Funding & Contracts Manager
MorningRose Louie, TCHP Education Program Data Coordinator
Naomi Jacobson, North Star Program Manager
Nick Cushman, ECHO Pharmacy Case Manager
Pam Ready, DHA Education Manager
Samantha Arneson, NTDSC Intern
Sasha Jones, CHAP Project Manager
Shane Lopez-Johnston, THRIVE 988 Project Director
Stephannie Christian, TCHP Education Program Director
Ticey Mason, NTDSC Director
EPIDEMIOLOGY CENTER
Victoria Warren-Mears, Tribal Epicenter Director
Alexis Harris, Biostatistician II
Alyssa Farrow, Tobacco Prevention Coordinator
Alyssa Yang, Epi & Surveillance Unit Project Director
Ashley Thomas, NW NARCH Senior Program Manager
Barbara Gladue, OR Tribal PH Improvement
Bridget Canniff, PHIT Senior Project Director
Celena Ghost Dog, Co-Director of Adolescent Health
Chandra Wilson, BOLD NTEP Program Director
Clarice Charging, NWTEC Project Coordinator
Crisandra Wilke, Substance Use Epidemiologist
Danner Peter, TEC-IVAC Project Specialist
Don Head, WTD Project Manager
Eric Vinson, Cancer and Tobacco Project Director
Erik Kakuska, WTD Project Manager
Erin Nelson, TIPCAP Project Coordinator
STAFF
Genevieve McGeshick, NW NARCH Project Coordinator
Grazia Cunningham, NARCH Project Manager
Heidi Lovejoy, Data Hub Epidemiologist
Jane Manthei, SMS Communications Specialist
Jeanne Davidson, OR Tribal PH Improvement Coordinator
Klamath Henry, Training and Outreach Manager
Lakota Scott, Vaccine Programs Director
M’Kya Bettega, WEAVE-NW Project Coordinator
Matt Town, Clinical Support Services Division Director
Maya Webber, BH Community Specialist
Meena Patil, MV Biostatistician
Michelle Singer, HNY Project Director
Nancy Bennett, WA Tribal PH Improvement Manager
Olivia Whiting-Tovar, Highway Safety Specialist
Pearl Rose, Cancer Coalition Outreach Coordinator
Rochelle Fassler, NW NARCH SI Project Coordinator
Rose James, Senior Evaluator & PI
Shoshoni Walker, FS Initiatives Project Manager
Stephanie Craig-Rushing, PRT, MSPI, Project Director
Sujata Joshi, IDEA-NW Senior Project Director
Sunny Stone, DATA Hub Outreach Manager
Taylor Dean, HNY Outreach Specialist
Tammie Scott, WEAVE-NW Project Director
Tom Becker, NW NARCH Project Director & Medical Epidemiologist
Tommy Ghost Dog, Jr., WeRNative Project Manager
Torrie Eagle Staff, Cancer Project Manager
Valorie Gaede, PHIT Project Assistant
Wyatt Miner, BOLD Project Assistant
Our Ancestors have been through many Administrations and many different political environments. We are no different. We have knowledge, expertise, and relationships. We will keep working for our Tribes and for the Health and Wellness of the Seventh Generation.
Aaron Hines (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation) Chair, NPAIHB Board CEO, Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center
NPAIHB Youth Delegates attend the Spring Quarterly Board meeting at Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Wa. Apr., 2025.
NPAIHB Staff Present at the Winter Qaurterly Board Meeting in Portland, OR. Jan., 2025.
Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center and NPAIHB Announce Data Sharing Agreement and Onboarding of the First Tribal User to the NW Tribal Data Hub
Sunnny Stone
Data Hub Outreach Manager, MPH, MCHES
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center (Yellowhawk) and the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB), Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (NWTEC), are pleased to announce a groundbreaking data sharing agreement enhancing access to data for public health initiatives within Tribal communities. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of improved health outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people.
“This is a significant step toward building a system that makes Tribal-level data accessible at the community level”
This agreement facilitates Yellowhawk’s access to public health data by utilizing NW TEC’s NW Tribal Data Hub. The NW Tribal Data Hub is a state-of-the-art application developed by NWTEC to provide access to comprehensive and accurate public health data, enabling Tribes to make informed decisions and implement effective health interventions. The secure and confidential sharing of public health data between public health authorities honors Tribal sovereignty.
“We have always had a strong data partnership with Yellowhawk and are looking forward to providing significantly improved data access through the NW Tribal Data Hub. We are committed to providing Tribes with tools and resources while protecting Tribal data ownership and sovereignty so Tribes can set and achieve the health goals of their communities.”
- Victoria Warren-Mears, NWTEC Director
In addition to the data sharing agreement, NWTEC onboarded the first Tribal user to the NW Tribal Data Hub from Yellowhawk. This milestone signifies the beginning of a new era in Tribal public health data accessibility, where Tribal health organizations can access, analyze, and utilize data to drive positive change within their communities.
“Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center is honored to join the first cohort of the NW Tribal Data Hub. This is a significant step toward building a system that makes Tribal-level data accessible at the community level. We are excited to see the platform grow and provide essential Public Health, Behavioral Health, and other crucial health data that was once only accessible at the county, state, and federal levels. With this information, we will be empowered to make informed, data-driven decisions that will lead to lasting, positive impacts on the health and well-being of the Tribal communities we serve.”
-Katie Morioka, Yellowhawk Data Hub User and Public Health Director
The NW Tribal Data Hub offers a secure, user-friendly interface that allows Tribal health organizations to view, interact with, and download data through visual and interactive dashboards. The platform includes data on overdose deaths and will expand to additional health topics like suicide, leading causes of death, demographics, cancer, substance use, and other public health issues within Tribal areas. NWTEC looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Yellowhawk and supporting all Northwest Tribes through the NW Tribal Data Hub and other services.
For more information about the data sharing agreement and the NW Tribal Data Hub, please contact: Sunny Stone Data Hub Outreach Manager datahub@npaihb.org
Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton, OR.
The Colville Tribes Will Participate in the North Star Initiative
Date: April 1, 2025
(Nespelem, WA) — The Colville Tribes is pleased to announce their participation in the North Star initiative, an innovative and evidence-based approach to preventing substance abuse by our youth. In this new model, the entire community is the client. Many stakeholders – governments at multiple levels, public and private organizations, and those who provide education, justice, and health and social services – collaborate to create healthy environments for communities and their youth. The model emphasizes parental engagement, youth participation in extracurricular activities, community support networks, and policy changes that foster protective environments for youth.
This 10-year pilot program grows out of the Icelandic Prevention Model, which demonstrated success in Iceland and has been adopted by other countries. The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) created a Washington version of this model called the Washington State Tribal Prevention System (WSTPS). WSTPS then selected Colville as one of five tribes situated within Washington State to participate in the North Star program, which will use the Icelandic Prevention Model as a framework but will incorporate tribal and cultural best practices as well.
An early partner has been the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB). This non-profit tribal advisory organization serves the 43 federally recognized tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. They have provided administrative and funding assistance.
“Together we can create real change and invest in the future of our people,”
The first phase of the initiative for Colville involves forming coalitions in each of the four districts on the Colville Reservation. These groups will include parents, educators, tribal leaders, health professionals, schools, and youth advocates. The team will collaborate to assess community needs, implement research-based strategies, and sustain long-term drug abuse prevention efforts. North Star is currently in the process of recruiting coalition members on the Colville Reservation and encourages community members to be involved. Those interested in participating can contact Zekkethal Vargas-Thomas, the Health Project Coordinator for the Colville Tribes, at (509) 634-1390 for more details.
The Chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said, “The Colville Tribes is excited to participate in this new approach to an old problem. The well being of our youth is at the heart of this initiative. By bringing our communities together, we can create an environment where our young people feel supported, engaged, and empowered to make positive choices.”
Chairman Erickson continued, “We want to thank our partners at WSTPS, NPAIHB, the other four participating tribes, and all the others who are with us now and who will join in the future. Together we can create real change and invest in the future of our people.”
North Star is a project of the Washington State Tribal Preventions Systems Program of Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board.
For more information contact Naomi Jacobson, North Star Program Manager at njacobson@npaihb.org .
Read the formal press release via: https://www.tribaltribune.com/news/article_afbaadcc-762a-4468-9712-9279b4284b42.html
Data Modernization Efforts at Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center
Inger Appanaitis
Data Modernization Senior Advisor, CDC Foundation Workforce Acceleration Initiative placement with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
The Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (EpiCenter) serves a crucial and central role in providing Northwest Tribes with curated data and custom analytics from state and federal systems. Since 2021, the EpiCenter has begun making strategic improvements to data flow and security through a comprehensive data modernization initiative, grounded in Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board’s (NPAIHB) mission and values and aligned with Northwest member Tribes’ strategic priorities. Modernizing the EpiCenter’s data infrastructure enhances NPAIHB’s ability to serve Tribes and increases Northwest Tribes’ access to high-quality data.
How is this being accomplished?
Building the right foundation.
The EpiCenter’s data modernization journey began with a clearly defined data vision and strategy, laying a strong foundation for long-term success. Strategic IT upgrades reinforce this effort—for example, the implementation of new FTP servers has enabled more efficient data transfers and improved coordination with the EpiCenter and federal partners. The Data Modernization Work Group continues to provide oversight, regular review, and updates to projects to align with evolving priorities, funding opportunities, and organizational needs.
Develop a skilled workforce.
The long-term success of data modernization efforts depends on a well-equipped, knowledgeable workforce. Staff on the EpiCenter’s Data Hub team are actively developing personal growth plans and identifying key competencies tailored to their roles. With guidance from Klamath Henry, Training and Outreach Manager, the Data Modernization Work Group is also cataloging essential training resources to support staff development and build capacity across the organization.
Strengthen data governance.
Effective data governance ensures consistency, quality, and security in how data is managed. The newly formed Data Governance Work Group is formalizing policies and procedures for data collection, storage, analysis, sharing, and privacy protection. These efforts are laying the groundwork for a stronger, more secure data infrastructure that supports Tribal data sovereignty.
Engage in key partnerships.
Cross-organizational engagement brings a range of perspectives into the data modernization process, helping ensure that improvements benefit all programs. Ongoing communication with member Tribes and Tribal leaders supports Tribal sovereignty, strengthens Tribal capacity, and aligns data priorities. Collaboration with state and federal partners further supports the sustainability and alignment of modernization efforts.
Accelerate data into action.
Many modernization activities are designed to scale—ranging from a streamlined Data Request & Technical Assistance process to the technical development of cloud-based data portals. These efforts enhance data accessibility and improve the overall flow of information to member Tribes, helping turn data into actionable insights.
Why this matters.
Data play a vital role in supporting Tribal sovereignty. Ensuring Tribes have direct and reliable access to data strengthens Tribal data sovereignty and supports healthier, more resilient communities. By modernizing data infrastructure, workforce capacity, and governance, the EpiCenter is improving the speed, quality, and accessibility of data services for member Tribes. These improvements help build capacity within Tribes to use data effectively for public health planning, grant writing, education, and advocacy.
For additional information regarding data modernization activities at NPAIHB and the EpiCenter, please email ideanw@npaihb.org
Regional Specialty Referral Center Project Update
Jason Lovett
Healthcare Construction Special Projects Manager
Project Overview
The Regional Specialty Referral Center (RSRC) is an Indian Health Care Delivery Demonstration Project. The project will construct the first in a planned network of three regional specialty referral centers serving the Portland Area. The need for an RSRC Network was first identified in the 2005 Portland Area Health Services Master Plan. Nearly 20 years of project development and advocacy by Tribal and IHS leaders resulted in the project’s approval in April 2024. The project is located in Fife, WA on the Puyallup Indian Reservation. The completed facility will be owned and operated by IHS to provide outpatient medical and surgical specialty care along with many other services typically unavailable in a primary care setting. IHS will evaluate the RSRC’s operation to determine the health impact of increasing specialty care access and to develop planning criteria for future specialty referral centers.
The Portland Area RSRC Network will contribute to a more holistic health system by providing culturally tailored specialty care to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
NPAIHB Secures Project Funds for NW Tribes
In September 2024 the NPAIHB successfully negotiated a $273.99M P.L. 93-638 Title I Self-Determination Construction Contract with the IHS. The contract transfers control of the project from IHS to the NPAIHB and includes responsibility for designing, constructing, and equipping the proposed facility. Executing the contract was necessary to safeguard the initial $164.0M project funding allocation that could have been lost to a Fiscal Year 2024 federal budget rescission. NPAIHB’s ability to negotiate the contract under extremely tight deadlines also resulted in IHS allocating an additional $109.99M at the time of contract award.
The additional project funding was an exciting development. The approved IHS project documents recommend a $295.3M project budget to construct a facility capable of providing all proposed specialty services. Since only $164.0M was allocated, the IHS project planning documents included a phased approach where a smaller facility would initially be constructed, and only the highest priority specialty services provided. The additional funding allocation raises the project budget from 55.4% to 92.5% of full funding. This means a larger facility providing greater number of services can be included in the project’s first phase.
NPAIHB Seeks Project Partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians
The NPAIHB is currently working with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians to develop an agreement for completing the project together. The Puyallup Tribe is an important project supporter. In 2016 they offered to host the facility and made four tribal properties available for the IHS site evaluation process. This resulted in the selected site and made the project viable for funding opportunities.
Additionally, the Puyallup Tribe was willing to contract directly with IHS to safeguard the project from the budget rescission. Unfortunately, IHS required the Tribe’s proposal to include authorizing resolutions from all 43 Portland Area Tribes. This burdensome stipulation was impossible to meet under the tight deadline. When it became clear there was not enough time to secure the resolutions, NPAIHB developed a contract proposal to
secure the project. The NPAIHB is a regional Tribal Organization authorized by the 43 Portland Area Tribes to undertake special projects to improve the health delivery system for all AI/AN people in the Northwest. The NPAIHB contract proposal included a plan to subcontract project work to the Puyallup Tribe. The NPAIHB and Puyallup Tribe are currently evaluating project approaches and agreement types to best support a successful project.
Next Steps
Once the NPAIHB and Puyallup Tribe successfully implement an agreement, the next step will be to evaluate architect and engineering (A/E) firms and negotiate a contract to begin facility design. One of the first A/E deliverables will be three design concepts for consideration. This will be an exciting step where the project possibilities will become visually apparent and provide opportunities for input. Updates on major project developments will continue to be provided at QBM meetings and through Health News and Notes.
For more information on the RSRC project, contact Jason Lovett, Healthcare Construction Special Projects Manager at jlovett@npaihb.org
Healthy Native Youth Project Updates -
Michelle Singer
Navajo
Healthy Native Youth Project Director, Adolescent Health Team
Healthy Native Youth Project at NPAIHB
Connect with Us! We Love to Help!
The Healthy Native Youth project serves the forty-three Federally recognized Tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in providing adolescent health curricula, tools, and resources for those who engage native youth.
Contact us for school & community health technical assistance at native@npaihb.org .
Healthy Native Youth Monthly Community of Practice
Join us June 11 to wrap up Season 8!
Spring is here and that signals the end-of-the-school year concluding another CoP season! Join us to hear stories from the field for adolescent health ideas for tribal communities and native youth.
Register Now ~
• June Session: https://www.npaihb.org/modernevent/hny-cop-june25/
New! NPAIHB Adolescent Health Team Publications Health Promotion | Disease Prevention Efforts Spotlighted
Ask Your Relative: A mixed method analysis of the Sexual Health and Healthy Relationship Q&As submitted by American Indian Alaska Native young-adults
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth face persistent sexual health disparities due to limited access to culturally relevant, youth-friendly health services. This study explores the use of the Ask Auntie/Ask Your Relative (AYR) Q&A service, a trusted digital resource used by AI/AN youth for over seven years. Through a mixed-methods analysis of 240 AYR questions on sexual health and relationships, researchers identified key themes like seeking help, identity, and relationship dynamics. Findings underscore the importance of intersectional, culturally tailored health resources and offer insights into improving support for Native youth.
Rushing, S.C., Kakuska, A.G., Manthei, J. et al. Ask Your Relative: A mixed method analysis of the Sexual Health and Healthy Relationship Q&As submitted by American Indian Alaska Native young adults. BMC Public Health 24, 3067 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-20550-5
Public Health Is Indigenous: Design and Launch of the NW Narch Research Academy for American Indian High School Students
This article highlights the collaborative design of the Northwest Native American Research Center for Health (NW NARCH) Research Academy, a public health pathways program for American Indian and Alaska Native high school students. The curriculum, shaped by Indigenous pedagogies like the Circle of Courage, fostered belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. In 2023, NW NARCH partnered with four tribal sites across the Pacific Northwest and delivered 11 live virtual sessions. Early findings from cohort one show promising outcomes in student engagement, mentorship, and connection to Indigenous public health role models— underscoring the power of community-driven, equity-focused education.
Read the full article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1523998/full
Ghost Dog, C., Kakuska, A., Rushing, S. C., Cunningham, G., & Kelley, A. (2025). Public health is indigenous: design and launch of the NW NARCH research academy for American Indian high school students. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1523998.
THRIVE (Tribal Health Reaching Out InVolves Everyone) is very excited to announce that registration is open for the 2025 THRIVE Conference, which will take place on the Portland State University campus from June 23rd to 27th, 2025.
Tribal youth from the Pacific Northwest and beyond will build protective factors, connect with Indigenous peers and mentors, gain healthy coping skills, and embrace their culture and identity - all while learning through art, service, and movement.
Registration is free. Tribes from the NPAIHB service region (Washington, Oregon, and Idaho) will be prioritized in registration.
Northwest Native American Research Center for Health
2025 End of Summer Research Training Institute – Addiction Research for Indigenous Scholars Track Drs. Kamilla Venner and Aimee Campbell, each with over 25 years of substance use disorder research experience, will teach trainees about substance misuse prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction models and methods, partnering with Tribal communities, cultural adaptation and integration of traditional Tribal healing practices. They will discuss research best practices within AI/AN communities and provide guidance for students
For more information, please contact summerinstitute@npaihb.org
End of Summer Research
TRAINING INSTITUTE for American Indian and Alaska Native Health Professionals and Students
Addiction Research for Indigenous Scholars
About Us
The NW NARCH End of Summer Research Training Institute is offering a 1 week inperson training on Addiction Research. Drs. Kamilla Venner and Aimee Campbell, each with over 25 years of experience, will teach you about substance misuse prevention, treatment, recovery, harm reduction models and methods, partnering with Tribal communities, cultural adaptation and integration of traditional Tribal healing practices and best research practices within American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. We encourage health administrators, community health workers, researchers, program managers, undergraduates, and graduate students to apply.
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatric Social Work at Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Dr. Aimee Campbell
(Ahtna Athabascan) Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of New Mexico
Dr. Kamilla Venner
Tribal Researchers’ Cancer Control Fellowship Program
To reduce the cancer burden in Indian country, this program supports the development of highly trained AI/AN cancer researchers. Our full cohort of accepted fellows will travel to Portland, OR to attend a two-week summer training June 9-20, 2025 and a one-week follow-up training in the fall. In addition to formal training, fellows will receive distance learning, peer and career mentorship to develop and implement cancer control projects and will be connected to a network of experts in cancer control and prevention in Indian Country. Topics will include (not limited to):
• Cancer control study design
• Cancer Epidemiology
• Cancer screening
• Cohort studies among American Indians
• Community-based chronic disease programs
• Cultural considerations in cancer epidemiology
• Focus groups
• Grant writing
• Implementing a Native comprehensive cancer prevention and control project
TRIBAL RESEARCHERS’ CANCER CONTROL FELLOWSHIP 2025
FELLOWS WILL:
Attend a 2-week in-person training June 9-20, 2025
Attend weeklong fall follow-up training
Receive distance learning, peer & career mentorship
Connect with a network of experts in cancer control and prevention in Indian Country
Ashley Thomas, MPH Senior Program Manager
NW NARCH Research Support Fellowship Program
We will support undergraduate and graduate AI/AN students interested in population science careers as they undertake and complete mentored research projects.
for American Indian & Alaska Native Undergraduates
PAID RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Work with a NW NARCH mentor on a current research project.
$20/hour (max: 10 hours/week)
OUR GOAL
To increase participation in population health sciences research among American Indian & Alaska Native (AI/AN) undergraduate students.
CONTACT
Ashley Thomas, MPH Sr. Program Manager
NW NARCH athomas@npaihb.org
CURRENT PROJECTS INCLUDE
Pancreatic Cancer & Warm Springs
Exercise as Cancer Medicine
Reduction of Health Disparities in AI/AN Communities
Stress Coping Processes, Resilience, Indigenous Methodologies, Health & Wellbeing & Social/Cultural Determinants of Health
Mass Incarceration & Health Inequities
Assessing Gastric Cancer Risk Factors for AI Adults
Data Analysis & Dissemination
OUR APPROACH
We support hands-on learning experiences for AI/AN students interested in population health research Complete a mentored research project and attend skill-building courses in our Summer Research Training Institute, workshops, or scientific conferences. OUR SPONSORS
National Institute Of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number S06GM145214
Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
Native American Research Centers for Health
Public Health Research Academy for Native High School Students
Designed for AI/AN high school juniors and seniors in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, the Public Health Research Academy teaches youth about public health research through an Indigenous lens. The 2025 Academy kicks off in Portland, Oregon from June 23-27, 2025, and continues with 1-hour virtual learning sessions through the 2025-2026 academic year. Participants build connections with Indigenous researchers, learn about relatable indigenous public health topics, and complete a community-based research project to finish the program.
Community-based mentors guide groups of 2-4 students throughout the year-long learning experience. Educators, public health professionals, or other caring adults are encouraged to mentors.
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