Thursday, March 8th, 2012 2:00pm – 3:00pm Eastern Standard Time

A live webcast presented by the the AIDS education and Training Center – National Multicultural Center (AETC-NMC) at Howard University, College of Medicine featuring Elton Naswood, Navajo Program Coordinator at the Red Circle Project, AIDS Project Los Angeles.

Learning Objectives:

• To learn and understand Transgender terminologies
• To identify Transgender issues and challenges to services
• To understand the need for Transgender data and research inclusion
• To understand risks and unique challenges for Native Transgenders
• To discuss how to become and creast Trans-friendly services and sites

For more information, visit this site: http://bit.ly/w2un7i

To register, visit this site: http://bit.ly/yX2kTX

[Urban Indian Health Institute list]

The Drug Free Communities (DFC) Program is accepting grant applications for 2012.  The purpose of the DFC Program is to establish and strengthen collaboration to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.  Grantee coalitions will be awarded up to $125,000 per year for up to 5 years.

DFC is a collaborative initiative, sponsored by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in partnership with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which works to achieve two goals:

• Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.  For the purposes of this Request for Applications, “youth” is defined as individual 18 years of age and younger.
• Reduce substance use among yout and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.

Visit this web site for more information: http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/2012/sp_12_001.aspx

Applications are due by March 22, 2012.  [Urban Indian Health Institute list]

The Coming of the Blessing® is a March of Dimes initiative for American Indian and Alaska Native families.  They provide prenatal education, training and resources that encourage women to include traditional beliefs, lessons from their ancestors, and their partners in their circle of support during pregnancy.  Those interested in the Coming of the Blessing can reach out to their local March of Dimes Chapter in each state for additional support/grant funding.

For additional information see the Coming of the Blessing website: http://www.comingoftheblessing.com/ [Urban Indian Health Institute list]

Social Security will host the agency’s first-ever Spanish-language webinar titled “Online Services from Social Security – in Spanish” on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. EST.

The webinar will feature the agency’s new Spanish-language Internet services, including applications for retirement, Medicare, and Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs.  There will be a live question and answer session.

For more information and to register:  www.socialsecurity.gov/webinars .

Let’s Move! invites faith-based, community, and other organizations to create inspiring videos about their efforts to reverse the trend of childhood obesity. http://communities.challenge.gov/

The books were developed by the CDC Division of Diabetes Translation’sNative Diabetes Wellness Program, in collaboration with the Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee and the Indian Health Service, in response to the burden of diabetes among Native Americans and the need for diabetes prevention materials for children.

The online toolkit contains information, ideas, downloads and how-to instructions to help organize a community health fair, school assembly or other wellness event, using the Eagle Books’ colorful cast of animal characters and young friends.

To get this FREE resource go here: http://ow.ly/96Vtx

CDC: New online preventative tool. CDC/National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD & TB Prevention’s online ATLAS. Currently, the Atlas provides interactive maps, graphs, tables, and figures showing geographic patterns and time trends of HIV, AIDS, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary and secondary syphilis surveillance data. TB and viral hepatitis are slated to be included in 2012. Race categories include AI/AN

View here: http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/Atlas/

There is a grant available through HHS/National Institutes of Health: Interventions for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Native American Populations (R01)

This grant is minority population specific and for $500K or less.

For more information http://ow.ly/96Tju

April is National Minority Health Month – it’s not too soon to prepare!  This year’s theme is: Health Equity Can’t Wait.  Act Now in Your CommUNITY! 

Stop bullying now!  Youth violence prevention
Donate the gift of life. Organ donation promotion
Walk it off. Obesity prevention
Watch your mouth! Oral health promotion

April 2012 marks the first anniversary of the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and the National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health Equity.  To celebrate this anniversary, consider highlighting the work of you communities:

Monday, April 2, 2012 – Health Equity Day of UNITY - Organize a Town Hall in your Community:  HHS Action Plan – A Year on the Road to Health Equity

Saturday, April 21, 2012 – Health Equity Day of Action – Organize a Youth Festival: Young. Healthy. YouNITED! [Office of Minority Health]

February is Black History Month.  Visit the Office of Minority Health’s website daily to learn about one of the Black History Makers in Health: inventors, surgeons, policy makers, public health advocates, and more.  If you alive today, these people have touched your life – honor them by reading all about it: http://1.usa.gov/buIqaH. [Office of Minority Health]