OpportunityTitle: Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: To be eligible for this announcement an applicant must be one of the following:   Indian Tribe - any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or group or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. Section 1601, et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.  25 U.S.C. Section 1603(14).   Tribal Organization - the elected governing body of any Indian Tribe or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities.  25 U.S.C. Section 1603(26), 25 U.S.C. Section 450b(1).   Urban Indian organization - a non-profit corporate body situated in an urban center, governed by an urban Indian controlled board of directors, and providing for the maximum participation of all interested Indian groups and individuals, which body is capable of legally cooperating with other public and private entities for the purpose of performing the activities described in section 1653(a) of the IHCIA.  25 U.S.C. Section 1603(29).  Intertribal consortium - An intertribal consortium or AI/AN organization is eligible to receive a cooperative agreement if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving AI/AN health and representative of the Indian Tribes or urban Indian communities residing in the area in which the intertribal consortium is located. 25 U.S.C. Section 1621m (d)(2).   Current Tribal Epidemiology Center grantees are eligible to apply for competing continuation funding under this announcement and must demonstrate that they have complied with previous terms and conditions of the Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities grant in order to receive funding under this announcement.  All applicants must represent or serve a population of at least 60,000 AI/AN to be eligible, as demonstrated by Tribal resolutions, blanket Tribal resolutions or Letter of Support (LoS) from urban Indian clinic directors and/or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs).
Description: The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to strengthen public health capacity and to fund Tribes, Tribal and urban Indian organizations, and intertribal consortia in identifying relevant health status indicators and priorities using sound epidemiologic principles. Work-plans submitted in response to this announcement must incorporate the grantee&apos;s desired objectives and demonstrate at minimum, four of the seven Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) core functional areas as outlined in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) at 25 U.S.C. Section 1621m(b). Below is a list of the seven core functions of the TECs: (1) Collect data relating to, and monitor progress made toward meeting, each of the health status objectives of the Service, the Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in the service area; (2) Evaluate existing delivery systems, data systems, and other systems that impact the improvement of Indian health; (3) Assist Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in identifying highest-priority health status objectives and the services needed to achieve those objectives, based on epidemiological data; (4) Make recommendations for the targeting of services needed by the populations served; (5) Make recommendations to improve health care delivery systems for Indians and urban Indians; (6) Provide requested technical assistance to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in the development of local health service priorities and incidence and prevalence rates of disease and other illness in the community; and (7) Provide disease surveillance and assist Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian communities to promote public health. As grantees develop their desired objectives addressing a minimum of four of the core functions as outlined in IHCIA, grantees may include but are not limited to the following activities: research, prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability; assessment of the effectiveness of AI/AN public health programs; epidemiologic analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of surveillance data; investigation of disease outbreaks; development and implementation of epidemiologic studies; development and implementation of disease control and prevention programs; and coordination of activities of other public health authorities in the region. It is the intent of Indian Health Service (IHS) to fund sufficient TECs to serve Tribes and urban Indian communities in all 12 IHS administrative areas. Each TEC selected for funding will act under a cooperative agreement with the IHS. During funded activities, the TECs may receive Protected Health Information (PHI) for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury or disability, including, but not limited to, reporting of disease, injury, vital events, such as birth or death, and the conduct of public health surveillance, public health investigation, and public health interventions for the Tribal and urban Indian communities that they serve. TECs acting under a cooperative agreement with IHS are public health authorities for which the disclosure of PHI by covered entities is authorized by the Privacy Rule, 45 C.F.R. Section 164.512(b). To achieve the purpose of this program, the recipient will be responsible for the activities under letter B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities. Program Office will be responsible for activities under letter A. IHS Programmatic Involvement.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: Grants Policy Office
GrantorContactText: Paul Gettys &lt;br/&gt;Grant Systems Coordinator &lt;br/&gt;Phone 301-443-2114