American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth are at risk of not reaching their full development potential because they suffer from the negative consequences of living in fragmented families, generally have low educational attainment levels, and many suffer from poor mental health. These development conditions are a determining influence on the chances of success later in life. Other issues, such as chronic poverty, historical trauma and the lack of responsive social service programs, exact large costs on individuals, their communities and society more generally; thus compounding the nature and scope of the problem. RISE ABOVE is a Native Owned and Operated 501(c)3 that highlights the positive image benefits of an active lifestyle to reduce the use of alcohol, tobacco and drug use by tribal youth in addition to improving their overall physical and mental health. By using sport as a modality to empower native youth to live healthy lives, RISE ABOVE aims to increase the likelihood of positive outcomes for AI/AN children and decrease risk factors leading to poor mental health, suicidal ideation, incarceration, substance abuse and chronic diseases, such as diabetes. The project model is based on the Behavior-Image Model (BIM) that integrates the prevention of harmful behaviors with the promotion of healthy habits, in brief, locally designed interventions. It directly supports fostering the development of a strong sense of identity, developing skills to cope with challenges, supporting access to make positive choices, and fostering intergenerational, culturally responsive family connections in traditional and emerging modalities. The project yields benefits to AI/AN youth, the reservation based programs serving them, and tribal communities in Indian Country. Through a collaboration with RISE ABOVE, reservation-based programs serving AI/AN youth will have the increased capacity to design and implement tailored programs with local feedback and data, increased local coordination among child-serving systems, demonstrate increased in the delivery of trauma-informed care practices within child-serving systems, and increased cultural sensitivity in the delivery of support services for tribal youth. Our long-term community-wide outcomes include 1) the development of community advisory councils, 2) development of community-specific intergenerational action plans, 3) local/regional youth conferences and 4) increased local peer leaders. In addition, there are objective specific outcomes (short-mid range) expected to influence demonstrated needs related to family health, educational support, and positive self-image. This project will influence thousands of youth across Indian Country over the next five years and provide a generation with the tools to RISE ABOVE.
Learning Objectives:

Awareness

Why working with children and creating resiliency at a young age is so important

Long-term positive effects for American Indian/Alaska Native Youth

The purpose of this breakout session for MSPI and DVPI grantees in the Oklahoma City Area is to provide updates regarding contact information and discuss technical assistance needs for data collection. Facilitators: Michelle Hopkins and Amanda Janitz.

List at least 3-4 questions that should be asked about a funding opportunity before making the decision to write the grant.

List at least 2-3 funding resources for health programs.

Outline 5-6 key criteria for a “winning” grant proposal.

Describe some ways to make a grant “unique.”

This is a visual cooking demonstration that is aimed at empowering and inspiring Native American people through traditional foods education, and increased knowledge of basic cooking skills. It is important for people to understand the basics of culinary arts, and incorporate basic cooking strategies to improve the overall nutrient content of foods. It uses traditional Native American foods and incorporates them into contemporary food dishes. It is very important to teach how, and why, incorporating basic nutrition education into everyday meals can assist with overall health and wellness. The overall goal of the presentation is to help participants focus on healthy portion sizes and cook with whole foods; showing how to make healthy food taste good and look good within a tight budget. Indigenous foods are a path to health and a way for us to recover our communities. Healing is the most important ingredient in Native American cooking. It is my hope this presentation will encourage and inspire creativity and imagination with the food our people prepare and eat, helping them to achieve a better tomorrow. It is my hope that traditional foods will become the everyday foods for Native Americans again.
Learning Objectives:

Increase knowledge of basic cooking skills, and cooking with whole foods

Understand basic cooking strategies to improve the overall nutrient content of foods

Increase ability to incorporate traditional Native American foods (corn, beans, squash, wild rice) into contemporary dishes

Indian Health Services National Oral Health Initiatives are formulated to provide systemic outcomes to achieve over a specific length of time. These initiatives for 2010-2018 include early childhood caries, periodontal disease, access to dental care, oral disease burden, perceived quality of care, and integration of oral health. One main focus is to reduce oral health disparities by increasing access to care and providing quality care as primary health care.
Learning Objectives:

Identify six oral health disparities American Indians/Alaska Natives experience within their communities.

Understand the purpose of the Oklahoma City Area Dental Support Center.

State three strategic goals of Indian Health Services National Response to strengthen the oral care access of the American Indians/Alaska Natives population.

Many Tribes across the Nation have a time immemorial relationship with tobacco. Commercial tobacco abuse is highest amongst American Indian and Alaska Natives. Although not all Tribes/Villages have a cultural relationship with tobacco, this workshop will attempt to educate participants on a nationwide plan to encourage keeping tobacco sacred and reduce commercial tobacco abuse. Discussion will include traditional uses of tobacco and examples of medicinal plants used for tobacco; national Tribal, Urban and Indian Health Service plan to reduce commercial tobacco abuse, and cessation
Learning Objectives:

Participants will learn examples of and traditional uses of tobacco

Participants will actively participate in discussions promoting commercial tobacco prevention

Participants will learn the six focus areas of a nationwide plan to reduce commercial tobacco abuse

The presentation has two parts. The first contains an update on lupus including information on disease pathogenesis, therapies, and importance of clinical trials for improving therapeutic strategies. The second discusses culturally competent communication, past abuses of research patients, current protections for research patients, informed consent, and strategies for discussing clinical research including referral to research centers.
Learning Objectives:

Apply techniques to empower patients to participate in clinical trials

Define the importance of minority involvement in clinical trials

Identify cultural aspects of trial participation

Summarize “two-way” listening skills between the patient and clinician

Describe how minorities are disproportionately affected by autoimmune diseases such as lupus