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GENERAL SESSION7:45 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. Open Registration

8:30 – 8:35 A.M. Blessing: Clarence Yarholar

8:35 – 8:50 A.M. General Session Opening Remarks: Governor Anoatubby, Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma

8:50 – 10:50 A.M. Keynote Presentation: Chasing Hope, Parents of a Child with Special Needs Alex Smith, Dr. Laura Riffel, Jenniafer Walters, Tara Hood, Aietah Stephens, Ellen Kimbrell, Anita Lena

The infamous “diagnosis” should be the call to action for parents with children who have special needs. However, too many families transition into depression after a diagnosis. The constant emotional demands of parenting a child with special needs can result in compassion fatigue, burnout, and other health issues. Knowing how to navigate through difficult paths, setbacks, and hard conversations in your child’s development is key to finding solutions to short-term and long-term issues facing families and caregivers. As parents who “chase hope” everyday, our goal is to help other parents of children with special needs make sense of what’s out there in the form of help and hope. In addition, we need all hands on deck in creating greater awareness, acceptance, understanding, and accommodation in the general public. 10:50 – 11:00 A.M. Break

11:00 – 11:30 A.M. Awards Ceremony: Youth Award, Community Advocate Award, Sally Carter Award

Special Presentation: Sally Carter Tribute

11:30 – 12:15 P.M. Plenary Presentation: Tribal Sovereignty and Why It Matters Casey Ross

The session will focus on the development of tribal sovereignty as a legal doctrine, with a specific focus on tribal law’s protection of sovereign interests. Attendees will also examine the importance of tribal sovereignty in the context of public health programs, particularly relating to inter-governmental cooperation.
Learning Objectives:
  • Understand the legal framework of tribal sovereignty.
  • Articulate how tribal laws are designed to protect tribal sovereignty.
  • Understand why tribal sovereignty is important for American Indian tribes.
  • Analyze how public health programs and inter-governmental relations can be enhanced by an understanding of tribal sovereignty.

12:15 – 1:15 P.M. Lunch Tribal Public Health Academy Presentation