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Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Federal Regulations Training Course & Operator Certification Exam Sessions, in Parker, Arizona, September 30-October 9, 2026 (Event ID #26019-blended)

Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Federal Regulations Training Course & Operator Certification Exam Sessions, in Parker, Arizona, September 30-October 9, 2026 (Event ID #26019-blended)

Part 1 meets: Wednesday through Friday (on-line)
Dates: September 30-October 2, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time

Part 2 meets: Monday through Friday (in-person)
Dates: October 5-9, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Local Time
Location: Parker, Arizona

Click Here: Brochure & Registration Forms
Click Here: Electronic Registration
Click Here: Application for Water Operator Certification
Click Here: Need to Know for Water DISTRIBUTION FedReg Exam
Click Here: Need to Know for Water TREATMENT FedReg Exam

Math for Drinking Water Operators Live On-line Training Course, November 30 – December 9, 2026, (Event ID #26022), Priority Registration EPA Region 9

Math for Drinking Water Operators Live On-line Training Course, November 30 – December 9, 2026, (Event ID #26022), Priority Registration EPA Region 9

Meets: Sequential Lessons Daily (on-line)
Dates: Week One; Monday – Friday, Week Two; Monday – Wednesday,
November 30 – December 9, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Mountain Time

Click here: Electronic Registration

Request for Public Comment – WIC

Do you have thoughts or feedback about WIC?

Each year, ITCA WIC develops a plan for providing services. The plan explains how the federal WIC  funds will be used to provide healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to other services to qualified families served by ITCA local agencies in Arizona. As ITCA works on refining the program plan for next year, you are invited to submit your comments on WIC services. Please share your comments on:

  1. What changes are needed to ITCA WIC services?
  2. Are there any unmet needs or barriers for families that may qualify for WIC or are participating in WIC?
  3. What changes are needed to authorized foods or the food package?

How to submit comments:
E-mail: WICadmin@itcaonline.com
Mail:
ITCA WIC
Attn: WIC Director
2214 N. Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85004

Comments provided before June 30, 2026, will be considered in the planning process. WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for income eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children under the age of five. To learn more about ITCA WIC, go to: http://www.itcaonline.com/wic.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Need to Do More Than Screen

A Mother’s Story: Beyond the Checklist
Emily Johnson’s story sheds light on Postpartum Anxiety and suicidal thoughts and how screening alone isn’t alone isn’t enough. Her experience highlights the urgent need for invlusive, culturally responsive mental health care that truly supports all birthing people. Read her story.

A Mother’s Story: Postpartum Anxiety and Suicidal Thoughts and the Need to Do More Than Screen

Indian Health Service access and health insurance coverage associated with higher quality perinatal care among American Indian and Alaska Native people

A new School of Public Health study finds that perinatal care among AI/AN people is insufficient for many, but access to Indian Health Service care and health insurance coverage may help.

click here to learn more

Water Distribution-Level 1 Operator Certification Training Course, in Camp Verde, Arizona, March 17-28, 2025, (Event ID #25003-blended), Region 9 Priority

Water Distribution-Level 1 Operator Certification Training Course, in Camp Verde, Arizona, March 17-28, 2025, (Event ID #25003-blended), Region 9 Priority

Part 1 Meets: Monday through Friday (on-line)
Dates: March 17-21, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time)

Part 2 Meets: Monday through Friday (in-person)
Dates: March 24-28, 2025
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Local Time)
Location: Camp Verde, Arizona

Click here: Brochure & Registration Forms
Click here: Electronic Registration
Click here: Application for Water Certification
Click here: Need to Know for Exam 1: Federal Regulations Exam Module for Water Distribution
Click here: Need to Know for Exam 2: Water Treatment Operator Class I

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Food Insecurity in Pregnancy, Receipt of Food Assistance, and Perinatal Complications

“In this cohort study, food insecurity in pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of perinatal complications, and these associations were overall attenuated to the null among individuals who received food assistance in pregnancy. These findings support clinical guidelines of screening for food insecurity in pregnancy and provide evidence to expand food assistance programs that may help improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.” See link for more information.

Food Insecurity in Pregnancy, Receipt of Food Assistance, and Perinatal Complications

Indigenous doulas helping Native moms take back their health after centuries of discrimination

“Now, organizations across North America are resuscitating the practice of Indigenous doulas. They’re training them to offer culturally safe, emotional and physical care, relying on traditional knowledge and reestablishing their place in the health care system: by the sides of Indigenous birthing women, where today’s doulas say they were always meant to be.” Read more below!
Indigenous doulas are helping Native moms take back their health after centuries of discrimination

National Indian Health Board Tribal Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda

The National Indian Health Board developed the Tribal Prenatal-to-Three Policy Agenda to raise
awareness regarding the most impactful and culturally appropriate policy levers and strategies
to support American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health and wellbeing in the earliest years
of life, from the prenatal period through age 3. These recommendations chart a path forward to
health equity and improved outcomes for AI/AN families, infants, and toddlers.
2024 Tribal Prenatal-To-Three Policy Agenda

Webinar Toolkits and Workbooks

Thriving Through Menopause

Pregnancy Across Lifespan

This menopause journal is designed to go alongside the Pregnancy Across the Lifespan two-part webinar series and is a comprehensive resource for you as you go through the menopause. Inside you should find a wealth of practical tips and advice for managing the menopause.

Pregnancy Across the Lifespan Part One
Pregnancy Across the Lifespan Part Two

Indigenous Evaluation Tools for Maternal Health

ASU Evaluation Training

Access the presentation from our recorded webinar and resources for Indigenous evaluation tools as you work on developing your curriculum, program, and/or organization.

Telling Our Story Through Data: Indigenous Evaluation Tools for Maternal Health

Road Map Through Pregnancy Care

RoadMap

A road map designed to help you navigate your pregnancy, birthing process, and postpartum care.

Empowered Bodies Workbook

EmpoweredBodies

Welcome to the Empowered Bodies workbook, a companion to our two-part webinar Empowered Bodies, Empowered Minds, designed to help you reconnect with the natural rhythms of your body and embrace the power of cyclical living. This workbook offers practical tools, insights, and guidance to help you align your life with the ebb and flow of your unique cycle.

Empowered Bodies, Empowered Minds Part One
Empowered Bodies, Empowered Minds Part Two

Reproductive Grief Care Best Practices

BestPractices

A toolkit for providers or Birthworkers who have patients dealing with reproductive grief. This toolkit helps you start the conversation, respond with compassion, and give the individual permission to grieve.

I Care: What Do I Do If Someone Shares His/Her Story with Me?

ICARE

Because reproductive loss is rarely talked about, it’s normal for those being confided in to feel confused about what to do or say. Here are some things to keep in mind if a man, woman, family member, or friend approaches you about their own or a loved one’s loss.

Patient Information Sheet: Grief & Loss After Miscarriage

PatientInfo

For anyone experiencing difficulty following a pregnancy loss.

Patient Information Sheet: Grief & Loss after Abortion

PatientInfo

For anyone experiencing difficulty following pregnancy termination.

Advancing Health Equity for LGBTQIA+ and Birthing Persons: A Decolonized Approach

PatientInfo

This presentation accompanies a one-part webinar that helps you identify health disparities across identities with Tribal communities, how medical mis/distrust impacts LGBTQIA+ Tribal members, how barriers and facilitators to care can change based on holding multiple identities and underlines the importance of decolonizing language, beliefs, and approaches when working with LGBTQIA+ birthing persons.

Advancing Health Equity for LGBTQIA+ and Birthing Persons

2026-2027 ITCA GHWIC Registration Links

Funding for this was made possible (in part) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in written materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

YEAR 3 Project Schedule for ITCA GHWIC Subawardees

 (09/30/2026 – 09/29/2027)

(Click on image to download the PDF file)

FY3_GHWIC Project Schedule

 

YEAR 3 Save the Date Calendar (Quarter 1)

 (Click on image to download PDF)

FY3_ITCA GHWIC_Q1 Calendar for Tribes

 

Community of Practice (CoP) Calls

Registration links for CoP calls will be sent to each Tribal Site Coordinator by your assigned ITCA Health Promotion Specialist. 

CoP 1 - November 18, 2026 | Time: 10 AM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

CoP 2 - December 16, 2026 | Time: 10 AM MST

CoP 3 - February 17, 2027 | Time: 10 AM MST

CoP 4 - March 17, 2027 | Time: 10 AM MST

CoP 5 – June 16, 2027 | Time: 10 AM MST

CoP 6 - August 18, 2027 | Time: 10 AM MST

 

(Click on image to download PDF)

FY3_ITCA GHWIC_CoP Calls

 

WEBINARS

Webinar 1 

Webinar 2 

Webinar 3 

Webinar 4 – “Year 3 Closeout & Year 4 Overview”

 

WORK GROUPS

Work Group Meeting 1 (in-person)

  • Date: December 8 – 10, 2026
  • Time: 8 AM – 5 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

 

Work Group Meeting 2 (Albuquerque, NM)

  • Date: May 4 – 6, 2027
  • Time: 8 AM – 5 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

 

TRAININGS

Training 1 (in-person)

  • Presenters: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. & TECPHI
  • Date: February 23 – 25, 2027
  • Time: 8 AM – 5 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

 

 Training 2 (in-person)

  • Presenters: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. & Guest Presenter
  • Date: July 2027
  • Time: 8 AM – 5 PM Mountain Standard Time (MST)

 

MHI Tribal Maternal Health Strategic Plan

ITCA_MaternalHealth_Secondary Logo_Black

In 2020, the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA), was contracted by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to develop a strategic plan in collaboration with tribal maternal health professionals. The Maternal Health Innovation program is funded nationally by HRSA and is designed to assist states in collaborating with maternal health experts and optimizing resources to implement state-specific actions that address disparities in maternal health and improve maternal health outcomes.

Program Purpose:

The purpose of the Maternal Health Innovation Program is to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity in American Indian communities in Arizona.

MHI Program Goals

  1. Improve maternal mortality and morbidity in Tribal communities
  2. Improve access to maternal health data surveillance
  3. Improve maternal health partnerships between tribal communities and the state

Strategic Plan Image

Recorded Webinars

Missed a webinar? Check them out below along with any accompanied resources Webinar Toolkits and Workbooks.

Strategies and tools on using, collecting, and evaluating data through an indigenous lens.

Telling Our Story Through Data
Advancing Health Equity
DataSovereignty
Severe Maternal Morbidity
Learning From Loss

ACEs, Historical Trauma and Emotional Wellness information and strategies.

Part 1: Social & Emotional Wellness for the workplace
Part 2: Social & Emotional Wellness for the workplace
HistoricalTraumaProviders
HistoricalTraumaProviders
ACES

Maternal health information on perinatal and postpartum care.

Perinatal Harm Reduction Training
CongenitalSyphilis
Syphilis101
PostpartumCare




Lactation

Holistic and indigenized approaches to birthwork.

Advancing Health Equity
Advancing Health Equity
NurturingConnections
NurturingConnections

Resources meant for all birthing people and community members with accompanying toolkits/workbooks.

Pregnancy Across the Lifespan Pt1
Pregnancy Across the Lifespan Pt2
Advancing Health Equity
EmpoweredBodies
EmpoweredBodies

Understand how epigenetics affects indigenous communities and maternal health outcomes.

IndigenousPeople&Epigenetics
Epigenetics

ITCA Umbrella Hub (diabetes prevention)

Funding for this was made possible (in part) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The views expressed in written materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. government.

 

Umbrella Hub Resources provided to its Subsidiaries

  • Support through Community of Practice (CoP) calls and technical assistance to implement a year-long cohort of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP).
  • Training support (registration fees) to complete the Lifestyle Coach Training certification for implementation of the National DPP.
  • Depending on funding availability, ITCA can provide printed copies of CDC’s new Native PreventT2 Curriculum – coach’s guide, participant modules, and handouts.
  • If you’re interested in learning more about or joining the ITCA Umbrella Hub, please send an email to Glenda Tovar (Glenda.Tovar@itcaonline.com) to schedule a meeting.

 

 (Click on image to download file) 

RESOURCE_UHAs Serving Native Communities_v031725

 (Click on image to download file) 

National DPP_Lifestyle Change Program Strategies for Retaining Participants

Community of Practice Calls (Quarterly)

ITCA invites Tribes and Tribal serving organizations implementing or on the road to implementing the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) to join the upcoming Community of Practice (CoP) Calls.

During these NDPP CoP calls we will gather to collectively share our experiences, successes and challenges, and discuss possible problem-solving approaches, ultimately learning from each other. Register today and mark your calendars. We look forward to seeing you and bring your coffee/tea.

 

December 15, 2026 @ 1 pm MST

March 9, 2027 @ 10 am MST

June 8, 2027 @ 10 am MST

September 7, 2027 @ 10 am MST

(Click on image to download file) 

2026-27 ITCA NDPP CoP Flyer_v2

 

  • Infographic (click image to enlarge)

NDPP_eligibility

  • Prediabetes Risk Test (click image to enlarge)

Prediabetes Risk Test

Highlights:

  • The lifestyle change program can help you build healthy new habits that last a lifetime.
  • When you join the program, you’ll learn, laugh, share stories, and try new things.
  • Most of all, you’ll lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and improve your health.

The program includes:

  • A CDC-approved curriculum
  • A lifestyle coach
  • A support group

What you’ll learn:

In the first half of the program, you’ll learn to:

  • Eat healthy without giving up all the foods you love.
  • Add physical activity to your life, even if you don’t think you have time.
  • Deal with stress.
  • Cope with challenges that can slow your progress, like choosing healthy food when eating out.
  • Get back on track if you stray from your plan. Everyone slips now and then!

In the second half of the program, you’ll enhance the skills you’ve learned so you can maintain the changes you’ve made.

Time Commitment:

The program runs for 1 year.

  • During the first 6 months, you’ll meet about once a week.
  • During the second 6 months, you’ll meet once or twice a month.

 

Source: About the Lifestyle Change Program | National Diabetes Prevention Program | CDC

 

Program Staff

Glenda Tovar, Umbrella Hub Primary Contact (Lifestyle Coach)

glenda.tovar@itcaonline.com

Vanessa Dodge, Umbrella Hub Secondary Contact (Lifestyle Coach and Data Preparer)

vanessa.dodge@itcaonline.com

Gwenda Gorman, Health & Human Services Director (Lifestyle Coach)

grenda.gorman@itcaonline.com

 

Syphilis 101: Understanding an Emerging Infection in AI/AN Communities

July 23, 2024 

12:00-1:30pm MST/PHX

Topic: Syphilis 101: Understanding an Emerging Infection in AI/AN Communities

Presenter: Mayra Mollo, ADHS, STI/HIV DIS Coordinator

Nurturing Connections

Nurturing Connections: The Social-Ecological Model, ACES and Maternal Health

July 17, 2024 and July 31, 2024 

12:00-1:30pm

Topic: Nurturing Connections: The Social-Ecological Model, ACES and Maternal Health

Presenters:
Stephanie Noriega, University of Arizona
Lakisa Muhammad, AZ Birthworkers of Color

Nurturing Connections

Maternal Health Resources

ITCA_MaternalHealth_Secondary Logo_Black

Governmental and large-scale health and policy organizations addressing maternal and child health (MHI) broadly.

• Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS)
• Arizona Center for Rural Health
• ADHS Women’s and Children’s Health
• CDC: Maternal Mortality
• CDC: Hear Her Campaign
• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• HRSA Tribal Affairs
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• Medicaid Innovation Collaborative
• Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
• National Indian Health Board (NIHB)
• Public Health Shift (Maricopa)
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Doula Medicaid Project
• Doula Medicaid Resource Library
• Best Practices for Medicaid Coverage for Doula Care
• Pregnancy Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees
• American Indian/Alaska Native Pregnancy Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees

Organizations and initiatives supporting Indigenous and tribal maternal health needs.

• Native Health
• Native Birthworkers
• Cihuapactli Collective
• Seattle Urban Natives
• Native American Women’s Dialogue on Infant Mortality (NAWDIM)
• Family Spirit Program
• Indigenous Midwifery
• Paths Remembered
• Arizona Birthworkers of Color
• Indigenous Birth
• Navajo Nation Institute (NNI)
• Labriola National American Indian Data Center
• Indian Country ECHO
• Native Reach
• Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (AASTEC)
• National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH)
• Arizona Advisory Council on Indian Health Care (AACIHC)
• Reclaiming Native Truth
• Native Americans in Philanthropy
• CMS Outreach and Education Resources for American Indians and Alaska Natives
• Southwest Indigenous Women’s Coalition (SWIWC)

Links, resources, and opportunities for maternal and perinatal healthcare workers.

• The Bridge Health Collective – Perinatal mental health coordination, built for specialists

Arizona Department of Health Services: Doula Licensing

“Laws 2021, Ch. 282 (Senate Bill 1181), created a voluntary licensing program for doulas within the Arizona Department of Health Services. A.R.S. § 36-766(3) states, a “doula” is “… a trained nonmedical professional who may provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to families before, during and after childbirth for a period of one year after birth or in the case of loss and who may serve as a liaison between the birth parents and medical and social services staff to improve the quality of medical, social, and behavioral outcomes.”- ADHS

Resources & Information: 

Related Resources for Further Learning

Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity Data presented by Arizona Department of Health Services

Topic: Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity Data presented by Arizona Department of Health Services
Date: June 30, 2023
Time: 10:00AM-11:00AM MST
Presenter: Glenda M. Ramirez, MPH, and Aubri Perez
Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
Presentation Slides

 

The Importance of Postpartum Care

Topic: The Importance of Postpartum Care
Presenter: Jacqueline Badine, RDN
Link to Recording

The Importance of Postpartum Care Presentation

Nutrition and Pregnancy

April 27, 2023

Topic: Nutrition and Pregnancy
Presenter: Jacqueline Badine, RDN
Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
Nutrition and Pregnancy Presentation
Healthy eating during pregnancy
Healthy eating tips while pregnant
My plate
Cooking temperatures

Breastfeeding Training for Healthcare Providers- Together for the Duration

The Together for the Duration is a program developed by the Arizona Department of Health Services, AZ Health Zone, and the Arizona WIC Program to support health care professionals in their lactation education and build stronger community partnerships while working with maternal and infant populations. The Together for the Duration series contains 15 online learning courses. Each course is 60 minutes long, including the review of external resources and completion of all items within the course.

More information is available here.

Introduction to Cultural Safety

This course is available free on line through Frontier Nursing University.

The purpose of this course is to:

Introduce the concept of cultural safety and to explore the three main aspects of it, which include:

  • Learning about the history and impacts of colonization on Indigenous people in the U.S.
  • Being self-reflective on our identities as health providers who may care for Indigenous people
  • Centering the Indigenous patient experience and listening as the patient defines what safe care is

At the end of this Introduction to Cultural Safety course, learners will be able to:

  1. Define cultural safety
  2. Identify the three key tenets of cultural safety
  3. Explain the impacts of colonization on Indigenous people in the U.S.
  4. Describe what culturally safe vs. culturally unsafe care may look like (give examples)
  5. Discuss personal and systems change strategies for improving the cultural safety of care

https://ceu.catalog.instructure.com/courses/introduction2cultural-safety

 

Standardized Prenatal & Postpartum Care at Whiteriver Indian Hospital Birthing Center

March 29, 2023

Topic: Standardized Prenatal & Postpartum Care at Whiteriver Indian Hospital Birthing Center
Presenter: Laura Close, DNP, FNP-BC

Link to Recording

Link to Resource:
Presentation Slides