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Tribal Pesticide Inspector Training – September 10-13, 2024

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Please share and Save the Dates for the upcoming Tribal Pesticide Inspector Training provided by the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona in collaboration with the Gila River Indian Community, Department of Environmental Quality, Arizona Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. EPA Region 9. The training will be held September 10-13, 2024 in Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino. Information to be covered in this training includes Worker Protection, certification and training and other key pesticide topics, basic enforcement consideration, inspection techniques, and a mock inspection/field activity.

Further training information is forthcoming that will include a training agenda, registration process, travel information/arrangements and reimbursement eligibility. The target audience includes new and established pesticide program inspectors, managers, and staff who work under FIFRA/Pesticide Enforcement Programs. We will be accepting 35-40 tribal and state professionals to attend the three-day training focusing on FIFRA inspections and programs. Pesticide Programs that have a FIFRA Cooperative Agreement and Environmental/Pesticide Program in Region 9 will be prioritized.

If you have any questions, contact Africa Dorame-Avalos via email at Africa.Dorame-Avalos@itcaonline.com.

Request For Proposal (RFP) – Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., (ITCA) Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) ArcGIS Capacity Building Program

Request For Proposal (RFP): RFP-TEC-01

PROJECT TITLE:  Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., (ITCA) Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) ArcGIS Capacity Building Program

PROPOSAL DUE DATE:  August 29, 2024 3:00 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD (ARIZONA) TIME

SELECTED VENDOR ANNOUNCEMENT DATE:  September 16, 2024

EXPECTED PERIOD OF SERVICES:  October 1, 2024 – September 29, 2025

SUMMARY: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA), Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC), is soliciting proposals from consulting firms, individuals, academic institutions, or other legal entities that are interested in performing ArcGIS services for ITCA TEC, Tribes, and for ITCA WIC. The focus is support for ITCA internal capacity building needs and Tribal Governments located in the Indian Health Service (IHS) Phoenix-Tucson Service Area.

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Request for Proposal (RFP)

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WIC Invitation for Public Comment

Do you have thoughts or feedback about WIC?
Each year, ITCA WIC develops a plan for providing services. The WIC State Plan is a requirement for all WIC state agencies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The plan explains how the federal 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 do you like about WIC?
2. What would you like to change about WIC?
3. Is ITCA missing anything in the services families receive from WIC?

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, 2024, 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.

Maternal Health Innovation Program (MHIP) Specialist

Maternal Health Innovation Program (MHIP) Specialist

Under the direction of the Maternal Health Innovation Program (MHIP) Manager, the Maternal Health Innovation Program (MHIP) Specialist assists in promoting, implementing and evaluating the Maternal Health Innovation Program. Timely attendance to work and work-related events is an essential function of this position.

TWD Certification Specialist

TWD Certification Specialist

TWS Certification Specialist will coordinate and facilitate individual water and wastewater systems training and certification examination events, as assigned, and process applications for new Tribal certification and renewal of existing Tribal certification. Position requires monthly travel. Timely and regular attendance to work and events is an essential function of this position.

Native Vote Specialist

Native Vote Specialist

Native Vote Specialist will assist the Civic Engagement team in promoting voter participation in non-partisan, non-tribal elections for the current election cycle. This position will require travel throughout tribal communities in Arizona. Timely and regular attendance to work and events is an essential function of this position.

Behavioral Health/Overdose Epidemiologist II

Behavioral Health/Overdose Epidemiologist II

Under the general supervision of the TEC Director at ITCA, Inc. the Epidemiologist II effectively provides American Indian Tribes in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah with epidemiologic expertise regarding behavioral health and substance abuse public health programming, data collection, analysis, interpretation, quality improvement, dissemination, and disease prevention and control. The Epidemiologist will serve as lead support on both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Tribal Overdose Prevention Program (TOPP) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) Substance abuse and Suicide Program (SASP) and the Domestic Violence Program (DVP) by providing technical assistance and training to support Tribally-funded projects. This position will require travel to Tribes for site visits, and national and regional conferences. This position will interface with key stakeholder groups, including: the IHS Behavioral Health Offices, CDC, state and local health departments, and other partners. The Epidemiologist will work closely with the team of ITCA TEC epidemiologists and other staff to develop Tribal Community Health Profiles. Timely and regular attendance to work and work-related events is an essential function of this position.

WIC Nutrition Services Coordinator

WIC Nutrition Services Coordinator

Under the direction of the Nutrition Manager, the Nutrition Services Coordinator effectively provides and oversees nutrition and breastfeeding services at the assigned local agencies and assists the Nutrition Manager with monitoring, material development, staff training and other related areas. Timely and regular attendance to work and work-related events is an essential function of this position.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Year 2023

For Tax Year 2023, the ITCA VITA site will be open to in-person tax return preparation services. Acting on behalf of concern for the safety of all community members and volunteers, the tax site will provide services by appointment only.

To book an appointment, access the following link: City Of Phoenix VITA | Scheduling and Booking Website (simplybook.me). You may also call 602.534.8359 for assistance with appointment scheduling.

ITCA VITA 2023 Flyer
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Additional Recources

https://www.myfreetaxes.com/

The United Way in partnership with H&R Block is offering an online tax preparation software service for qualified individuals to prepare their own federal and state income tax returns. The service is free for simple returns that include forms for the following:

  • W-2 Income
  • Limited interest and dividend income reported on a 1099-INT or 1099-DIV
  • Student education expense
  • Unemployment income
  • Student education credits
  • Student loan interest
  • Claiming the standard deduction
  • Earned Income Tax Credit
  • Child tax credits
  • Child and dependent care expenses

Some forms are not supported by My Free Taxes and require a fee. For a complete listing of what forms are supported (free) or not supported (fee), visit https://www.myfreetaxes.com/.

Arizona Family Rebate Recipients
The IRS has determined the Arizona Families Tax Rebate sent to eligible taxpayers is subject to federal income tax and is required to be reported as part of the federal adjusted gross income. The rebate is not subject to Arizona income tax and should be subtracted from the federal adjusted gross income on the 2023 Arizona individual income tax return.

Affected taxpayers will be sent a statement by mail that they are to check the online portal to access their 1099-MISC which documents the rebate amount they received. The Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR) is required by federal law to issue this form to taxpayers as an informational statement since the income must be reported on the income tax return.

Taxpayers can also check their bank statement to confirm the amount received from ADOR for the Arizona Families Tax Rebate. The statement is not a bill, and individuals should not send any type of payment in response.

Effective January 31, ADOR is adding Form 1099-MISC to its online portal to search, download, and print 1099 forms through https://www.AZTaxes.gov.

Avoid Scams: The IRS urges taxpayers to be on the lookout for scam artists trying to use schemes to steal personal information and money. Remember, the IRS will not call , text you, email you or contact you on social media asking for personal or bank account information.

 

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Maternal Mental Health Resources

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline:

  • Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-9 HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746)
  • Postpartum Support International Warmline: 1-800-944-4773

Organizations and Resources:

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

Press Release – ITCA and ITAA’s joint press statement on the United States Supreme Court decision to affirm the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 15, 2023
Contact: Maria Dadgar
(602) 258-4822

THE INTER TRIBAL COUNCIL OF ARIZONA and INTER TRIBAL ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA RELEASE JOINT STATEMENT ON HAALAND v. BRACKEEN

PHOENIX – The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA), and the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona (ITAA), two separate nonprofit organizations representing Tribal Nations in Arizona, released a joint statement adding their voice to the groundswell of support across Indian Country for the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Indian Child Welfare Act.

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted in 1978 to protect the well-being and best interests of American Indian children and families. The Haaland v. Brackeen lawsuit was brought by Texas (and previously Indiana and Louisiana) and several individual plaintiffs, who alleged that ICWA was unconstitutional. The case worked its way through the lower courts and ultimately the US Supreme Court. Today, the US Supreme Court released their decision, which was to uphold ICWA.

“Since ICWA’s inception over 40 years ago, the goal has been to provide protection for the wellbeing of American Indian/Alaska Native children by giving preference to American Indian families for foster care and adoptive placement of American Indian children,” says Bernadine Burnette, President of the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and Regional Vice President of the Western Region of the National Congress of American Indians.

Studies have found that the Indian Child Welfare Act has had positive outcomes for American Indian children – including such factors as higher self-esteem and lower instances of substance abuse.

“Indian Country will continue to stand up for the rights of our children and families — we applaud today’s Supreme Court decision which affirms the provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act and strengthens tribal sovereignty,” states Shan Lewis, Vice Chairman of the Fort Mojave Indian Tribe and President of the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona.

About the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona and the Inter Tribal Association of Arizona
These organizations were established in 1952 to provide a united voice for tribal governments located in the State of Arizona to address common issues of concerns. For more information, please call 602.258.4822.

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March 2, 2021 Press Release

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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

Navigating Maternal Health Care

 March 22, 2023

Topic: Navigating Maternal Health Care
Presenter: Nicolle L. Gonzales, BSN, RN, MSN, CNM

Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
Presentation Slides
Road Map through Pregnancy Care

Social Media Toolkit

ITCA is pleased to provide a social media toolkit for tribal health programs to promote perinatal health in their communities. This is a living document that will be updated periodically as we add new information so check back often!

Click here to access the toolkit.

The Power of Prenatal Care During Pregnancy

February 27, 2023

Topic: The Power of Prenatal Care during Pregnancy
Presenter: Jacqueline Badine, RDN

Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
Presentation Slide

Reproductive Grief Care: Sensitivity to Pregnancy Loss

February 24, 2023

Topic: Reproductive Grief Care: Sensitivity to Pregnancy Loss
Presenter: Sara West, MSHS-PH
Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
Presentation Slides
Best Practices
Misconceptions about Miscarriages
I Care- What to do if someone shares their story
Patient Information Sheet- Grief and Loss after Miscarriage
Patient Information Sheet- Grief and Loss after Abortion
abortionchangesyou.com

ACES and Trauma Informed Perinatal Care

January 10, 2023

Topic: Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Perinatal Care
Presenter: Valerie M. Kading, DNP, MBA, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Link to Recording

Links to Resources:
ACE Questionnaire
Preventing ACEs
ACEs in AI/AN Population Article
ACEs Aware
ACEs Resource Basket

2023 – 2024 Tribal Public Health Conferences

The views expressed in written conference 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.

Upcoming National and Regional Conferences

 

National Tribal Health Conference: “Tribal Health Equity on Our Terms”

  • Dates: May 20 – 23, 2024
  • Location: Rapid City, SD
  • Format: In-person
  • Price: $800 for conference attendee registration; $500 for speaker registration; $250 for youth & student registration (up to 24 years old)
  • Registration: Home – National Tribal Health Conference 2024 (cvent.com)
  • What to expect: A week-long event that serves American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes in the space of health – behavioral and public health. The conference will showcase the interconnectedness of policy, advocacy, and Indian health best practices. Programming includes tribal listening and consultation sessions, hands-on training opportunities, plenary sessions, and workshops that cover timely topics such as funding for Indian Health, the business of medicine, health equity, Indigenous determinants of health, Tribal public health, behavioral health, culture, environmental health, and climate change.