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March 2017 Blogs

Celebrating Successes in Diabetes Prevention for Native Americans and Continuing the Work

RADM Chris Buchanan, Acting Director, Indian Health Service

March 29, 2017
by RADM Chris Buchanan, Acting Director, Indian Health Service

Today, I was honored to testify before the United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs at the Oversight Hearing on Native Youth: Promoting Diabetes Prevention Through Healthy Living Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov .

Diabetes is an important topic for Indian Country, for our families ... Continue reading


Meet Phoenix Area Chef Adam Mullett

RADM Michael Weahkee, Chief Executive Officer, Phoenix Indian Medical Center

March 22, 2017
by RADM Michael Weahkee, Chief Executive Officer, Phoenix Indian Medical Center

One day, Adam Mullett (Navajo) sat in the cafeteria at the Phoenix Indian Medical Center waiting for his dad’s shift to end. Jeff Parrish, who is the food service director, asked Adam what he did for employment. Adam told him he was in high school and the manager at a fast food restaurant. ... Continue reading


IHS Environmental Health and Engineering Leaders Recognized

Gary Hartz, P.E., Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering, Indian Health Service

March 21, 2017
by Gary Hartz, P.E., Director of the Office of Environmental Health and Engineering, Indian Health Service

Did you know that environmental health is an important part of the IHS mission? IHS is tasked with identifying the need for sanitation facilities, prioritizing projects to match available appropriated funding, and constructing those facilities and other disease prevention infrastructure such as potable ... Continue reading


National Social Work Month

Miranda Carman, Public Health Advisor, Indian Health Service

March 14, 2017
by Miranda Carman, Public Health Advisor, Indian Health Service

Jessica Johnson, a clinical social worker at the IHS Western Oregon Service Unit, provides direct service counseling and prevention services to students at the Bureau of Indian Education, Chemawa Indian Boarding School, and coordinates trauma-informed care efforts within the service unit. Jessica ... Continue reading


National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Donald Haverkamp, MPH, CPH, Epidemiologist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, CDC

March 9, 2017
by Donald Haverkamp, MPH, CPH, Epidemiologist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, CDC

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and the Indian Health Service (IHS) is raising the awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC), a leading cause of cancer deaths among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) men and women. Over the past two decades there has been a decline in the CRC death rate ... Continue reading


IHS Announces Three Additional Native Youth Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention Awards

Minette C. Wilson, Public Health Advisor, Indian Health Service

March 7, 2017
by Minette C. Wilson, Public Health Advisor, Indian Health Service

On February 15, the Indian Health Service awarded three additional projects [PDF] under the Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Initiative in the Navajo and Phoenix IHS Areas.

In December 2017, IHS reissued the funding opportunity announcement for Navajo, Phoenix, and Tucson areas. ... Continue reading


Celebrate National Nutrition Month with IHS in March

Kelli Begay, MS, MBA, RDN, Nutrition Consultant, Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention, IHS

March 1, 2017
by Kelli Begay, MS, MBA, RDN, Nutrition Consultant, Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention, IHS

In recognition of March being National Nutrition Month, we acknowledge that food is more than fuel that nourishes our bodies. It brings people together. It connects us to our family and ancestors.

Our diets and the foods available to us have changed over time, which has contributed to an increase ... Continue reading