USET/USET SPF COVID-19 Response and Relief Effort

September 21, 2021

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

NIHB COVID-19 Vaccine Listening Session

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is hosting a listening session on COVID-19 Vaccines for youth to further the discussion around current challenges and needs as well as best practices for COVID-19 vaccines hesitancy in Indian Country. American Indian and Alaska Native youth as young as 12 years old are now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

NIHB invites Tribal leaders, Tribal health administrators, Tribal public health staff, Tribal advocates, stakeholders, and citizens to share with their peers the experiences and best approaches to getting community members vaccinated over the last few months. Information gathered will inform NIHB's ongoing advocacy and awareness efforts.

Framing topics and related questions:

1. Vaccine Hesitancy & Uptake:

How have thoughts or behaviors regarding vaccinating and masking in your community changed with the Delta variant becoming more prominent?
Now that school has started for the fall and many have returned to in-person learning, what concerns have you heard from your communities, if any? How are you working to address these concerns?
What changes in opinion have you witnessed about the vaccination with the news of needing a booster shot?
How are healthcare providers talking about the approval of the Pfizer vaccine with youth and adults?

2. Other Topics:
Do you have other feedback to share on COVID-19 vaccination?

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Treasury Homeowner Assistance Fund Information Session Co-Hosted by USET SPF and Partner Orgs

The United States Treasury Department has reached out to USET SPF and several of our partner organizations to co-host an information session on the Treasury Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) established by the American Rescue Plan Act. The HAF provides funding to Tribal Nations, states, and territories to prevent mortgage delinquencies and defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacement of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. Funds from HAF may be used for assistance with mortgage payments, homeowner’s insurance, utility payments, and other specified purposes.

A total of $498 million has been set aside for Tribal Nations and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, a portion of which has been allocated to each Tribal Nation based on the allocation formulas used for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The deadline for Tribal Nations to submit a Notice of Funds Request is September 30th. Treasury currently has lower submission rates from several regions, including the USET SPF region. Treasury seeks to increase awareness about this opportunity and facilitate more Treasury-Tribal leader engagement. During the information session, Treasury HAF program staff will give an overview of the program and take Tribal leader, staff, and Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE) questions.

Confirmed Tribal Organization Co-Hosts: USET SPF, Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Association (GPTCA), Midwest Alliance of Sovereign Tribes (MAST)

Treasury attendees: Noyo Poel, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Development; Vikram Viswathanan, Senior Advisor (HAF); Fatima Abbas, Treasury Senior Advisor (Tribal)

Login Details: To add this session your calendar, please click here. Click here to join the Zoom Meeting.

Meeting ID: 898 6385 6322

Passcode: 444695

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Meeting ID: 898 6385 6322

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