United South & Eastern Tribes

NIHB First Quarter Board Meeting and Annual Meeting
2023-03-07 - 2023-03-09
NIHB First Quarter Board Meeting and Annual Meeting
March 7-9, 2023
Washington, DC
More information coming soon.

Office of Indian Economic Development Webinar: Pathways to Native Business Plan Development and Sustainability
2023-03-07 13:00 - 14:30, 2023-03-09 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Virtual Event
Interested in launching or growing your Native business? Join a two-part virtual series on Native entrepreneurship presented by the Office of Indian Economic Development and the Administration for Native Americans.
March 7 at 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern
Part 1: Business Plan Development

Prepare for business plan development
Eight essential components for developing a business plan
Business development assistance and mentor opportunities

March 9 at 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern
Part 2: Business Sustainability

Plan for business sustainability
Business growth concepts and strategies
Business plan development & sustainability resource toolkits

Register

HUD Tribal Consultation on Section 184 Program Proposed Rule
2023-03-07 14:30 - 16:00 | United States
HUD Tribal Consultation on Section 184 Program Proposed Rule
In conjunction with the National American Indian Housing Council’s (NAIHC) 2023 Legislative Conference, the Department of Housing and Urban Development is hosting a Tribal consultation on a proposed rule to update the Section 184 program regulations. Registration for the NAIHC 2023 Legislative Conference is not required to attend the HUD consultation.
Details regarding this upcoming consultation are as follows—

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 7, 2023 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm ET
Location: Hilton Washington, DC Capitol Hill

The proposed rule on the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee Program can be viewed by clicking here. For more information, please refer to HUD’s Office of Native American Programs website by clicking here. Questions regarding this consultation should be directed to deana.k.ohara@hud.gov.

Sacred Stories: Indigenous-Led Conservation of Lands and Waterways
2023-03-07 16:00 - 18:00
Native Americans in Philanthropy, Center for American Progress, and Biodiversity Funders Group invite you to a special event on March 7th at 5:30pm. Doors will open for refreshments at 5:00pm.
Please join us to hear from Native leaders from Santa Clara Pueblo and Nez Perce Tribe working at the critical intersection of climate, conservation, and land management, as well as an opening blessing by traditional singers and drummers.
Native Americans in Philanthropy and the Center for American Progress are working together to support a conservation agenda driven by Indigenous traditional ecological leadership and storied knowledge of our lands and waterways. In November 2022, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Biden Administration awarded an historic number of grants to Indigenous-led conservation projects and Tribal Nations as part of the America the Beautiful Challenge, which were leveraged with funding from NAP’s Tribal Conservation Fund with support from Biodiversity Funders Group members. These Native leaders are doing innovative and critical work that draws on long-held knowledge and conservation practices that can help restore our lands and mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Doors will open at 5:00pm for drinks and hors d’eouvres. Drinks and appetizers will also be served following the program’s conclusion.
RSVP for the event
Date: March 7, 2023
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 pm ET
Center for American Progress
1333 H St NW, Washington DC

Improving the care of Indigenous people with cancer: Staffing and teamwork matters
2023-03-08 08:00 | Virtual Event
Join Emma Taylor, Research Officer, Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH), for a free educational webinar discussing ‘Improving the care of Indigenous people with cancer: Staffing and teamwork matters’ taking place on Wednesday, March 8th, at 9 a.m.
Additional speakers include:

Sandra Thompson, Professor of Rural Health at the University of Western Australia and Director of WACRH
Lennelle Papertalk, Research Assistant and Community Engagement Project Officer, Western Australian Centre for Rural Health (WACRH)
Leanne Pilkington, Senior Program Officer with Aboriginal Health Strategy at South Metropolitan Health Service and Chair of the Cancer Council WA Aboriginal Advisory Group

This webinar series hosted by Roswell Park’s Center for Indigenous Cancer Research will feature various experts and topics that are most important to Indigenous communities.
Visit RoswellPark.org/CICRwebinars to register for this upcoming webinar or view past webinars.

IHS Tribal Consultation on Health IT Modernization
2023-03-08 12:30 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
As part of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Health Information Technology (IT) Modernization Program, you are invited to join a series of four Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer(TC/UC) sessions in calendar year 2023 on Health IT Modernization.
These are important and timely meetings for IHS to ask questions and get your feedback. During the first event, Preparing for Change, scheduled for March 8, the IHS will provide an overview of milestones and accomplishments of the Health IT Modernization Program and seek your feedback on change readiness, what the IHS could be doing to support organizations and individuals, and what facilities can be doing to prepare for an electronic health record modernization.
Attendees can register for the sessions in advance through the links below. After registering, attendees will receive an e-mail with a link to the web conference and audio call-in numbers. Please register and join these sessions.
For added convenience, the registration links below will be posted on the IHS Event Calendar. In addition, timely reminders for upcoming TC/UC events will be sent out by e-mail from IHS Area Offices and posted on the new IHS Updates web page.

Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
Registration link
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
Registration link
Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
Registration link
Wednesday, November 8, 2023 at 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern
Registration link

WRITTEN COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Please send your comments and
recommendations on Health IT Modernization within 30 days following each session.
By E-MAIL to consultation@ihs.gov or urbanconfer@ihs.gov — SUBJECT LINE: Health IT
Modernization.
If you have questions, please contact Mr. Mitchell Thornbrugh, Chief Information Officer, IHS,
by telephone at (240) 620-3117, or by e-mail at mitchell.thornbrugh@ihs.gov.

bi-weekly White House Health Community Engagement Call
2023-03-08 13:30 | Virtual Event
Bi-Weekly on Wednesdays at 2:30 pm Eastern
Register.

State of Native Agriculture Address
2023-03-09 12:00 | Virtual Event
Virtual Broadcast on March 9, 12 p.m. CT
The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) invites farmers, ranchers, producers, Tribal leaders, and community members to the inaugural State of Native Agriculture Address. Broadcast on March 9 at 12:00 p.m. CT, this is the first virtual event of its kind highlighting the current state of Tribal agricultural economies and the leadership of the Native American producers and Tribes revitalizing our economies, feeding our people, and building our future for generations to come.
“This is an essential time for elevating the priorities for Tribes and Native producers as Indian Country continues to strengthen Tribal food sovereignty, food security, and agriculture infrastructure. This broadcast aims to showcase the diversity and the growing economic impact of Tribal agricultural systems throughout rural America. This is Native agriculture in action, this is Indian Country helping ourselves and our neighbors,” says Toni Stanger-McLaughlin, NAAF CEO.
Broadcast
This broadcast will be featured on the Native American Agriculture Fund YouTube Channel, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Sign up below for reminders before March 9.
Reminders

Virtual Women Veterans Outreach Symposium
2023-03-09 12:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) – Outreach, Transition and Economic Development (OTED) would like to invite you to our Virtual Women Veterans Outreach Symposium.
This symposium will feature speakers who will provide information on benefits, services, and resources available for the Women Veteran population and those family members, caregivers, survivors, as well as individuals and organizations who support and advocate for them. Additionally, the symposium will educate and empower leaders from women centric organizations, non-profits, and community organizations with benefit and service knowledge that they can utilize to assist our Nation’s Veterans. This symposium will also provide attendees with information on the Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act benefits and claims filing as well as ways to seek additional VA support.
Date: Thursday, March 9, 2023
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. (EST)
Location: WebEx Virtual Platform
Link to Join
Join by Phone: 1-404-397-1596, Access Code: [REDACTED] 919 1060
Audience: Women Veterans Nationwide, Service members, Family Members, Caregivers, Survivors, VA Staff and Outreach Coordinators, Veteran Advocates, National Association of County Veteran Service Officers (NACVSO), National Association State Department of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA) and Veteran Service Organizations (VSO).
Please send any questions to the OTED National Outreach Mailbox.
We look forward to you joining us,
Outreach, Transition and Economic Development (OTED)

USET Infectious Disease ECHO
2023-03-10 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
We invite you and your staff to participate in the new Infectious Disease ECHO. This ECHO is merging the COVID-19 and Hepatitis C ECHOs and will focus on a different topic every month. This ECHO will also include COVID-19 and influenza updates for the USET Region. Additionally, clinical cases are encouraged to be submitted to gain insight into healthcare recommendations from other medical providers working in the field. This no-cost telehealth series will be held throughout 2023 on the second Friday of every month at 11:00 am Central/12:00 pm Eastern.
Each session will be one hour in length that will provide an opportunity for participants to:

Learn about emerging infectious diseases
Gain skills on treating different infectious diseases
Continue to stay up to date on COVID-19

Who should attend? Tribal Nation health directors, clinic staff, physicians, nurses, Tribal Epidemiology Center staff, and anyone supporting Tribal Nation citizens through the health sector are welcome to join.
Registration: Register in advance for the session. You ONLY need to register ONCE for the series. Once you register, you can download the reminder to your calendar with the Zoom information.
2023 First Quarter Topics:

January 20: Streptococcal Pharyngitis
February 10: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Influenza
March 10: HIV/AIDS and Women’s Reproductive Health

Continuing Education: This activity will offer CE credits for a variety of professionals. More information will be provided at a later date.

For questions, please contact Gabbie Niski, USET THPS Infectious Disease Program Manager at gniski@usetinc.org or Bryan Hendrix, USET THPS Quality Improvement Data Analyst, at bhendrix@usetinc.org.

Center for Domestic Preparedness: Tribal Nations Training Week
2023-03-11 - 2023-03-18
The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) will host the 8th Annual Tribal Nations Training Week the week of March 11 – 18, 2023 on the CDP campus in Anniston, AL. Registration is open. CDP training is completely funded for state, local, Tribal, and territorial emergency responders to include roundtrip airfare, meals, lodging, training, and any equipment required during training. The list of classes and additional information for this training week are listed below.
All personnel who work in an emergency response capacity and are affiliated with one or more Tribal Nations, Indian Health Service (IHS) and those who work directly with Tribal Nations are authorized to attend.
Visit the CDP Website to complete the online registration. Remember your FEMA SID number and password, you will need this throughout the registration process, leading up to your attendance, and while attending training.
Should you have any questions, please contact David Hall, CDP Eastern Region and Tribal Nations Training Coordinator at David.Hall@fema.dhs.gov or 866-213-9546.

Department of Homeland Securty 8th Annual Tribal Nations Training Week
2023-03-11 - 2023-03-18
The Tribal Nations Training Week will be held March 11-18, 2023 on the CDP campus in Anniston, AL. This training is completely funded for emergency responders associated with one or more Tribal Nations, Indian Health Services and those who work directly with Tribal Nations to include roundtrip airfare, meals, lodging, training and any equipment required during training.
See the announcement for more information.

HHS FY 2024 Budget Briefing
2023-03-13 13:00 | Virtual Event
Monday, March 13 at 2:00 pm
Register
Press Release | March 9, 2023 | HHS Releases President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Proposed Budget
Please join the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR) for a briefing on the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget announced by President Biden.
The Biden-Harris Administration today released the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2024. The budget details a blueprint to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out, lower costs for families, protect and strengthen Medicare and Social Security, and reduce the deficit by ensuring the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share—all while ensuring no one making less than $400,000 per year pays more in taxes.
The HHS budget makes critical, targeted investments in the American people that will improve health and well-being and promote greater prosperity and economic growth for decades to come. Specifically, these investments will address urgent needs to lower drug costs, bolster public health preparedness, improve the health and well-being of children and seniors, make child care affordable, expand access to health care, increase the health care workforce, and advance research underlying medicine, public health, and social services. The proposed HHS budget includes $144.3 billion in discretionary funding and $1.7 trillion in mandatory funding for FY 2024. The proposed HHS budget also extends the solvency of Medicare’s Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund by at least 25 years without cutting benefits or provider payments.

TRIBAL ECONOMIC & TAX REFORM ADVOCACY ALLIANCE (TETRAA) STRATEGY SUMMIT
2023-03-14 - 2023-03-15 | United States
WASHINGTON, D.C.
MARCH 14-15, 2023
9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
IGA Conference Room
Agenda
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8186199235
Meeting ID: 818 619 9235
One tap mobile:
+16469313860,,8186199235# US|
+13017158592,,8186199235# US (Washington DC)
Questions:
Henry Cagey, Lummi Nation Council, at henryc@lummi-nsn.gov
Robert Odawi Porter, at rob@capitolhillpolicygroup.com

IHS Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC)
2023-03-14 - 2023-03-15 | Virtual Event
The TLDC meets quarterly to discuss chronic disease issues and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. The TLDC meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 14, 2023 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm EST, and Wednesday, March 15, 2023 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm EST. More information can be found on the IHS website.

IHS National TAC on Behavioral Health Quarterly Meeting
2023-03-15 12:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
IHS National TAC on Behavioral Health Quarterly Meeting: The IHS NTAC on Behavioral Health will be holding its first quarterly meeting of 2023 on March 15 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm Eastern. The session is open to the public with participation limited to the NTAC members. Access to the meeting via Zoom will be available HERE.

Office of Indian Education Webinar: Helping Native Youth Succeed through Family and Community Engagement
2023-03-15 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
March 15 at 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern
Register
The White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHI TCU), along with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Labor, is hosting a virtual four-part dialogue series that addresses multiple topics that impact employment for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
This virtual dialogue, the second in the series, provides perspectives from Native individuals (including youth) on the values of community-driven solutions in supporting Native students with disabilities. According to the 2019 National Indian Education Study (NIES), 17% of Native American fourth and eighth graders identified as students with disabilities. In less than a decade, most of these students will matriculate into secondary and post-secondary educational and career environments. We’re all invested in the effort to support Native students with disabilities and to ensure they have access to gainful employment opportunities across all levels of the tribal, federal, state, and local workforce. Speakers from various tribal nations will explore culturally informed strategies that help address the lack of community-driven approaches that often fall short in addressing the needs of Native youth.
Event Objectives:

To gain contextual awareness of national educational statistics of fourth and eighth graders who identify as Native American students with disabilities.
To learn about the value of community-driven solutions, particularly those that center around and empower the role of Native American families caring for students with disabilities.
To cultivate a deeper understanding of community practices in order to help participants mitigate their own bias towards believing “best practices” fit all Native communities.
To increase the visibility of Native American students who have disabilities.

Previous Dialogues:
Mental Health within Native Communities: A Story of Resilience, Recovery, and Employment

FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation Webinar - Peer Exchange for Highway Safety Specialist
2023-03-15 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Date: March 15, 2023
Time: 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (Eastern Time)
Description: A panel will share their experience as a Highway Safety Specialist and the benefits the position has produced. This may inspire other Tribes to consider establishing a similar position using the Indian Highway Safety Program (IHSP) grant funding. Panelists will share what they have done for the tribe they work for.
Presenter(s):

Adam Larsen, TTP Safety Program Manager, FHWA Office of Tribal Transportation
Erica Weston, Highway Safety Specialist, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
HollyAnna DeCoteau Littlebull, Traffic Safety Coordinator, Yakama Nation Department of Natural Resources Engineering
Matty Rams, Highway Safety Specialist, Miccosukee Police Department
Nicole Ahlem, former Traffic Safety Coordinator, Colville Confederated Tribes Department of Public Safety
Kimberly Belone, BIA Indian Highway Safety Program

Registration is not necessary. Connection information is available at https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/programs-tribal/webinars (-> nticc.us13.list-manage.com)

Webinar for The National Electric Vehicle Initiative for Tribal Nations
2023-03-15 14:00 - 15:30 | Virtual Event
You are invited to join the Economic Development, Energy, and Infrastructure Committee of the White House Council on Native American Affairs to discuss the National Electric Vehicle Initiative for Tribal Nations on Wednesday, March 15, from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm Eastern.
This meeting will provide an overview of this new initiative to ensure that Tribal Nations are part of the EV future of the country. The meeting will include an overview of the federal resources for EV development to be equitably shared and supportive of Tribal economies towards the physical buildout of a national EV network that includes Tribal lands and Native communities. This meeting will be facilitated and hosted by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals’ Tribal Clean Transportation Program.
This event is free and open to the public on Wednesday, March 15, from 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm ET. You can register and attend by clicking here.

HHS Bi-Weekly Briefing on Monkeypox
2023-03-16 13:00 | Virtual Event
Date Bi-weekly on Thursdays
Time 2:00 PM EST
Zoom Link RSVP Here
Please join the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, the White House National mpox Response team, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) for a mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) briefing every other Thursday at 2:00 PM EST.

virtual White House Native Women Symposium Series on Economic Development
2023-03-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Virtual Event
Thursday, March 16, at 2:00 PM Eastern and Thursday March 23, at 2:00 PM Eastern
Session One: Biden-Harris Economic Development Initiatives
Date: March 16th, 2023
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM ET
Registration Link: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_hSQbhYoSQYOqYBK_fqj-ag (-> whitehouse.us10.list-manage.com)
Session Two: Native Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses
Date: March 23rd, 2023
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM ET
Registration Link: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_gsVq_Fm_SwKShDKl495PJg (-> whitehouse.us10.list-manage.com)
You are invited to join the virtual White House Native Women Symposium Series on Economic Development this Thursday, March 16, at 2:00 PM ET and next Thursday March 23, at 2:00 PM ET.

The economic development session will be split into two days focused on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Tribal economic development initiatives and on Native entrepreneurs and small businesses.

This is the fourth and final session of the White House Native Women Symposium Series. In 2022, the White House held three sessions covering the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, health issues (maternal health, mental health, and social determinants of health), and Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.

As part of the Economic Development session, we will bring together federal officials, business leaders, Tribal leaders, and organizations to discuss economic development priorities of Tribal enterprises, Native small businesses, entrepreneurs, and spotlight critical issues facing Native women business leaders.

HHS Tribal Consultation on New Strategy for Tribal Nations to Access the Strategic National Stockpile
2023-03-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
HHS Tribal Consultation on New Strategy for Tribes to Access the Strategic National Stockpile
On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14001 on a Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain, which directs actions to secure supplies necessary for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future public health emergencies. In response, a working group led by the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) reviewed recommendations received during Tribal Consultation in the fall of 2021 to develop the attached draft plan (Link EO 14001 pdf). As part of this new round of Tribal consultation (link DTLL), Tribal leaders are invited to a virtual consultation on March 20, 2023, at 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET. You can register HERE. Written comments can be submitted to consultation@hhs.gov by April 24, 2023.

IHS Tribal Consultation - Improving Access to Supplies from Federal Partners
2023-03-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Virtual Event
Monday, March 20 at 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Central/2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern
Register
On February 6, 2023, the Indian Health Service (IHS) initiated tribal consultation on Executive Order (EO) 14001 “A Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain,” to gather input and comments on draft recommendations for improving the process for federally recognized tribal governments, IHS health care providers, Tribal Health Programs, and Urban Indian Organizations. As part of this Tribal Consultation, they welcome input on the following questions:

Do the recommendations in the attached document describe processes that improve the ability of federally recognized Tribal governments, IHS providers, THPs, and Urban Indian Organizations to request and obtain timely and effective access to medical supplies held in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and other Federal stockpiles when needed during the pandemic or other future large-scale public health emergency?

Are there gaps or issues in the request processes described in the attached recommendations that must be addressed to enable federally recognized Tribal governments, IHS providers, THPs, and Urban Indian Organizations to obtain timely and effective access to medical supplies held in the SNS and other Federal stockpiles, when needed during a pandemic or other future large-scale public health emergency?

What further recommendations do you have to improve the processes through which federally recognized Tribal governments, IHS providers, THPs, and Urban Indian Organizations can request assistance to obtain timely and effective access to medical supplies held in the SNS and other Federal stockpiles, when needed during a pandemic or other future large-scale public health emergency?

Please make plans to join and share your recommendations during this virtual session and/or send written comments and recommendations to us at consultation@ihs.gov by Monday, April 24, 2023, with the Subject Line: Access to Federal Medical Supplies
Who Should Attend: Tribal Leaders, Tribal Health Administrators, Tribal Public Health Staff

Tribal Land Staff National Conference
2023-03-21 - 2023-03-23
Please join the National Tribal Land Association for the 12th Tribal Land Staff National Conference in 2023. This special gathering will be held March 21-23, 2023 at the beautiful Pechanga Resort Casino in Southern California. Don’t miss out on the many unique learning opportunities available on site, as well as the chance to network with your fellow professionals from across Indian Country. The conference theme is:
Preserving and Adapting in the 21st Century
The conference will include more than two dozen sessions that will highlight this year’s theme. Conference sessions always invoke great discussions for participants, and offer a high-quality learning experience. Sessions will include such topics as:

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Economic development
Land appraisals
Agriculture
HEARTH Act
Broadband
Much more

The Tribal Land Staff National Conference is the premier education and networking event for tribal land professionals from across Indian Country. Register now for this special event.
Visit www.ntla.info for more information on the conference and to register.

Southeast Tribal Emergency Management Planning Workshop
2023-03-21 - 2023-03-23 | Hampton Inn Clewiston, 305 W Sugarland Highway, Clewiston, FL, 33440, United States
Southeast Tribal Emergency Management Planning Workshop
presented by
United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) Office of Environmental Resource Management (OERM) and
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

What: USET would like to invite you and your staff to attend the Southeast Tribal Emergency Management Planning Workshop. The USET Climate Change Program and the USDA APHIS have partnered up to offer a regionally focused workshop that will introduce federally recognized Tribal Nations to USDA APHIS programs and opportunities. The workshop will focus on presentations and regional Tribal case study examples related to Emergency Response Planning Documents (ERPs). APHIS subject matter experts will also utilize interactive learning sessions to discuss regionally prioritized issues and concerns of animal and plant health.
USET will follow Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tribal, federal, and state public health guidelines and updates regarding COVID-19. In order to ensure the safety of Tribal Nation citizens, our staff, and our partners we will monitor the transmission rates for the county of the event and make virtual participation accommodations upon request.

When:

March 20: Recommended travel day
March 21: Workshop from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern
March 22: Workshop from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern
March 23: Workshop from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern, optional travel home in the evening
March 24: Recommended travel day

Where: Hampton Inn, Clewiston, 305 W Sugarland Hwy, Clewiston, FL 33440
Upon registration, USET will provide your name to the Hampton Inn to reserve your room. When checking into the hotel, participants must provide an ID and a credit card for incidentals.
USET will cover hotel and room tax for USET Tribal Leaders, Tribal citizens, and staff of USET Tribal Nations/Tribal organizations on a first come-first served basis. Participants are responsible for incidental charges, per diem, and travel costs to and from the event.
Recommended Airports:

Palm Beach International Airport: 62 miles/~1.25 hours to the Hampton Inn-Clewiston, FL
Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport: 78 miles/~1.25 hours to the Hampton Inn-Clewiston, FL
Fort Myers International Airport: 70 miles/~1.25 hours to the Hampton Inn-Clewiston

Who should attend?

Tribal agricultural, natural resources, and environmental professionals.
Tribal emergency response teams.

Space is limited, and priority will be given to USET member Tribal Nations.

Draft Agenda

Participants will:

Learn about APHIS programs and funding opportunities for your Tribal Nation
Take part in APHIS training sessions related to emergency response planning
Learn about the 2018 Farm Bill funding opportunities and the application process
Engage in Q&A sessions with APHIS representatives on the above mentioned items

Registration is limited so register today!.

COVID Protocols (as of 9/15/2022, subject to change):
The USET Tribal Epidemiology Center (USET TEC) is a recognized public health authority supported by the Tribal Nations within the USET region. Throughout the course of the COVID pandemic, we have relied on their expertise to guide us to ensure for the overall safety, health, and wellness for our members, staff, and event attendees. As the impacts of COVID have evolved, we have continued to assess our protocols to ensure that they remain reflective of the current status of the pandemic. Today, we are announcing the following updates to the USET sponsored meeting COVID protocols:
USET/USET SPF Sponsored Meetings

Up to date* vaccinated attendees will not be required to mask and can fully engage without restrictions. Vaccinated attendees will provide proof of up-to-date status via self-attestation. Daily testing is strongly encouraged.
Unvaccinated attendees, or attendees not up to date, will be allowed to attend, but will be required to:

Wear a KN-95 or N-95 mask, or
Test negative within 24 hours of the event AND also test negative daily, if the meeting is for extended days

As part of our public heath authority responsibilities, we will continue to provide education, offer PPE, rapid tests, and continue to strongly encourage best practices. Additionally, for USET/USET SPF meetings hosted by member Tribal Nations, we will continue to comply with the COVID protocols that each set for their respective nation. While these protocols have changed to better reflect the current state of the pandemic, updated booster shots, and availability of treatments options, the USET TEC strongly recommends ongoing caution due to the health disparities that exist across Indian Country.
*Please note that up-to-date means that the primary series has been received and any current boosters (if eligible and/or available) have been administered.

Questions?
For questions related to this event, please contact either Tyler Everett, USET OERM Forest Adaptation Technical Assistant, or Casey Thornbrugh, USET OERM NE & SE Tribal Climate Science Liaison.

DOS, DOI, EPA Virtual Listening Session on Indigenous Peoples Conservation Advisory Network
2023-03-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Event
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
More information about the Indigenous Peoples Conservation Advisory Network
March 21 at 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern
Zoom link
March 22 at 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Eastern
Zoom link
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, working with the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will hold virtual listening sessions for the creation of an Indigenous Peoples Conservation Advisory Network {IP-CAN) on Tuesday, March 21 from 3:00-5:00 pm EDT and Wednesday, March 22 from 3:00-5:00pm EDT. The objective of IP-CAN is to support the leadership of Indigenous Peoples in their conservation, restoration, and sustainable management efforts in terrestrial (including inland waters), coastal, and ocean ecosystems. They intend this to be a global consultation that is Indigenous-led and responsive to input.
The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution are having a profound impact on Indigenous Peoples world-wide. As stewards of much of the world’s natural resources, the participation, empowerment, and protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide are critical to global efforts to address these crises. Indigenous knowledge, customary practices, and traditions have a key role to play in designing solutions, and must be respected, valued, and protected. The United States seeks to play a leadership role in promoting the rights and empowerment of Indigenous Peoples’ world-wide. The U.S. Department of State along with their interagency partners are proposing a global Indigenous Peoples Conservation Advisory Network that will support Indigenous Peoples as critical partners in addressing these global challenges. They are seeking input and perspectives from U.S. Tribal leaders to inform development of IP-CAN prior to our international consultations.
You are invited to participate in a virtual listening session on March 21, 2023 or March 22, 2023. Please send any questions to tribalconsultation@state.gov. March 22 will be open to Tribal Organizations, Alaska Native Corporations, and Native Hawaiian communities. Listening sessions will be recorded.
Proposed questions:
1) What are the global challenges and opportunities for conservation facing Indigenous Peoples, from your perspective?
2) What are the programs, policies, or activities that should accompany setting 30×30 targets so that achieving these targets will help advance Indigenous-led conservation?
3) How best can the Biden Administration develop co-stewardship agreements with your tribes/tribal communities to advance Indigenous-led conservation and restoration efforts, as aligned with the America the Beautiful goals and principles and other Administration directives?
4) How should a global advisory network on Indigenous-led conservation and the 30×30 target be structured and implemented to make it useful and effective?
5) Do you engage on these topics with Indigenous communities in other countries through any existing networks? Would a global advisory network be redundant with those existing networks, or could it be leveraged to improve coordination across them?
6) Where do you see opportunities to integrate Indigenous Knowledge into Federal conservation efforts and what are challenges to achieving this integration?

Tribal Consultation on draft HHS Tribal Consultation Policy
2023-03-22 | United States
Tribal Consultation Policy DTLL
HHS Tribal Consultation Policy REDLINE
HHS Tribal Consultation Policy CLEAN

On January 26, 2021, President Biden issued a Presidential Memorandum on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening the Nation-to-Nation Relationships that requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a detailed plan for implementing Executive Order 13175,
which charges all executive departments and agencies to engage in regular, meaningful, and robust consultation with tribal officials In the development of federal policies that have Tribal implications. In response, HHS initiated Tribal Consultation, holding six virtual regional Tribal
Consultations:

HHS Regions 1, 2, 3, and 4 on March 22, 2021
HHS Region 5 on March 22, 2021
HHS Region 7 and 8 on March 23, 2021
HHS Region 6 on March 24, 2021
HHS Region 9 on March 24, 2021
HHS Region 10 on March 25, 2021

HHS also received over fifty written comments and recommendations to update the current HHS Tribal Consultation Policy. HHS takes its responsibility to consult with tribal governments seriously and has been working in partnership with tribal leaders on the Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC) to incorporate tribal recommendations into an updated HHS Tribal Consultation Policy. Enclosed you will find: a redline version that demonstrates all proposed changes, and a clean version that incorporates all proposed changes into a draft version of the Tribal Consultation Policy.

CMS Webinar | Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: What to Know and How to Prepare Partner Education
2023-03-22 11:00 - 12:00 | Virtual Event
March 22, 2023 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Eastern
RSVP (Zoom link will be provided following registration)
Join the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for the March 22nd Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: What to Know and How to Prepare partner education webinar. Topics discussed during this month’s webinar will include:

A review of recently released CMS Unwinding resources to help partners with their outreach efforts
An extended Q&A session with CMS experts to address questions related to Medicaid renewals and terminations, Medicaid to Marketplace transitions, Medicaid to Medicare transitions, communication and outreach strategies, and more

ezFedGrant (eFG) for Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) webinar series
2023-03-22 12:00 | Virtual Event
USDAs’ Animal Plant Health Inspections Service (APHIS) has provided funding opportunities for Tribal Nations, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities. Most of the funding opportunities are made available through the ezFedGrant (eFG) system. The system is sometimes hard to navigate and may not seem user-friendly. The Office of National Tribal Liaison would like to formally invite you to ezFedGrant (eFG) for Tribal Nations, Tribal Organizations, and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU) webinar series. The series is broken down into four modules:

Module 1 – Introduction to ezFedGrant: March 22 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 2 – Accessing ezFedGrant: March 29 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 3 – What happens after selection and award: April 12 at 1:00 pm Eastern
Module 4 – Amendments, closeouts, and recap: April 19 at 1:00 pm Eastern

ONTL is providing this opportunity so tribes can learn how to access and navigate the system, so Tribes can be better equipped to apply for funding opportunities through APHIS. Below you will find the registration link and webinar link.
Registration Link
Web Join URL
Meeting ID: 161 031 6583
Meeting Password: *$Q37ZKk
Dial-in information: 669-254-5252 | 646-828-7666
Contact information: Denise.Salvetti@usda.gov
