News you can use

U. S. health officials to visit Fort Belknap, Rocky Boy

A branch of the federal agency charged with health promotion for the Native American population is holding its biannual meeting on the Hi-Line this week.

The Tribal Counci l Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met in Havre this morning before setting out for an on-site visit and meetings at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

The committee will meet at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation Tuesday and will meet again in Havre Wednesday.

According to the CDC website, the committee advises the directors of the center and its sister agency, the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, on policy issues and strategies that affect American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and peoples.

The committee meets with representatives of American Indian and Alaskan Native groups to discuss how agencies can work to improve health conditions. It holds consultation sessions and a biannual consultation sessions.

The first session each year is hosted by CDC in Atlanta, with the second hosted by a tribe.

That second consultation started this morning with the committee meeting in Havre at the Great Northern Best Western Hotel with a representative of Fort Belknap scheduled to open the session with a prayer.

After a short session, the group was set to drive to Fort Belknap at 10 a.m. to meet with the Tribal council and then tour the Zortman-Landusky mine site.

At 4 p.m. the committee is scheduled to discuss public health issues at the Beaver Creek Youth Camp near Lodge Pole. Topics at that meeting will include environmental issues, environmental health issues, suicide, cancer, diabetes and safety.

The committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday at Rocky Boy, to discuss issues including the recent flooding that led to a July 10 presidential disaster declaration at the reservation and on Hill County.

The discussion will include emergency preparedness and how CDC can assist in the recovery process.

Other topics Tuesday include environmental health, cancer, substance abuse, mental health, behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, prescription drug use and abuse,, access to care and preventative health care, and access to cultural approaches to care.

Wednesday the committee is scheduled to meet at the Student Union Building Ballroom at Montana State University-Northern at 8 a.m. to conduct its biannual business meeting.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 03/09/2024 04:09