Department of Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting

July 26-28, 2010

Minutes of the Meeting
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Table of Contents Page

Acronyms 3

Monday July 26, 2010

Site Visit to Ft. Belknap 5

Tuesday July 27, 2010

Site Visit to Rocky Boy’s Reservation 6

Wednesday July 28, 2010

Call to Order, Welcome, Introductions 8

Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (OSTLTS) Update and Dialogue 8

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Process & Tribal Public Health Profile 21

CDC Budget Updates and Discussion of Options / Opportunities for Tribes to Influence CDC’s Budget Planning Process 23

Overview of Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Control 33

Sustained Funding of Tribal Tobacco Support Centers 36

Injury Prevention and Control: Motor Vehicle Safety 39

Youth Obesity 40

Updates Related to Maternal and Child Health Following H1N1 Influenza 46

TCAC Administrative Matters 49

Wrap-Up / Adjournment 58

Participant Roster 59
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Acronyms 

AAIHB Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board 

AAP American Academy of Pediatrics 

AATCHB Aberdeen Area Tribal Chairman’s Health Board 

ACD Advisory Committee to the Director

AI / AN American Indian / Alaskan Native

ARRA American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 

ASTHO Association of State and Territorial Health Officials

ATS Adult Tobacco Survey 

ATSDR Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

BIA Bureau of Indian Affairs 

BLM / DEQ Bureau of Land Management / Department of Environmental Quality 

BMI Body Mass Index

CCCP Colorectal Cancer Control Program 

CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CMS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 

CPPW Communities Putting Prevention to Work 

CRIHB California Rural Indian Health Board 

CSTE Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 

DC District of Columbia 

DCPC Division of Cancer Prevention and Control 

DDT Division of Diabetes Translation 

DEOC Director’s Emergency Operations Center 

DFO Designated Federal Official

DNPAO Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity 

DPHCD Division of Public Health Capacity Development 

DPHPI Division of Public Health Performance Improvement 

DRH Division of Reproductive Health

DUIP Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention

EOCs Emergency Operation Center 

FACA Federal Advisory Committee Act 

FMO Financial Management Office

FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement 

GPRA Government Performance and Results Act 

HECAT Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool 

HHS Health and Human Services 

HO Health Official 

IHS Indian Health Service 

ILI influenza like illness 

IOM Institute of Medicine 

MAPPS Media, Access, Point-of-Purchase / Promotion, Price, and Social Support and Services

MASO Management Analysis and Services Office 

MCHB Maternal and Child Health Branch

MOU Memorandum of Understanding 

NACCHO National Association of County and City Health Officials

NBCCDP National Breast and Cervical Cancer Detection Program 

NCAI National Congress of American Indians 

NCCDPHP National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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NCIPC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 

NHTSA National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

NIH National Institutes of Health 

NIHB National Indian Health Board

NNCTAPN National Native Commercial Tobacco Prevention Abuse Network 

NTCP National Tobacco Control Program 

OFEA Office of Formulation, Evaluation, and Analysis 

OGC Office of General Council 

OSH Office on Smoking and Health 

OSTLTS Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support 

PECAT Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool 

PHAP Public Health Apprentice Program 

POC Point of Contact 

PPACA Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act 

PRAMS Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 

PSAs Public Service Announcements 

REACH Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health 

RPMS Resource and Patient Information System 

RWJ Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 

SAMHSA Substance Abuse Health and Services Administration 

SHI School Health Index

SME Subject Matter Expert

TCAC Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee

TSCs Tribal Support Centers 

WHO World Health Organization 

YRBS Youth Risk Behavioral Survey
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)

Tribal Consultation Session

Minutes of the Meeting

July 26-28, 2010

Monday July 26, 2010

The TCAC meeting convened at 7:45am. Co-Chairs Kathy Hughes and Chester Antone each 

offered opening remarks, welcoming the group to Havre, Montana. Mr. Tracy ―Ching‖ King, 

President of the Fort Belknap Indian Community, then led the group in an opening prayer. 

Though not all areas were represented, it was established there was a quorum, so the meeting 

could officially continue. Loren "Bum" Stiffarm, Fort Belknap Chief Administrative Officer, made 

brief remarks, orienting the group to the day's agenda and logistics. TCAC members then 

shared updates on regional activities. Kathy Hughes officially adjourned the meeting at 10:00 

am.

The group then traveled by bus to Fort Belknap, approximately 43 miles, and reassembled in 

the Tribal Council Chambers. There, the group was welcomed by the Fort Belknap Council and 

President Tracy ―Ching‖ King. 

Les Cramer, Eagles Watch Organization, presented a portion of his film, documenting the 

environmental situation in the Zortman / Landusky mining area. 

The group was escorted to Swift Gulch, part of the Zortman / Landusky mining area for a tour. 

There, Chris Rye, a representative of the Bureau of Land Management and Geology in 

Lewistown, Montana walked the TCAC assembly through a tour of the water treatment solution 

currently in place in the stream, running from the mining area onto the reservation. He reported 

that the naturally occurring iron seeping became apparent around 1998, making the rocks 

appear orange in color. They are treating the water with lime to increase the pH balance, 

aerating it, and collecting it in ponds to allow the iron to settle out. The filtered water seeps into 

the ground water and is then reintroduced into the stream. Mr. Rye reported there were high

levels of heavy metals (e.g., zinc, cadmium, and aluminum) in the water, and that those metals 

are also being settled out. The sludge is collected, transported to the top of the hill, and buried 

in the leach pads. No samples have been collected at that site, though there are plans to 

sample next year. Mr. Rye pointed out that metal has been seeping into the water for about 10 

years.

The group traveled upstream to the top of the Zortman / Landusky Mining Area, just off the 

reservation, to a state-of-the-art water treatment facility that serves residents not on the 

reservation. That facility has been in place since 1987.

Site Visit to Fort Belknap
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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From the Zortman / Landusky area, the group traveled to Beaver Creek Youth Ranch where 

tribal members testified to the many health problems facing their population. Many important 

topics were covered in the testimonials:

 Environment / Environmental Health Issues

 Suicide

 Cancer

 Diabetes

 West Nile

 Safety

After the testimonials, the group was treated to a feast, followed by an evening of music and 

dance.

Tuesday July 27, 2010

A meeting for TCAC members and CDC was held on July 27, 2010 at the Rocky Boy Health 

Board. The meeting officially convened at 10:00 am. Jonathan Windy Boy, Vice Chairman, 

Chippewa Cree Tribe Business Committee, Montana State Senator, offered the opening 

remarks and welcomed the entire group to Rocky Boy. Sam Windy Boy, elder, led the group in 

an invocation. 

Captain Pelagie ―Mike‖ Snesrud, Senior Tribal Liaison, CDC, offered opening remarks, 

reiterating CDC's and OSTLTS’ commitment to listen to and attempt to respond to the health 

needs of tribal communities. TCAC Co-chairs Kathy Hughes and Chester Antone were 

introduced. CAPT Snesrud remarked that while CDC has had a close relationship with the 

states, there has been a "disconnect" with cities, counties, and tribes. Over the past 10 years or 

so, CDC has extended a hand to the tribes in an effort to bring them to the table. 

Dr. Judith Monroe, Director OSTLTS, addressed the group, introducing herself and articulating 

the role OSTLTS will play in serving the needs of the tribal communities. Anna Whiting Sorrell, 

Director, Montana Department of Public Health, introduced herself to the group, making clear 

her commitment and the Governor's commitment to serving the tribal population. Lisa Evers, 

Acting Director, Montana Governor's Office of Indian Affairs, introduced herself to the group as 

well. Introductions of the full group were then made. 

Tim Rosette, Assistant CEO, Rocky Boy Health Board, addressed the group, updating everyone 

on the status since the recent flood. He reported that there had been a tremendous loss of 

infrastructure, and that much help is needed. The primary concern is the total loss of Rocky 

Boy's only health care facility, which leaves them unable to provide even basic services. A new 

clinic must be built, and Rocky Boy Health Board is requesting CDC funding to aid in the 

creation of a clinic to serve the reservation.

Site Visit to Rocky Boy’s Reservation
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Ben Murnel, Environmental Engineer, Rock Boy Health Board, concurred with Tim Rosette's 

presentation, clarifying some of the work that has been done to clean up the water and septic 

systems. He reiterated that with the loss of the 56,000 square foot clinic, the 6,000 square foot 

replacement is terribly inadequate. He also requested funds to help with this urgent need.

Vice Chairman Jonathan Windy Boy briefly addressed the need for emergency / disaster 

preparedness. This was followed by a brief discussion regarding how CDC might assemble the 

right type of assistance. The comment was made that IHS simply is not providing the support 

tribes need in this key area.

Kathie Avis, Chief Administrative Officer, Native American Programs / Benefis Health System, 

addressed the group regarding the work of Benefis Health System. She reported on a new 

program where 18 nurses will be trained over a 3-year program. 

Vice Chairman Jonathan Windy Boy addressed the group on the importance of sustaining the 

Indian tradition and culture. 

Videl Stump, Tribal Elder Advisory Committee, concurred with Jonathan Windy Boy's comments 

regarding the importance of the preservation of the culture.

Janet Runnion, Public Health Nurse, Rocky Boy Health Board, spoke about the rise of Hepatitis 

C in the community.

Mike Geboe, Clinical Supervisor at White Sky Hope Center, addressed the group documenting 

the holistic approach they are currently taking to address the problem of teen substance abuse. 

Aaron Morsette, Rocky Boy Health Board, addressed the group to discuss the incidence of 

PTSD and anxiety disorders in the youth population.

Kenny Bradburn from the White Sky Hope Center spoke advocating for a cultural identity 

program to educate the children about the traditional way of tribal life, as a way to reduce the 

numbers of mental health issues.

Lena Belcourt, Self Governance Coordinator for the Rocky Boy Health Board, addressed the 

group with a presentation detailing the enormous issues affecting the community.

Elder Sam Windy Boy spoke to the group about the devastating effects of cross-cultural 

confusion, advocating for a traditional spiritual healing approach.

Closing remarks were made by Vice Chairman Jonathan Windy Boy, who officially adjourned 

the meeting at 4:30 pm.

 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Wednesday July 28, 2010

Kathy Hughes, TCAC Co-Chair

Vice Chairwoman, Oneida Business Committee

Chester Antone, TCAC Co-Chair

Legislative Councilman, Tohono O’odham Nation

Kathy Hughes officially called the meeting to order, welcoming everyone to the beautiful, wide 

open spaces of Montana. She emphasized that there was a long agenda with many 

presentations, and expressed her hope that there would also be a lot of discussion. 

Chester Antone extended his welcome, articulating his hope that they would come away from 

this meeting with a lot of information and that there would be movement forward. He welcomed 

CDC staff, stressing that he hoped this partnership / working relationship between CDC and 

Tribes would continue. 

Ms. Hughes subsequently led those present in a round of introductions. The participant roster 

may be found at the end of this document. 

Judith A. Monroe, MD, FAAFP

Deputy Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Director, Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support

Dr. Monroe presented an overview of the new Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial 

Support (OSTLTS), discussing the following topic areas: OSTLTS’s values, mission, and 

working model; 15 in 12; the proposed organizational structure; OSTLT’s value to its partners, 

the Public Health Apprentice Program (PHAP), and new funding available. With respect to 

values, which came from the OSTLTS staff members, success for this office means

demonstrating the values of service and stewardship internally and externally. The values are 

illustrated in the following graphic: 

3 DRAFT – For Discussion Purposes Only

VALUES

Vision 

Foresight 

Pioneering Aware

Listen 

Communicate

Honesty 

Trust

Integrity

Community 

Focus

Conceptualize Model

Appreciate

Teach

Empower

Encourage

Competent 

Credible

Visible 

Persuasive 

Influential

Office of State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (OSTLTS)

Call to Order, Welcome, and Introductions
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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When Dr. Monroe came in as the new Director, she assembled the staff members to ask them 

what they valued. In the circles are the values that the staff articulated that day. One that 

speaks to her very loudly is that they have to be an office of awareness. She believes they 

need situational awareness just as in preparedness. Because this is a cross-cutting office, the 

more that they know about what is happening in within and across CDC and in the field, the 

better this office can serve everyone to advance health. They will do this by listening and 

communication. Especially in preparedness, communication is incredibly important and it is 

also incredibly difficult. She has never been in an after action review of any disaster or exercise 

in which she has not heard that one of the top three things they could have improved upon was 

communication. It is just the nature of how difficult and complex communication can be. One 

thing Dr. Frieden said to everyone on a national call during the H1N1 pandemic was that the

only thing that spreads faster than the flu are rumors. She thought that was a testimony to how 

difficult communication can be. 

Certainly, honesty, trust, and integrity are important as well. In terms of community focus, there 

is the community within CDC, and there also needs to be a community focus outwardly. They 

all comprise the community that is trying to improve public health. Teaching, appreciating, 

empowering, and encouraging are very important, as are competency, credibility, and visibility. 

The new office needs to be visible. Having been the State Health Official in Indian for five 

years, in a very simple way Dr. Monroe believes that public health needs to be public. This also 

comes back to communication. Great work is done in public health all of the time, but it is not 

visible. When they do their best work, it means that they prevented something. It is difficult to 

make visible the invisible. When deaths are prevention from lack of motor vehicle accidents and

youth never pick up the first cigarette, it is a challenge for public health to make that visible and 

for people to value that. Overall, she thought the success of the office would be to value service 

and stewardship.

OSTLT’s mission statement is simply to improve the capacity and performance of the public 

health system, with improved health outcomes always being the endpoint. Dr. Monroe 

emphasized that she was speaking here across governmental public health for starters. 

Obviously, public health touches all lives, but they system needs to be improved within CDC 

and across all systems (e.g., state, tribal, local, and territorial).

In terms of OSTLT’s working model, the Concept of Operations provides the overarching 

framework and functional foundation for OSTLTS. This includes the concepts of identifying 

standards, policies, and best practices and bringing them to light; validating the relevance, 

quality, and integrity of standards, policies, and best practices; disseminating this information 

across the public health system; and supporting adoption, implementation, and effective 

outcomes in the field, which is critical to success. If the best research / best practices in the 

world are left in the pages of journals or at the podium at a meeting rather than being put into 

action, they are meaningless.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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The efforts the OSTLT staff wants to deliver on in the first year are being called 15 in 12. The 

clock began ticking in March for this effort. The 15 deliverables the staff decided upon include 

the following:

1. Five best practices will be identified and disseminated via state, tribal, local, and territorial 

networks. The first best practice focuses on how health departments are dealing with the 

economic crisis. The first dissemination of that was a couple of weeks prior to this meeting 

at the State Deputy Health Commissioner Meeting. There is a lot of work on-going within 

CDC on this effort. The consensus definition of what constitutes a ―best practice‖ within 

CDC has been a long journey. 

2. Regarding grants standardization and optimization, at least 5 improvements will be identified 

and made to CDC grants process, guidance, approach, or standards. This will be on-going 

work, and there is a lot of work to be done here. At the end of the day, the goal is to achieve 

the greatest impact. Are we getting the best buy and return on investments made by CDC?

3. A Health Officials welcome packet is being developed. A system is in place to recognize 

incoming Health Officials and trigger a welcome packet from OSTLTS. In May 2010, an 

introductory program was done to test the model. This Health Official orientation was done 

differently than past Health Official orientations in order to make it much more engaging. Dr. 

Frieden attended all three days for an hour each day, engaging the Health Officials. The 

bulk of the orientation focused on Dr. Frieden’s six ―winnable battles,‖ and that was very 

engaging. They had a Subject Matter Expert (SME) from CDC talk about the science and 

evidence for what can be done about a particular problem, and then a seasoned Health 

Official who had shown impact within their jurisdiction speak about how they had done that. 

This was followed by open dialogue, which was very robust. They hope to continue to 

improve on this process and widen their invitation for attendees. 

4. The Public Health Apprentice Program (PHAP) has been expanded to add 50 more 

apprentices in 2010, for a total of 75. This program has been in place for a while, but the

numbers had shrunk. This program leads to Public Health Advisors, who have a very long 

and rich history at CDC for the impact that they have had on public health across the nation. 

In terms of the pipeline, those entering the program have to have at least a Bachelor

Degree. When they apply for the program, they are matched to a health department. This 

is an area in which they would love to see more tribal involvement. In July 2010, 65 new 

apprentices started in health departments. Part of their training will be at CDC, and the

entire curriculum and competencies have been revamped. 

5. An STLT Partner Web Portal is under development. Some major strides have been in terms 

of establishing and managing this one-stop information center and service for STLT partners

to gain information and have a two-way conversation. 

6. At the state level, score cards are being developed. Two to three prototypes will be 

developed with health department partners by the third quarter of 2010. These will be sent 

to leadership in states (e.g., Governor, legislators, others) who can have an impact on 

policies to improve health. This will begin by addressing the six winnable battles. They are 

working with others who put out score cards to ensure that this is complementary.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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7. Field training will be developed for and delivered to CDC field staff and the staffs of state 

and local health agencies. Because OSTLTS is a cross-cutting office, it has been charged 

with assuring that field staff are well-trained, and a lot of work is being done in this effort with 

regard to E-Learning to provide access to electronic use of improved and better training.

8. The Health Official Orientation was described with respect to the orientation packet. This redesigned, 2-day orientation to CDC will be provided for all new Health Officials (appointed 

within 2 years). This is still being developed.

9. Public health law falls under the OSTLTS office. It is known that policies can make a major 

difference in health. This office is currently focused on helping with the CDC winnable 

battles and providing public health law support for Communities Putting Prevention to Work

(CPPW) grantees. 

10. A CDC Organizational Resource Directory (CORD) is being developed. This is an external 

portal for STLT public health professionals to be able to reach people within CDC, which is 

complementary to the STLT Partner Web Portal, which is to access information (Seligman 

and SharePoint; not duplicative of anything).

11. An STLT Work Group to the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD) has been 

established. The first meeting is planned for September 2010 in Atlanta. This group will be 

advising the ACD on state, tribal, local, and territorial issues.

12. Completion of a ―beta-test‖ of the national accreditation standards, measures, and site visit 

process is underway. Several tribes have been involved with the beta test. All of the data 

gleaned from that will be utilized over the next year to improve the accreditation process. 

Health departments can become nationally accredited in the Fall of 2011.

13. Develop Version 3 of the National Public Health Performance Standards Program 

assessment and improvement tools for use by state, tribal, and local health departments. 

This program has been used to engage partners. This is anticipated to be a new model and 

much more of engagement tool for the broader partners. Accreditation will be measuring 

the work of the health departments. 

14. Deliver an annual training program to 120 National Public Health Performance Standards 

Program and Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership (MAPPs) users from 

state, tribal, and local health departments.

15. In terms of partnership that CDC funds (e.g., ASTHO, NACCHO, et cetera), improve 

management by increasing performance, improving reporting, and aligning products and 

efforts with priorities. Have the wisest investments been made by CDC and have those 

been aligned properly. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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The proposed division structure of OSTLTS reflects the mission of the Office, with a focus on 

public health performance and capacity. The office will explore and support system-wide 

collaboration for the efficient, effective, and equitable delivery of core public health functions and 

essential services. Dr. Monroe emphasized that the structure was proposed, not approved, at 

this point. The approval of the package that was submitted to the Management Analysis and 

Services Office (MASO) is pending. Two divisions are planned: 1) The Division of Public 

Health Performance Improvement (DPHPI), which will lead standards and best practices 

identification and evaluation activities; and 2) The Division of Public Health Capacity 

Development (DPHCD), which will serve as the implementation, training, and grants 

management arm of the office.

The OSTLTS branch structure, as shown below, is informed by the Concept of Operations:

Proposed Branch Structure

Office of the 

Deputy Director for State, Tribal, 

Local and Territorial Support

Division of PH 

Performance 

Improvement

Agency and 

Systems 

Improvement 

Branch

Research and 

Outcomes 

Branch

Division of PH 

Capacity 

Development

Technical 

Assistance

Branch

Knowledge 

Management 

Branch

Partnership 

Support Branch

10 DRAFT – For Discussion Purposes Only

The following reflects the proposed leadership staff, which again, has not yet been approved 

and for which there will be several vacancies if approved:

Proposed Leadership Staff

11 DRAFT – For Discussion Purposes Only

Judith Monroe, M.D.

Director

Associate Deputy Director (Vacant)

Steven L. Reynolds

Principal Advisor/Director of Operations

Georgia Ann Moore

Associate Director for Policy

David Daigle

Associate Director for Communications

Associate Director for Science (Vacant)

Associate Director for Strategic Alliances (Vacant)

Division of Public 

Health Capacity 

Development

Dan Baden

Division Director

Mark White

Deputy Director

Division of Public 

Health Performance 

Improvement

Dennis Lenaway

Division Director (Acting)

Stacey Mattison

Deputy Director

Research and 

Outcomes Branch

Branch Chief (Vacant)

Tim Van Wave (POC)

Agency and Systems 

Improvement Branch

Dennis Lenaway

Branch Chief

(Currently on Detail)

Liza Corso (POC)

Technical Assistance 

Branch

Kristin Brusuelas

Branch Chief

Partnership Support 

Branch

Samuel Taveras

Branch Chief

Knowledge 

Management Branch

Lynn Gibbs-Scharf

Branch Chief

Office of the Director
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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The proposed organizational structure is designed around the concept of value creation for the 

public health system [The ―Strategic Triangle Test‖ for Creating Public Value; Mark Moore, 

Creating Public Value], which Dr. Monroe often used in Indiana, which states that any public 

health organization must bring its strategies into alignment by meeting three broad tests

illustrated by the following questions and triangle:

 Does this produce value for the public we serve?

 Is it able to attract support and money from the political system to which we’re ultimately 

accountable?

 Can it feasibly be accomplished given our resource equation?

If any one of the components of the triangle is cut off, success is cut off as well.

Dr. Monroe shared further information about the PHAP program. The purpose of the PHAP is to 

provide frontline, entry-level experience to individuals interested in a career in public health 

practice. A new class of apprentices starts each July. As noted, this year’s class has 65 new 

apprentices. PHAP’s focus for next year, which begins in July 2011, is to expand the program 

to states and localities that are not currently represented. Tribal public health agencies are also 

encouraged to submit an application to host an apprentice. Currently, apprentices are located 

in 23 states, 1 territory, and the District of Columbia (DC). The following map shows the class of 

2008 and 2010 locations:

Public

Value

Legitimacy

& Support

Operational

Capabilities
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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There remain some areas of the US that need to be filled in. There is more of a concentration 

on the East and West Coasts, so there are opportunities for the future. 

In conclusion, Dr. Monroe emphasized that they had spent four months attempting to stand up a 

new office that had not yet been approved and for which they could not yet hire anyone. Health 

Reform passed on March 21st, she began her new position with CDC on March 22nd, and Health 

Reform was signed into law on March 23rd. Early on, it became clear that OSTLTS would be 

responsible for the funding opportunity to build public health infrastructure. Information about 

this opportunity included the following:

 The Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) can be found on grants.gov

 Application Deadline: August 9, 2010 5:00 pm EDST

 If you have a question about the FOA, you may submit it to CDC via email at 

OSTLTSFUNDING@cdc.gov

 CDC will respond to all questions and will post the responses at www.cdc.gov/ostlts

Dr. Monroe acknowledged that the application deadline caused frustration to the field, but it was 

either that or not having funding in 2010. They had to move quickly and much had to be done. 

They conducted three technical assistance calls to try to cover all of the time zones. They were 

happy that they were able to get this initial FOA out the door.

Discussion Points

Ms. Hughes thanked Dr. Monroe for her presentation, noting that everyone had been 

wondering what was happening with the development of the office. The fact that is was yet 

approved offered a better understanding of why the vacant positions had not been posted. 

They have all been watching for postings and are anxious to see what is going to occur, 

particularly with regard to CAPT Snesrud’s and Dr. Bryan’s positions in light of their 

retirements. There is also interest in many other areas. She was recently asked to write 

testimony for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs in regard to the CDC Consultation

Session in which the name change was requested for OSTLTS. That committee is looking 

for successful / unsuccessful factors pertaining to consultation policies and practices. She 

was sure they were asking for her to cite that discussion as one of the successes of 

consultation. The development of this office continues to be closely monitored in Indian 

Country, and she wondered what the anticipated timeline was for approval. She also 

wondered what the process would be for reviewing and selecting individuals to fill the vacant 

positions, and what involvement TCAC might have.

Dr. Monroe responded that while she wished she could offer a definitive answer, it was her 

understanding that approval of their MASO package would be within the next three weeks. 

Following that, they would be able to post positions. There is no question that they have 

had some challenges. With respect to the process for filling vacancies, she has not yet 

been able to hire anyone during her short tenure and she is new, so she said she was not 

entirely positive about the process. They will post the positions and applicants would be 

free to apply. There will be a review of the applicants, and the best candidates will be 

invited to interview. Regarding TCAC’s involvement in the hiring process, she suggested 

that if they knew of good candidates, they should encourage them to apply. Beyond that, 

she was not personally clear about how / if the federal hiring process involved the 

consultation process.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Dr. Duckworth added that they plan to share the announcement broadly to make sure that it 

is widely distributed, so that the best candidates can be identified.

Mr. Antone noted that in January 2010, when they met Dr. Frieden, the information that was 

passed on was that we would able to have two or three staff members to support the tribal 

liaisons. He wondered whether the OSTLTS includes a provision for this.

Dr. Monroe responded that they hope to be able to hire a number of staff throughout 

OSTLTS, including support staff. Her understanding was that once they were approved, 

they would continue to have some flexibility down the road as they continued to mature. 

CAPT Snesrud said she did not really have access to the package, but the preliminary plan

was to bring on two staff members in Atlanta to support the Tribal Liaison there, and one 

staff member to support the Tribal Liaison in Albuquerque. Stressing that she was speaking 

from her own impression and understanding, she said it has been somewhat like a ―shell 

game.‖ As the directives come down from the agency as there is more stability as a result of 

the agency as whole completing the reorganization process. The office is trying to be 

responsive to those priorities within its broader function. It is unfolding, which is the difficult 

aspect because the office is looking at those functions for states, tribes, and territories. She 

emphasized that Dr. Monroe is in a very difficult position because she is one of Dr. Frieden’s

Deputy Directors, and the way the office is positioned is clearly to work across the whole 

agency with all of the national centers to empower them to work more effectively at the

state, local, tribal levels.

Dr. Monroe added that there will also be flexibility to shift staff within each division once 

individuals are hired. The bottom line is that they want to make sure that there is support for 

the liaisons.

Mr. Antone asked Dr. Monroe, in her position, how much weight she could put on the 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). They once discussed at least

8 support staff, but right now there is just 1.

Dr. Monroe replied that so far in her position, she really had not interfaced with ATSDR very 

much. Thus, she was not yet certain how much influence she would have there.

Mr. Antone mentioned to Dr. Frieden during the last consultation that there are over 565 

federally recognized tribes. There is one person from the Office of Tribal Affairs (OTA) at 

ATSDR, Annabelle Allison, and there were discussions about at least getting one more 

person. Since Dr. Monroe has access to Frieden, he requested that she carry this forward.

Dr. Monroe responded that as she gained a better understanding of the needs, she certainly

would be taking those issues forward to CDC leadership.

Mr. Antone added that TCAC would be more than happy to write something up for Dr. 

Monroe about this issue.

Mr. Phillips-Doyle (Nashville, Passamaquoddy Tribe: Pleasant Point Reservation, Tribal 

Governor) wondered about Dr. Monroe’s item #11, the ACD and whether there is tribal seat 

on that. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

16

Dr. Monroe replied that there is, and that Anna Whiting Sorrell and H. Sally Smith had been 

invited to sit on the Work Group. 

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) said that he was not sure 

how to approach this comment without sounding negative or offensive, but it seemed like 

they reached a certain point in making progress with various federal departments, and have 

relied on staff, realizing that people turn over and move on. Basically, they are going to 

have Dr. Duckworth. While he did not want to be offensive to her, he did not know her 

knowledge of Indian tribes and the tribes’ diverse philosophies. CAPT Snesrud and Dr. 

Bryan had a pretty good handle on a lot of that, but now there are vacancies and it does not 

seem like a lot of progress has been made. He wondered how committed CDC really is to 

this, or if they would just come to this point and stand still for several years until somebody

got fired up again. It seemed like the President’s philosophy was to create some type of 

improved services to the Tribal Nations. Unfortunately, he cannot do it himself. He has to 

rely on others. However, Mr. Trudell did not see this happening. The loss of personnel, the 

inability to hire staff, and the lack of movement forward of this office were just going to lead 

to frustration and he could not see ―the light at the end of the tunnel.‖

Dr. Monroe agreed that there is no doubt that continuity and long-term continuity are good. 

There is a lot of change taking place, and she would hope there is ―light at the end of the 

tunnel.‖ She will work toward this, but she has been handed a new office and cannot help 

the timeline. She realized that it sounds like they are in limbo, which they are until they can 

hire and so forth. She reiterated that even before the positions are posted, she would 

encourage them all to think of who some good candidates are and use that as an 

opportunity.

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) stressed that because 

there are no concrete timeframes, they could be sitting there several months down the road 

with no one hired and no conclusions. The President and his administration are only there 

for a certain amount of time. He has seen the practices over the years in which people in 

the mid-level or people who never turn over in federal agencies tend to control what the 

federal agencies do, such that the good intentions of good people are never brought to 

fruition. He wondered whether they were in that situation again. While he was sure Dr. 

Monroe had good intentions, she is a new appointee, which means that she does not have a 

lot of longevity to carry out a lot of these things. Thus, it was not clear to him whether there 

was really a change in the philosophy to try to resolve health disparities on reservations. 

Tribal people continue to have rising cancer rates, rising diabetes rates, et cetera. There 

are a lot of best practices to be implemented, but nobody wants to put up the resources to 

implement those. Therefore, tribal people continue to lose ground healthwise. In his mind, 

nobody cares because they are an insignificant population. If they all die off, who is going to 

miss them? He does not see the commitment from CDC.

Ms. Hughes thought TCAC needed to take action during this meeting to send a letter to Dr. 

Frieden with their recommendations on the establishment of OSTLTS, and with their 

recommendation on the vacancies in terms of posting them and placing timelines on this 

effort if possible. TCAC is established as an advisory committee for that purpose, so she felt 

that offering TCAC’s encouragement through a letter would be helpful.

Dr. Monroe thought that it would be very helpful. Being new to the federal government, she 

could not speak to its history in terms of such matters, but she emphasized that as Director 

of OSTLTS, she is committed to getting the office stood up. While she cannot control how 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

17

quickly they are approved, as soon as they are approved she can move as quickly as the 

process will allow them to get the right people hired. She stressed that she does not want 

this dragged out because she wants to get moving on making an impact on outcomes.

While Mr. Valdo (Pueblo of Acoma, National Congress of American Indians) thought it was 

great that Dr. Frieden put ―Tribal‖ in the name of the office where they requested it and he 

was very happy to see that, to see that tribes were being buried within a branch below a 

division troubled him. He thought they should be getting traction at a higher level, but 

instead it seemed that they would just get buried within the system. If this was truly 

consultation, it would be the cabinet members face-to-face with the tribal leaders. They will 

also lose traction because two of their advocates within the system are retiring. The 

success and strides in Indian Country have come from people working inside the system. 

Losing CAPT Snesrud and Dr. Bryan will result in the loss of a lot of operational knowledge. 

They hear the same things in Atlanta, Albuquerque, and Tucson, and Dr. Monroe has a

learning curve as well. He was once in a planning meeting during which a consultant said 

he would just go to the tribes and say, ―I'm here to help.‖ Mr. Valdo advised against this 

approach because the consultant was a 6’5‖ Anglo American. He reminded him that 300 to 

400 years ago, many people like him came over on ships and tribes have been pissed off 

ever since. There is a very different protocol required in Indian Country because it is a very 

different world. Sometimes people are rubbed the wrong way, which strains relationship. 

His recommendation was to keep their two best advocates to help Dr. Monroe learn the 

history. Letting them go is taking two steps back. 

Dr. Monroe said she appreciated hearing this, and emphasized that she was there to learn 

and make adjustments where she had the ability to do so. She, too, applauded that the 

name of the office ultimately included ―Tribal.‖ They are known by their name, and it gives 

her the authority to go across all of CDC to bring together all resources across CDC to 

elevate tribes. She did not believe tribes were meant to be buried. They also do not have 

any offices that say ―State‖ or ―Local‖ or ―Territorial‖ in the functions of the office because the 

name of the office itself brings that together. In the Office of the Director, there will be an 

Associate Director for Strategic Partnerships and Alliances as well, so she envisioned that 

individual having a role as well.

Mr. Secetaro (Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board Chairman) agreed with Mr. Valdo and 

Mr. Trudell in that he thought they had CAPT Snesrud ―broken in‖ just right. He hated to see 

her and Dr. Bryan leave, and it will be a big loss for all of them. He thought they needed to 

hire someone who is familiar with Indian Count—somebody who grew up on the reservation. 

It is like starting over. They have all been all over the country, and they have had CAPT 

Snesrud beside them all the way. It will be hard to get going again. TCAC needs more input

into CDC. He agreed with the suggestion to send letters to Dr. Frieden.

Ms. Galvan (Navajo Nation) reported that when they work on our tribal budgets, they see 

budget instruction manuals that tell them what they can and cannot do. They are told that 

they cannot reorganization after the third quarter. There must be similar timelines for the 

federal government, because right now their budgets are coming out of embargo. 

Obviously, there are timelines. She pointed out that the PowerPoint Dr. Monroe shared 

about the organization stated that ―the concept below is informed by the concept of 

operation.‖ Why would the timeline not be shared? While Dr. Monroe said they tried not to 

make it specific to state and local, #7 of the 15 in 12 states, ―Field training will be developed 

for and delivered to CDC field staff and the staffs of state and local health agencies.‖ Tribal 

and territorial are not included. Navajo Nation is working to create a state-like health 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

18

department, but that means tribes will not be included in that kind of training. Tribes need 

capacity-building. While they go to county trainings, she has to fight to put their foot in the 

door. They say tribes do not pay taxes, but they do. They contribute a lot of their minerals 

to the state—well over $3 million in coal, oil, and gas coming out of the Navajo Nation. She 

requested that CDC be careful when they describe state and local. They are all sovereign 

nations. Tribes have different treaty obligations. Where is the fix in the proposed branch 

stricture? Where is the dotted line where CDC-TCAC come into play? This does not appear 

to be part of the structure. If there is going to be an advisory committee, there should be a 

dotted line. Otherwise, tribes will be included in the Technical Assistance Branch. 

Dr. Monroe replied that there was a timeline. The package was submitted, and they were

hopeful that it will be approved within 3 weeks, at which time jobs will be posted and 

disseminated. She has not learned all of the federal rules at this point, but once they post 

the positions, they will need to allow time for eligible applicants to know that those positions 

are open. Then they must go through the interviewing / hiring process. While she could 

give an estimated timeline, she could not offer a firm date because of the nuances. 

OSTLTS is quite anxious to fill the positions. They are also trying very hard not to mention

just state and local. They really are there to support state, tribal, local, and territorial in 

everything. That is a correction that needs to be made. Everything coming from this office 

should include state, tribal, local, and territorial. She expressed appreciation for the 

comment about the dotted line and TCAC, indicating that she would review the slides to 

determine how to demonstrate where TCAC fits in. 

Ms. Galvan (Navajo Nation) noted that the slides reflected the existing program, with the 

services and functions of the branches currently. Then proposed branches are coming into 

play. She requested clarification about what changes are proposed. The Tribal Liaisons are 

currently under the Technical Assistance Branch. That is moving to a new branch. She 

wondered if there was anything new that would move over or be deleted as a function.

Dr. Monroe responded that what was reflected in the chart represented the way they are 

currently functioning. They proposed the office and stood it up in this fashion. The 

Technical Assistance Branch is functioning close to the way it will function, although the 

difference pertains to whether they will be able to hire and fill all of the positions. Once 

approval is received, nothing will really be different in terms of responsibilities. The Tribal 

Liaisons are the same.

CAPT Snesrud added that this has been a huge process. She, Dr. Bryan, and many other 

staff members within OSTLTS have many more questions than answers. Each of them has 

tried to be diligent in maintaining their respective scopes of work as they understand them. 

TCAC is an advisory committee to Dr. Frieden. Tribal leaders have been trying to establish 

a government-to-government relationship with CDC. That means that the highest elected 

officials of tribes should have a relationship with the leaders at CDC. TCAC is the advisory 

committee to the CDC Director. The question is: Now that tribes are within this office, 

where are those lines that connect this office? What are the assurances when you make 

recommendations to Dr. Frieden through Dr. Monroe? What she thought she heard Dr. 

Monroe saying was that she is listening and hearing, and that tribal leadership should keep 

talking to her as they are formulating and establishing the office and those linkages. Many 

TCAC members have been on board from the onset. She acknowledged that they had all 

given a lot of time and commitment to CDC away from their communities and elected council 

positions. Allison Sage is not a TCAC member, so he traveled 800 miles on his own dime. 

TCAC members received a little assistance, but clearly the time and commitment to travel to 
 Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

19

TCAC meetings, where ever they are, is considerable. She heard Dr. Monroe making a 

commitment that they need to work this out as soon as possible, and that the TCAC CoChairs need to be engaged in that process. CAPT Snesrud and Drs. Bryan and Duckworth 

should set up conference calls, and perhaps have Mr. Antone and Ms. Hughes travel to 

Atlanta, when Dr. Monroe has more answers, to meet with leadership and engage Dr. 

Friedman as CDC's federal tribal advisory committee to him. 

Mr. Freddie (NIHB, Navajo Nation Council Delegate) emphasized that this is a very 

important meeting, and one key word that needs to be drawn out is ―transparency.‖ Indian 

Country has made recommendations about improving their knowledge of CDC. They 

should have knowledge about the formulating of the administrative process, strategic 

planning, et cetera. There should be transparency to what was recommended for this office. 

CDC’s mission is very important. It is very important that CDC resources be filtered down to 

the community to the citizens. They need to be proactive, not reactive. There is a disaster 

impacting the whole area in which this meeting was taking place. CDC resources going to 

Indian Country is an excellent investment. Indian Country has issues in area of homeland 

security, environment, natural gas lines coming from Houston to California through their 

land, power plants in Indian Country, need for surveillance, environmental issues, how 

influenza vaccines have to come through supply centers, et cetera. It is important to make 

sure that Indian Country is on the same priority level as counties and states. American 

Indians are ―burning both ends of the candle‖ trying to preserve their society. Children are 

contributing members of society, and tribes need to retain what is very important to them. 

Indian Country is taking care of their own and not relying on CDC federal resources to do 

that. The bottom line is that there needs to be transparency to sit with CDC to dialogue as 

they plan how to organize and how to program some of the resources that should ultimately 

go directly to tribes.

Mr. Antone said that what they were really saying was that they understand the governmentto-government relationship, and they want to have that with CDC. That means that elected 

officials and Dr. Frieden must discuss things together. In 2004, the reports submitted to 

HHS always reflect an organizational structure within CDC for tribes. They must understand

that in the TCAC charter, the purpose is sated as ―The federal delivery of health services 

and funding of programs to maintain and improve the health of American Indians and 

Alaskan Natives are consonant with and required by the federal government’s historical and 

unique legal relationship with Indian Tribes as reflected in the Constitution of the United 

States.‖ That is where everyone is coming from and why they were having this 

conversation. One of the things he planned to suggest the next day during the Consultation 

Session would be for CDC to report on an annual or bi-annual basis where the testimonies 

offered during Consultation Sessions go. There were certain places where they went 

before, but since the reorganization, this is not clear. A lot of tribes testify, and when there 

is no feedback, they wonder what happened. He suggested that when the office is 

approved, perhaps they should outsource the consultation process to someone with 

expertise in the consultation process. He stressed that education must continually be 

delivered to federal agencies becomes the tendency is that it becomes a race issue, when it 

is not. There must be a clear understanding of the government-to-government relationship. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

20

Ms. Hughes noted that at the end of the day, TCAC members would discuss any formal 

recommendations they would like to send forward to Dr. Frieden.

Ms. Reft (Alaska, Karluk Ira Tribal Council) agreed with what had been said. While she had 

not been on TCAC for very long, she has been involved in other consultation sessions over 

the years. It is frustrating. It feels like advisory committees are created to ―pass the buck.‖ 

It is somebody for the tribes to be angry with. TCAC members heard issues from the tribes 

the previous two days. The issues are real, but what authority does TCAC have? They 

have to deal with this all of the time in Alaska. It is frustrating, and their hearts go out to 

tribal people. But it feels like advisory committees are created just to listen and serve as 

someone to be angry with, but have no power or authority to do anything. It felt like ever 

since consultations started, it is just making tribal communities angrier. They are dealing 

with this in her area where their health care services are limited. They have to fight just to 

receive basic services, nobody is listening to them, and everyone is angry. The South 

Central Foundation Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium has given a resolution to the 

Regional Non-Profit Health Corporation that is pulling their health care. Her tribe met with 

the South Central Foundation the previous day, and there are still no definitive answers. 

This is frustrating and she feels very angry that people are hurting but their needs are not 

being met, nothing is being done, and nothing is changing.

Ms. Hughes thought they were all in the same frame of mind and were feeling the same 

level of frustration. As a TCAC member, she believed her responsibility was to be part of 

the tool to break down the barriers between CDC and tribes. Tribes do not understand what

all is involved within CDC and vice versa. She emphasized that she is not there to be a 

roadblock. She is there to help CDC understand what is occurring on reservations, and for 

CDC to help her understand what they have to help tribes with their problems. She expects 

the CDC staff to attend TCAC meetings to ask TCAC for their advice about how to improve 

what is occurring. For example, Dr. Monroe mentioned that the grant process is being 

reviewed and some changes have been made. It would have been helpful if that process 

and the five changes referenced had been presented to TCAC so that they could offer input 

with respect to whether those five changes would have an impact in Indian Country.

Dr. Monroe responded that she firmly believes in transparency. When she first came to 

CDC, this was one of the tasks with which her office was charged. The Deputy State Health 

Commissioners, through the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), 

made about 25 recommendations to CDC two years ago about how to improve the grants

process. OSTLTS was charged with moving that forward. This is the starting point, and she 

would like to have this conversation with tribes, because they are very early into this. In 

terms of the discussion regarding how long things take, the Deputy State Health 

Commissioners were quite frustrated that two years had passed since they submitted their 

recommendations. 

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) emphasized that it was 

not beneficial to make the tribes compete against one another for funding to address 

important health issues. Whoever has the best grant writer is going to get the funding, and 

in one to three years, they will be back in the same situation. Part of his intent with sitting on 

TCAC is that there is a great shortfall in I.H.S., which leaves many health issues 

unaddressed. CDC seems to be funded and should be able to pick up slack without it being 

competitive to tribes. The states are given block grants by CDC, which he did not believe 

required a competitive procedure. He inquired as to why tribes have to compete for very 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

21

limited dollars while the gap of disparities widens. They are being made to compete against 

each other to address health problems they all have. It is a vicious cycle to compete with 

each other. Somewhere someone has to step in to ask: Why are cancer and diabetes at 

greater rates for tribes than for anyone else? Tribes have been studied more than any other 

people. Nobody wants to put the effort foreword to implement the best practices on Indian 

Country. Nobody wants to put up money for prevention or implementation for practices that 

have been developed, even though some of them are not that costly. While some practices 

may not work universally, surely that can be adapted to tribes if they have been established

and proven. The whole budget process is too frustrating. He recommended getting out of 

the competitive process and helping the Indian people.

Rick Haverkate, MPH

Director of Public Health Programs

National Indian Health Board

Mr. Haverkate indicated that he is an enrolled member of the Sault St. Marie Band of Chippewa 

Indians in Northern Michigan. He presented on the PHAB process that is being done on behalf 

of the tribes, and the Public Health Profile that the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) recently 

completed. They have been working with PHAB since about 2007. This was funded by CDC 

and the Robert Wood Johnson (RJW) Foundation to develop an accreditation process similar to 

that which hospitals and clinics go through. This is specific to public health, so there is a much 

broader spectrum of accreditation. They wanted to make sure there are standards in place, that 

specific areas of the public health domain are addressed, and that policies are in place to bring 

people up to a standard in order to ensure comprehensive services. They believe that they are 

just as well-positioned to receive accreditation as any other state or local health department. 

Three tribes are currently going through the beta testing for the Public Health Accreditation 

process: Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Upper 

Michigan. The site visits were all schedule to begin the week after this TCAC meeting. Mr. 

Haverkate planned to travel from the TCAC meeting to the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community to 

help them with their accreditation process. This is really a quite exciting process. An advisory 

board was developed to begin this entire process, and now there is a call for participants to be 

in a very specific Tribal Public Health Accreditation Work Group that will adapt current policies

to make them specific to what tribes need. Those who may be interested were instructed to visit 

the website: www.nihb.org. He then shared an overview from President via video.

The NIHB is very proud to represent all tribes throughout the country in the PHAP process. 

They are working closely with other national organizations in this effort: ASTHO, National 

Association of County and City Health Officers (NACCHO), PHAB, CDC, and RWJ. In order to 

begin the process of accreditation, a couple of things need to be set in place. NIHB believes 

they have completed a fantastic profile based on surveys directly from tribes letting them know 

whether tribes stand on this. The objectives for the PHAP were to establish and advisory panel; 

review past accreditation efforts in Indian Country; explore the potential for voluntary public 

health accreditation, including assessing the benefits, challenges, and barriers; and gathering 

recommendations from Indian Country about how to do this. Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, 

and Keweenaw Bay Indian Community took a bold step in volunteering to be involved in the 

beta testing of this program. It is somewhat intimidating and scary. The coordination has been 

astonishing. He has been privileged to go to two other state reviews, Washington and 

Tribal Public Health Accreditation Process & Tribal Public Health Profile
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

22

Oklahoma, that worked very closely with their tribes. They were very inclusive and brought their 

tribes to the table as full partners in those states. Mr. Haverkate has not been to a county 

health department interview, although their other consultant, Aleena Hernandez, has. 

This is a fairly lengthy process that involves a lot of effort. NIHB is helping tribes to prepare for 

these reviews. Three documents must be in place for anyone going through the public health 

accreditation process as a voluntary beta site, and in the future for voluntary full accreditation: a 

health department strategic pan, a community health assessment, and a community health 

improvement. This all has to do with the goal of quality improvement, which pertains to the 

entire systemic, intricate involvement of all departments at a corporation, tribal health 

department, or organization. This is not about placing blame about how things went wrong, but 

instead tries to address how to keep things moving at the most excellent pace possible and 

preventing a breakdown of systems. 

Mr. Havertake then referred participants to the NIHB website for a copy of the Tribal Public 

Health Profile, which is located at the following URL:

http://www.nihb.org/docs/07012010/NIHB_HealthProfile%202010.pdf

Surveys were disseminated, for which there was approximately a 42% response rate, so a little 

over 170 tribal health organizations responded. This is in a program called ―Click Books.‖ He 

talked the group through how to manage this site, which can be read just like a book. This can 

also be shared on Facebook. This document was set up this was because NIBH is making an 

effort to go green versus printing millions of copies of this book. Mr. Haverkate shared the 

following highlights from this publication [page 17]:

 44 percent of Tribal Health Organizations have conducted a community health assessment 

in the past 3 years. Of these, 42% were developed and facilitated by an outside party, 15% 

were developed by a group of partners led by THD/O, and 43% were developed and led 

primarily by the THD/O.

 Lack of staff and resources and the need for training were identified as the top 3 barriers to 

conducting community health assessments.

 100 percent of participating Area Indian Health Boards indicated that they have a data 

sharing agreement with local tribe(s).

Community health assessments should be a living, breathing document for tribes. Looking at 

the chart on the bottom of page 19, clearly tribes do know their demographic characteristics; 

social and environmental factors; death, illness, and injury characteristics; maternal and child 

health characteristics; social and mental health characteristics, behavioral risk factors, quality of 

life, health resource availability, and socioeconomic characteristics. Referring to page 38, Mr. 

Haverkate pointed out areas to address in the future. A common concern among tribes is an 

unwillingness, fear of, and lack of preparedness for conducting research. By tribes own 

responses, this page demonstrates that some tribes are involved in research, and reads as 

follows:
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

23

Over 40 percent of Tribal Health Organizations have a research policy or ordinance that outlines 

protocols for reviewing and participating in health research. Research review and approval 

protocols include research review committees or boards to serve in that capacity. Tribal Health 

Organization research review and approval process descriptions fell into four primary 

categories: 

1) Health Board/Committee (17 percent) Authority is given to a Health Board/Committee to

review and approve research on behalf of the tribe, tribal association/consortium.

2) Health Board/Committee and Tribal Council (9 percent) The Department Head/Administrator

is responsible for reviewing and preparing the proposal for review by a Health 

Board/Committee, Advisory Board, or other group, that provides recommendations for 

approval to Tribal Council. Process may include a Tribe’s legal counsel. Tribal Council is 

responsible for the final review and approval decision.

3) Tribal Council only (17 percent) Tribal Council is the sole body to review and approve 

research. Process usually includes a Tribe’s legal counsel.

4) Institutional Review Board (IRB) (52 percent) IRBs, also known as an independent ethics

committee, are a committee that is formally designated to approve, monitor and review

biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects with the aim to protect the 

rights and welfare of the research subjects. IRBs are governed by federal regulations, Title 

45 CFR Part 46. (http:// ohsr.od.nih.gov/guidelines/45cfr46.html) 

The majority of Tribal Health Organizations require approval from an IRB, whether tribal, IHS, or

university. Most other approval processes involve a health board/committee and/or Tribal 

Council. Although IRB approval of research involving human subjects is legally required, most 

Tribal Health Departments did not identify it in the Tribe’s review and approval process. IHS 

Facilities and Area Indian Health Boards most commonly identified a process that includes staff 

review, IHS IRB approval within the formal IHS Research Guidelines, and Tribal Council

approval by participating tribes. Most Urban Indian Health Centers described processes that 

include staff review and formal IRB approval, either through IHS or a university. 

In conclusion, Mr. Haverkate encouraged participants to review the full document to read what 

tribes are saying, and to see their status in terms of community health assessment and 

planning. 

Michael Franklin, Budget Analyst

Financial Management Office

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Mr. Franklin shared several tables representing CDC / ATSDR resources committed to 

programs that benefit American Indian and Alaska Native populations and communities from 

2009 compared to 2008. Fiscal information was summarized in the data presented according to 

organizational and disease-specific programs, and by defined funding allocation categories. 

Recovery act funding was not included in this information. Total CDC / ATSDR funding with 

VFC (73%) is $168,275,464. Total funding without the VFC is $46,009,312 (27%). Excluding 

CDC’s Budget Updates and Discussion of Options / Opportunities for Tribes
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

24

ATSDR, total funding with VFC is $167,637,959 and without is $45,371,807. Funding resources

aligned with coordinating centers is reflected in the following table:

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

Funding Re s ources Aligned with Coordinating Ce nter Total Funding 

FY2009 w/ VFC

Total Funding 

FY2009 w/o VFC Center/Institute/Office (CC/CIO)

Coordinating Ce nte r for Infe ctious Dis e as es $129,574,394 $7,308,242 

NCVZED $106,000 $106,000 

NCHHST P $3,542,458 $3,542,458 

NCIRD$45,371,807

$122,605,845 $339,693 

NCPDCID $3,320,091 $3,320,091 

Coordinating Ce nte r for He alth Promotion $27,568,187 $27,568,187 

NCBDDD $200,000 $200,000 

NCCDPHP $27,368,187 $27,368,187 

Coordinating Ce nte r for He alth Information and Se rvice $1,665,361 $1,665,361 

NCHS $1,665,361 $1,665,361 

Coordinating Ce nte r for Environmental He alth and Injury Pre vention $2,240,561 $2,240,561 

NCEH $788,371 $788,371 

NCIPC $1,452,190 $1,452,190 

National Ins titute for Occupational Safe ty and He alth $322,140 $322,140 

Coordinating Office for Te rroris m Pre paredness & Eme rgency 

Re s pons e $4,651,716 $4,651,716 

Office of the Dire ctor $1,615,600 $1,615,600 

OWCD $496,079 $496,079 

OMHD/OD $1,119,521 $1,119,521 

CDC- CC/CIO Grand Total $167,637,959 $45,371,807 

ATSDR Total $637,505 $637,505 

CDC/ATSDR Grand Total $168,275,464 $46,009,312 

Funding resources aligned with disease specific programs (with ATSDR) are shown in the 

following table: 

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

CDC Funding Re s ources Aligned with Dis e as e Spe cific 

Programs (with ATSDR): A Comparis on

FUNDING LEVEL

FY 2008

FUNDING 

LEVEL

FY 2009

Pe rcent 

of Change

Chronic Dis e as e Pre vention and He alth Promotion $ 25,884,960 $ 27,286,210 5 %

Cance r $11,502,097 $14,077,332 22%

Cros s- cutting Programs $7,178,202 $5,613,762 - 22%

Diabe te s $3,349,585 $4,039,402 21%

T obacco $2,162,395 $2,064,618 - 5 %

He art Dis e as e and Stroke Pre ve ntion $1,010,000 $975,000 - 3 %

Mate rnal Child He alth $292,584 $147,749 - 50%

Adole s ce nt and School He alth $390,097 $368,347 - 6 %

Infe ctious Dis e as es $ 7,715,374 $ 7,390,219 - 4 %

Infe ctious Dis e as e Pre ve ntion (ne w cate gory for FY 

09) N/A $46,000 N/A

Infe ctious Dis e as e s in Alas ka Native s $2,631,565 $3,380,091 28%

HIV/AIDS $3,194,327 $2,493,544 - 22%

ST Ds $1,117,005 $898,891 - 20%

Vaccine - pre ve ntable dis e as e s (non- VFC funds ) $321,477 $339,693 6 %

Viral He patitis (not re porte d for 09) $217,000 $232,000 7 %

Othe r $234,000 $ 0 - 100%

Public He alth Eme rgency Pre paredness $ 5,192,034 $ 4,651,716 - 10%

Public He alth Capacity, Strategic Partners hips and Training (OD) $ 1,612,545 $ 1,627,600 1 %

Environmental He alth $ 614,686 $ 788,371 28%

Environme ntal Public He alth Se rvice s /Re s e arch $614,686 $788,371 28%

He alth Statis tics $ 1,424,746 $ 1,665,361 17%

Injury Pre vention $ 581,920 $ 1,452,190 150%

Uninte ntional Injurie s $435,920 $150,000 - 66%

Viole nce Pre ve ntion $146,000 $1,302,190 792%

Birth De fe cts /Developmental Dis abilities $ 250,000 $ 200,000 - 20%

Occupational He alth $ 310,140 $ 310,140 0 %

He alth Marketing $ 229,000 $ - - 100%

CDC Total w/o VFC $ 43,815,405 $ 45,371,807 4 %

Vaccines for Children $ 64,263,901 $ 122,266,152 90%

CDC Total with VFC $108,079,306 $167,637,959 55%

ATSDR $ 682,470 $ 637,505 - 7 %

CDC/ATSDR Grand Total with VFC $108,761,776 $168,275,464 55%

Funding for disease-specific programs with VFC and without VFC is illustrated in the following 

pie charts:
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

25

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

Vaccines for Children 

(VFC), $122M, 73%

Chronic Dis e as e 

Pre vention and

He alth Promotion, 

$27M, 16%

Infectious Dis e ase s, 

$7M, 4%

Public He alth 

Eme rgency

Pre pare dnes s, $4M, 

3 %

Training and Strategic 

Partnerships $1.6M, 

1 %

Environmental He alth, 

$788K, 1%

He alth Statistics , 

$1.6M, 1%

Injury Pre vention, 

$1.4M, 1%

Birth De fects and 

De ve lopme ntal

Dis abilitie s, 

$200K, 0.4% 

Occupational He alth, 

$310K, 0.7%

CDC Funding for Dis e as e Spe cific Programs (with VFC)

 

Improving Financial Managementfor a stronger CDC 

Chronic Dis e as e 

Pre vention and

He alth Promotion, 

$2 7 M , 6 0 %

Infe ctious Dis e as e s , 

$7 M, 1 6 %

Public He alth 

Eme rge ncy

Pre pare dne s s , $4 M, 

10%

Training and Strategic 

Partne rs hips , $1 .6M, 

4 %

Environme ntal He alth, 

$7 8 8K, 2 %

He alth Statistics , 

$1.6 , 4%

Injury Pre ve ntion, 

$1 .4M , 3 %

Birth De fects and 

De ve lopme ntal

Dis abilitie s, 

$2 0 0K, 0 .4 %

Occupational He alth, 

$3 1 0M, 1 %

CDC Funding for Dis e as e Spe cific Programs (w/o VFC) 

Funding allocation categories include the following:

AI / AN Awardees (Direct)

Competitively awarded programs (i.e., grants, cooperative agreements) where the awardee is a 

tribe / tribal government, tribal organization, tribal epidemiology, Alaska Native organization, 

tribal college, tribal university, or urban Indian Health program.

Intramural AI / AN

Intramural programs, the purpose of which is to primarily or substantially benefit AI / AN.*

*This category would include costs (e.g., salary, fringe, travel, et cetera) associated with

CDC staff or contractors whose time / effort primarily or substantially (50% or better) benefit AI /

AN.

Extramural AI / AN Benefit

Competitively awarded programs for which the purpose of the award is to primarily or 

substantially benefit AI / AN.

Federal AI / AN Benefit

Federal Intra-Agency Agreements wherein the purpose of the agreement is to primarily or 

substantially benefit AI / AN.

Indirect AI / AN

Service programs for which funding for AIs / ANs can reasonably be estimated from available 

data on the number of AIs / ANs served** 

**This category applies only to the Vaccines for Children program and to NCHS. 

In comparison to 2008, 2009 indirect AI / AN awards (with VFC) increased from $65 million to 

$123 million. Funding allocation categories aligned with disease-specific programs (with VFC)

and a comparison of allocation categories for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 are reflected in the 

following tables:
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

26

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

CDC Funding Allocation Cate gories Aligned with 

Dis eas e Spe cific Programs (with VFC)

Dis eas e Spe cific Programs AI/AN

Awardees

Intramural 

AI/AN

Extramural 

AI/AN

Fe deral 

AI/AN

Indirect 

AI/AN

Vaccines for Children (VFC) $122,266,152 

Chronic Dis e as e Pre vention 

and He alth Promotion $20,590,186 $1,166,791 $3,931,499 $1,679,711 

Infectious Dis e as es $2,295,195 $3,993,353 $485,000 $534,694 

Public He alth Eme rgency

Pre paredness $4,651,716 

Training and Strategic 

Partners hips (OD) $596,905 $878,585 $124,140 $27,970 

Environmental He alth $230,209 $552,270 $5,892 

He alth Statis tics $1,665,361 

Injury Pre vention $141,717 $1,160,473 $150,000 

Birth De fe cts and 

De velopmental

Dis abilities $200,000 

Occupational He alth $310,140 

CDC Funding Allocation

Cate gories - Grand Totals $23,854,212 $6,790,999 $10,662,968 $2,398,267 $123,931,513 

 

Improving Financial Managementfor a stronger CDC 

CDC Funding Allocation Cate gorie s 

for FY 2008 and FY 2009

Funding Allocation With VFC Pe rcent Without VFC Pe rcent 

Cate gory FY 2008 FY 2009 Change FY 2008 FY 2009 Change

AI/AN Awarde e s $22,839,514 $23,854,212 4 % $22,839,514 $23,854,212 4 %

Intramural AI/AN $6,856,724 $6,790,999 - 1 % $6,856,724 $6,790,999 - 1 %

Ex tramural AI/AN $10,687,986 $10,662,968 - 0.20% $10,687,986 $10,662,968 - 0.20%

Fe de ral AI/AN $2,006,435 $2,398,267 20% $2,006,435 $2,398,267 20%

Indire ct AI/AN $65,688,647 $123,931,513 89% $1,424,746 $1,665,361 17%

CDC Grand Total $108,079,306 $167,637,959 55% $43,815,405 $45,371,807 4 %

The following pie charts reflect the AI / AN 2009 funding allocation categories with the VFC and 

without the VFC: 

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

AI/AN Awardee, 

$23M, 14%

Extramural AI/AN, 

$10M, 6 %

Fe deral AI/AN, 

$2M, 2 %

Intramural, $6M, 

4 %

Indirect, 

$123M,51%

AI/AN FY 2009 Funding Allocation Cate gories 

(with VFC)

 

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 

AI/AN Awardees 

, $23M, 53%

Intramural 

AI/AN, 

$6M, 15% Extramural 

AI/AN, 

$10M, 23%

Fe deral AI/AN, 

$2M, 5 %

Indirect AI/AN, 

$1M , 4%

AI/AN FY 2009 Funding Allocation Cate gories 

(w/o VFC) 

AI / AN Fiscal Year 2009 funding (with VFC) in the amount of $168 million represents 2% of the 

total CDC / ATSDR budget, while the $45 million in AI / AN funding represents 1% of the total 

CDC / ATSDR budget. 

Grants to tribes broken down by state, by HHS area, and by I.H.S. area are reflected in the 

following three maps respectively:
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

27

Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC Improving Financial Management for a stronger CDC 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

28

In the above maps, green boxes represent the Tribal Epidemiology Centers and the stars are 

the actual project locations of the awarded tribal programs. These maps depict only those funds 

that are directly awarded to tribal government, tribal organizations, Alaska Native health 

corporations, urban Indian organizations, and tribal colleges.

TCAC CDC / ATSDR strategic funding direction is to engage in sub-budget committee 

collaboration; expand division-based involvement for health impact across CDC / ATSDR; 

engage in program project initiatives with CDC / ATSDR Financial Strategies Committee; 

increase visibility in budget submission health initiatives; align with CDC / ATSDR health goals 

and objectives for performance- and results-based management; and collaborate further with 

HHS and operating division (OPDIV) shared resource initiatives.

The CDC budget process represents timing and events that occur over a period of time. The 

time has come and gone for the planning of 2010; however, calendar year 2011 has not arrived, 

but because of the events that have occurred for the fiscal year, the planning has passed and

there is no opportunity to affect the 2011 budget. Now that they are planning 2012, that phase 

for planning does not really occur until December. Starting in January, formulation is going to 

be taking place for all of 2011. It is at these particular phases that attention should be paid for 

that particular year’s fiscal budget. When and at what time is the best time for anyone to have 

input in the budget planning process? The President presents the budget to Congress on the

fourth Monday in February. In 2011, the President will present the budget for 2012. What does 

that mean to us? If the President is going to present the budget for 2012 in 2011, the planning 

has already been done, so can anyone make any input? The answer is ―no.‖ Referring to the 

budget process sheet and the planning phase for 2011, this is where 2013 would move up. In 

calendar year 2011, the President presents fiscal year budget for 2012 to be executed October

1, 2011. During that time period, the planning for the next budget will be 2013 in calendar year 

2011. FMO will be submitting their Budget plan requests for fiscal year 2013 to the CDC Office 

of Formulation, Evaluation, and Analysis (OFEA). Any budget requests, planning activities, and 

needs that are to be submitted to the Hill would be proposed in late March through April of 2011 

for the fiscal year budget 2013. 

Mr. Franklin provided participants with an Excel file that included a step-by-step breakout by 

month and by phase that reflected what occurs during each month and phase any time of the 

year. The important thing to understand is how this budget flows. He noted that CAPT Snesrud 

requested that he speak to TCAC about the opportunities and how to make their needs known 

to CDC. A working relationship and partnership with stakeholders at CDC is critical, and this 

can be found in OSTLTS. Now there is a named representative at CDC, Dr. Monroe, who 

heads that office. He reminded the members of Dr. Frieden’s six winnable battles. With regard 

to the nature of how the federal budget process works, it is typically the efforts and activities that 

address the priority areas that are the focus of the winnable battles that will be supported first. 

The tribes have needs within those winnable battles, and have offered testimony about these. 

CDC has ―marching orders‖ from Dr. Frieden, who has articulated what he would like to 

accomplish and programs assess the avenues to make this happen. 

With respect to how that relates to tribes, programs start planning those efforts that Dr. Frieden 

has said the agency is going to engage in to accomplish the winnable battles. Mr. Franklin 

emphasized that everyone must remember that CDC does not serve a particular group—the 

agency serves the nation as a whole. That means tribes and everyone else is competing for 

CDC dollars. Therefore, they must be at the front of the line stating their challenges within 

CDC’s health priorities. In March and April, the programs will submit their budget requests to 

the Office of Formulation, Evaluation, and Analysis and prepare documentation to the Office of 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

29

Management and Budget (OMB), which will go all the way to Congress. American Indians and 

Alaskan Natives will work through their partnership with OSTLTS to present tribal health 

challenges, and OSTLTS will articulate these to their peers. If there are particular activities the 

centers are working on that relate to the health issues that challenge American Indians and 

Alaskan Natives, there is a connection. This ties them into what is going on with CDC 

―marching orders‖ across the nation. The information tribes provide to CDC partnerships will be 

sent out across the CDC community. The other venue that is available to tribes is through their 

relationship with legislation. That is, the budget process can be influenced by tribes’

communication with those who are developing the budget. 

FMO does not decide who gets what. Congress makes the final decisions. There is an 

established protocol regarding how a budget is executed through federal agencies. It is all 

accomplished through the budget planning process. The window of opportunity is for tribes to 

work with their partner within CDC. There is a format to use to present this information. Mr. 

Franklin provided a template for tribes to use. While he pointed out that it was not ―written in 

stone,‖ but the topics are more or less what they would address. Utilizing those topics makes it 

easier for CDC to incorporate tribal information into their overall information. Basically, the

budget is just a translation of someone's needs, with a dollar sign. Mr. Franklin referred 

participants to a document in their packets dated April 26, 2010 that included conversations

from Dr. Ralph Bryan, which he requested that they read. He explained that document

submitted to request funding needs should include certain information such as current statistics 

about particular health issues. This administration is looking at performance. Do we get what 

we pay for? Do we get a return on our investment? He stressed that if they write a document to 

CDC, it should be fluent, complete, and include certain items so that Dr. Monroe can articulate 

past performance, past outcomes, needs, rationale, expected outcomes, and the plan to 

measure outcomes. 

The programs of the national centers within CDC execute FOAs and disseminate funding. CDC 

executes 80% of $12 billion through grants. Congress is in charge of approving budgets, and 

CDC makes them work using the vehicles currently available to them—grants. The approval of 

the money is based upon what Congress is told that CDC needs. In essence, CDC is not 

saying ―rubber stamp‖ you get the money. CDC works with partners to determine what to 

articulate in the agency budget format presentation, which in turn goes to HHS, OMB, and then 

Congress.

Discussion Points

Rick Doyle (Governor, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point) inquired as to whether all of 

the phases were occurring simultaneously. 

Mr. Franklin replied that CDC is currently working on 2012, so Congress will review this in 

2011. There are still some internal presentations and adjustments underway. There are a 

lot of details behind the scenes, but he wanted them to know the opportunities.

A request was made for further insight into the planning phase. The concern for tribal 

representatives is that it seemed that this was the only phase in which they had an 

opportunity to articulate their needs. Given structural limitations, it was not clear how they 

could make the most impact in order to get something into the planning phase. Their 

elected officials are analogous to Senators, and they are expected to return to their 

communities to demonstrate results in terms of resources. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

30

Mr. Franklin offered the disclaimer that while he could not speak for Dr. Frieden, he could 

speak as a US citizen. TCAC and other representatives have opportunities to make their 

concerns known. US representatives who are in Congress receive feedback from their 

constituents, and offer input at that time. If American Indians have representation, they too 

have the same opportunity at the same time. Tribal stakeholders within CDC hear tribal 

testimony, and Mr. Franklin said he truly believed in his heart that they are taking that with 

them to the planning phase of the budget in March and April. He feels certain that this 

information will not be forgotten. The challenge pertains to the focus of the agency, CDC, 

HHS, the administration, and the health status of the world. CDC is dealing with the nation 

as a whole and the whole world. He stressed that he was not offering this as an excuse, but 

was saying that all of the challenges have to go back and forth until one rises to the top. He 

expressed his hope that TCAC would present a formal plan that OSTLTS could use to 

articulate tribal needs to the CDC community when they start planning their budget for the 

next year. 

An inquiry was posed regarding whether CDC envisioned having tribal representation in the 

planning phase on one of the subcommittees. It sounded like Mr. Trudell had occupied that 

position at some point.

Mr. Franklin replied that the subcommittee was an idea that was born last year. He, CAPT 

Snesrud, Mr. Antone, and Ms. Hughes engaged in a conversation about how they could 

best utilize the subcommittee to take information back to their constituents, and submit data 

for budget requests.

CAPT Snesrud added that TCAC appointed a Budget Subcommittee. It was originally 

appointed in 2007, and then Ms. Hughes and Mr. Antone addressed this in the January 

2008 meeting with respect to re-establishing this subcommittee and requesting volunteers. 

Ms. Hughes, Mr. Antone, Mr. Trudell, and Mr. Valdo volunteered on site, and Ms. Hughes 

requested that CAPT Snesrud send the call for volunteers to all TCAC members, along with 

the budget template. The Budget Subcommittee attempted to ―wrap their arms around it,‖

but it was a lot a little too late. She reminded everyone of a comment that was made by the 

former TCAC Chair in November 2006 who said that while they were three years out, CDC 

needed to clear with them about what they needed to do and when in order to organize their 

thoughts, strategies, and plans to influence CDC’s budget planning process. It is just 

another one of those tasks she placed on them. She offered a toll free telephone number so 

that the TCAC Budget Subcommittee could meet via teleconference. CAPT Snesrud asked 

Mr. Curlee if they could use Mr. Franklin as a technical assistance person from FMO to 

answer questions. She hoped they heard her saying that CDC wanted to do everything they 

could to support TCAC and the TCAC Budget Subcommittee in their work, but CDC staff 

cannot do the work. In order to remain in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee 

Act (FACA) exception, the TCAC and any subcommittees it stands up must include elected 

tribal leaders or designees who are appointed by tribal leaders.

Ms. Hughes said that the process was becoming more understandable for her. She 

suggested that the template Mr. Franklin developed for them be sent out again so that 

everyone could be contemplating ideas for the 2013 process. They must eventually get into 

the process, although she was not yet comfortable that they had the input and influence in 

the CDC process that they should have. As a tribal leader, she is very comfortable working 

on the budget process through the President and Congressional Delegation, as she has 

been doing that for many years. Still, she was not comfortable with what is occurring within 

CDC. Discussions are taking place by CDC division, departments, and staff in which TCAC 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

31

is not involved. She can submit a detailed, nice, and neat paper, but has no idea what 

happens to it when it gets inside CDC. That is where she believes she should be able to 

have some discussion and input. She has no problem with her idea being rejected, but she 

needs to know why it is not working with whatever they already have on the drawing board.

CAPT Tucker commented that CDC has longstanding, robust, multiple collaborations with 

states and local governments. Those are well-established, there is tremendous 

infrastructure, and they are in contact on a daily basis. Part of the loss of CAPT Snesrud 

and Dr. Bryan retiring was that CDC is in its infancy in terms of its engagement with tribes. 

This process has been person-dependent and it has been carried on the broad shoulders of 

CAPT Snesrud and Dr. Bryan, and that dependency is underscored here. There is not tribal 

engagement at all levels of CDC, and there is no on-going, daily engagement with tribes in a 

formal manner. There is so much riding, Dr. Monroe, on this engagement for access to the 

entirety of CDC. She underscored that it is so important to have persons with American 

Indian heritage speaking on behalf of American Indians at CDC because there are some 

things that just cannot be learned by someone who is not American Indian, and the learning 

curve is so steep and so protracted that American Indian representation is needed at this 

critical juncture because they have so far to go so fast. That is why the loss of the tribal 

liaisons goes so deep, because they have not begun to realize the relationship and 

engagement CDC needs to have with tribes.

Ms. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) pointed out that they 

have been through a number of consultations and all of the needs have been presented

repeatedly; however, but they do not go past the consultation process. Since their needs 

have been articulated over several consultations, it would seem that they would be reflected 

in the 2010, 2011, and 2013 budgets. While he appreciated Mr. Franklin’s explanation of 

the budget, it did not seem that it was going to do them any good.

CAPT Snesrud responded that they are stuck at a juncture because, in actuality, it is harder 

to see in CDC’s budget how the agency has specifically responded to tribal needs

articulated through testimonies. That is part of what they had attempted to do by presenting 

an AI / AN budget breakdown on an annual basis. At a time when CDC’s total budget has 

been flat-lined and there have been significant decreases of funding allocated to states, the 

allocations to tribes have remained consistent or have increased, especially in the 

categorical areas that tribes have prioritized. Is it enough? No. Can CDC do better? Yes. 

CDC is at a juncture where the agency is trying to take apart how it does business internally 

with the states, and to make that influence more transparent. CDC is asking for tribal help in 

doing the critical analysis of the information that has been provided. This is where the 

importance of the Tribal Epidemiology Centers arises with respect to data. The data will 

help reflect need and drive the budget. There is a learning process internally for CDC. The 

TCAC Budget Subcommittee is very important. As Ms. Hughes noted, tribal leaders are 

very sophisticated in budget preparation, in particular with regard to the budget formulation 

they do with and for I.H.S. CDC is not at that place. The bottom line is that tribal health 

needs are huge, and often they are public health issues that fall within CDC’s purview. The 

slices of the pie shown in the data provided are pretty thin slices of the pie. Tribes need to 

tell them clearly what is not there, and what additional information should be provided. 

Consideration must be given to how to work with Tribal Epidemiology Centers to acquire the 

data that tells the health status and profile of tribes in the US.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

32

Listening to everyone, Mr. Franklin said he could really see this coming closer to fruition.

The allocations are being made. AI / AN are receiving allocations. The data has been 

pretty consistent. The data have been fairly consistent in the last two years, with the spike 

having to do with the H1N1 pandemic. The part that is not being executed is the articulation 

of the information. Dr. Monroe's office will now be providing information, because this 

particular office will have somebody to contact regarding particular needs. That is the 

beginning of a relationship, which he was sure would grow. From that growth, 

representation is beginning to increase. A lot of offices within CDC are already on the team. 

They are already providing allocations for certain activities. Tribes now have the avenue 

through Dr. Monroe’s office to grow the relationships. The common denominator with I.H.S. 

and CDC is that they are both federal government, but I.H.S. has a direct concern with AI / 

AN health issues, while CDC has a concern with everybody’s health issues.

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) said he did not see what 

had been formulated out the consultations and what had been taken forward. If he could 

see that and know that something was happening with these consultations, he might have a 

better understanding. But he can slice a pie and make it look any way he wants to. Until he 

sees something to substantiate that someone has actually taken all of their testimony 

forward and has spoken on behalf of tribal nations, he will not believe anything is occurring.

Jace Killsback (Council Member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe) indicated that he was on TCAC

about four years ago. He echoed what Mr. Trudell was saying in that the discussion

continued to be the same. He also wondered what had become of the testimonies. Even 

though they might want to make the distinction that process or faces are different in CDC 

versus I.H.S., to the tribal leader, they are the same federal government. They are not 

taking budgets as need-based budget, but are instead giving them pieces of the pie and 

saying ―do what you can with it.‖ What struck him was a comment by CAPT Tucker about 

the relationship with state and local governments. She was specific in saying local 

governments and not tribal governments. The problem they have in Montana is with their 

state and local governments. Even if they use tribal data to receive funding, this does not 

actually trickle down to tribes. That can be echoed from previous testimony. In terms of 

budget and planning opportunities, as a tribal leader, he saw it as the same. He wondered

when things would come to fruition from these testimonies. While I.H.S. is specific to tribes, 

CDC deal particularly with state and local governments. Though they have mentioned trying 

to change that, on the face level, tribes are not receiving a needs-based budget. Also 

echoed two to four years ago was that there needs to be a change in how funding is 

allocated to tribes, in that tribes should be directly funded. Tribes and regions should be 

permitted to present needs-based budgets.

Ms. Hughes indicated that as follow-up to this discussion, she would send the template out 

again to TCAC members, and ask that they send it onward to their health boards and / or 

others from whom they could acquire feedback on projects, initiatives, et cetera that TCAC 

can put forward for the 2013 budget cycle.

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) inquired as to whether 

they were going to be presented with information about how prior testimony has been taken 

forward.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

33

Ms. Hughes indicated that they have the minutes from the Tribal Consultation. She pointed 

out that in Wisconsin, they have consultations. A matrix is prepared from each consultation 

so that every subject that a tribe brings forward that needs follow-up is included in the 

matrix. The state reports back to them what is being done with that request. Where 

appropriate, a timeline is included and staff members are assigned so that tribes know who 

to contact. This is also needed from CDC. That seemed to be what Mr. Trudell was 

requesting.

CAPT Snesrud indicated that the summary document was a specific response to the 

testimonies, and that it was only a 20-page document. She thought Mr. Trudell was 

inquiring as to how testimonies had actually resulted in dollars and if so, how much. It 

sounded like he was asking for transparency.

Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) replied that this was what 

he was asking for. They could go through this process every week, but unless there was 

something visible to show him what happened with their testimony, he did not know whether 

it was being moved forward / addressed. 

Ms. Hughes expressed her hope that they would get a little more involved in that process.

CAPT Snesrud responded that they have been involved, and that she never said that they 

had not been.

Christopher Benjamin, JD, MPA, Deputy Branch Chief

Office on Smoking and Health, Program Services Branch

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Mr. Benjamin indicated that Brick Lancaster, who was the scheduled presenter when the 

agenda was originally developed sent his warm regards. Mr. Benjamin began working for CDC 

in 1989. During seven years of his early career at CDC, he worked in the Division of Diabetes 

Translation (DDT) where he had the honor of working in four states that had significant 

populations of American Indians / Alaska Natives, and in which diabetes was a priority issue 

(e.g., Alaska , Nevada, Kansas, and Montana). While he said he is not an expert in Native 

American culture, traditions, or history, during those seven years he learned a tremendous 

amount about the AI / AN cultures. With that in mind, he said came to them during this meeting 

from a place of honor and respect, and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to present. 

With regard to tobacco prevention and control, Mr. Benjamin emphasized that the approach

focuses on a commercial tobacco perspective and recognizes that ceremonial use of tobacco

has a very profound place in the AI / AN culture. None of the statements pertaining to 

prevention apply to ceremonial tobacco use. Everyone knows that use of commercial tobacco 

kills; however, 18.4% of adults smoke nationally. That includes AI / AN, African Americans, 

Caucasians, and Asians. Depending upon the state, approximately 9.3% to 26% of adults 

Overview of Comprehensive Tobacco Prevention and Control
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

34

smoke. Adult smoking rates among AI / AN populations is approximately 39.1%, depending 

upon the tribe. Given this, it is worth everyone’s time to work together on this issue.

Mr. Benjamin offered insight into the Office on Smoking and Health (OHS) model, and 

discussed how they could continue to work together collaboratively. He explained that a 

comprehensive tobacco control program is a coordinated tobacco control effort that is intended 

to establish smoke-free policies and social norms; promote and assist tobacco users to quit; and 

prevent initiation of tobacco use. As the lead federal agency for comprehensive tobacco 

prevention and control, OHS develops, conducts, and supports strategic efforts to protect the

public’s health from the harmful effects of tobacco use. OHS’s goals are to prevent initiation in 

youth; promote cessation; eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in all public settings; and

identify and eliminate tobacco-related disparities. 

There is a broad base of evidence to show that comprehensive tobacco prevention and control 

programs work. Surgeon General’s reports, Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports, Community 

Guides, and best practices documents have provided this evidence. Experience has shown that 

tobacco control programs that are comprehensive, sustained, and accountable reduce smoking 

rates, tobacco-related deaths, and diseases caused by smoking. OHS’s strategy is to focus on 

policy-based interventions that have broad population-based input. Taken together, these 

improve individual health behaviors by changing the community environment. These strategies 

employ the social norms change approach. The intent is for the interventions to increase media 

messages that drive people to quit; limit access to youth (the primary target of the tobacco 

industry); limit point-of-purchase advertising and promotion; increase prices; and increase social 

services and support for people who are ready to quit. 

The following pyramid comes from a recent article by Dr. Frieden, the point of which is that the 

broadest impact occurs where the interventions are policy-based and focused, which is where 

OSH’s efforts are focused:

Largest

Impact

Smallest

Impact

Factors that Affect Health

Examples

Eat healthy, be 

physically active

Rx for high blood 

pressure, high 

cholesterol, diabetes

Poverty, education, 

housing, inequality

Immunizations, brief 

intervention, cessation 

treatment, colonoscopy

Fluoridation, 0g trans 

fat, iodization, smokefree laws, tobacco tax 

Socioeconomic Factors

Changing the Context

to make individuals’ default 

decisions healthy

Long-lasting 

Protective Interventions

Clinical

Interventions

Counseling 

& Education
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

35

The other framework that is now a foundation for OSH’s work is MPOWER, the worldwide 

framework that the World Health Organization (WHO) developed to address the epidemic of 

commercial tobacco worldwide. While some people may be thinking that US tribes are not 

worldwide, OSH wanted to share what the thinking is at CDC to inform collaborative and grant 

writing efforts. MPOWER stands for the following:

M = Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies 

P = Protect people from tobacco smoke 

O = Offer help to quit tobacco use 

W = Warn about the dangers of tobacco 

E = Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship 

R = Raise taxes on tobacco 

MPOWER coincides with the Media, Access, Point-of-Purchase / Promotion, Price, and Social 

Support and Services (MAPPS) strategies. Thus, when they read an FOA that requires the 

selection of two to three MAPPS strategies on which to base a work plan, OSH wants tribes to 

know what the basis of this is and how to interweave those notions into their specific cultural 

needs in their specific communities. To achieve the intended impact, with its National Tobacco 

Control Program (NTCP), CDC supports all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 

eight US territories or jurisdictions, six national networks, and seven tribal support centers to 

achieve the goals of preventing initiation among youth, promoting quitting among adults and 

youth, eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke, and identifying and eliminating tobaccorelated disparities among population groups. The Tribal Support Centers are in the last year of 

a five-year funding period, which ends in September 2010. An objective review process is 

underway for those entities who submitted applications to gain access to those funds to engage 

in specific activities in their communities. The results were scheduled to be announced within 

about two months. 

In closing, Mr. Benjamin referred participants to a document in their packets titled ―Additional 

NCCDPHP Information for the TCAC Meeting.‖ He pointed out that the first three bullets 

reported on some of the tribal entities that were funded with CPPW funds. He emphasized that 

in trying to tie in what he had heard during the morning was that OSH wants tribes to know as 

much as they know so that tribes can be strategic in their thinking. OSH understands the 

sovereign nature of tribal communities and that while MAPPS strategies and policy-based 

efforts are the focus, tribes may have to adapt to their communities. This is why the funding is 

in the form of a cooperative agreement. OSH truly hopes to be good partners. Clearly, he is 

not a Native American or Alaskan Native, but he stressed that he does have a great amount of 

empathy and there are those at CDC who really care. He commended Dr. Monroe for making 

herself available to tribes and answering their questions. He expressed his hope that as they 

heard from the various divisions, it would be clear that they really want to work together with 

tribes in a productive way. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

36

Sharanya Krishnan, Program Consultant

Office on Smoking and Health, Program Services Branch

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ms. Krishnan reported on the projects and work of the Tribal Support Centers (TSCs). The 

funding cycle for these centers began in 2000, so the upcoming cycle represents the third 

funding cycle, each of which has run 5 years. Currently, 6 grantees are funded and there are 7 

cooperative agreements totaling $1.6 million per year in funding. There are two types of Tribal 

Support Center cooperative agreements: 1) Capacity-building programs that lead to tribal 

efforts to reduce abuse of commercial tobacco and secondhand smoke exposure; and 2) 

Implementation and evaluation of tobacco control strategies. The California Rural Indian Health 

Board (CRIHB) received awards for both. The Tribal Support Center awardees are as follows: 

Capacity-Building

 Black Hills Center for American Indian Health

 California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.

 Cherokee Nation

 Indigenous Peoples’ Task Force

Implementation

 California Rural Indian Health Board, Inc.

 Muscogee (Creek) Nation

 Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium

Ms. Krishnan shared a map titled ―CDC Funded Tribal Support Centers 2005 through 2010‖ 

reflecting the geographic breakdown of the Tribal Support Centers.

Tribes working with TSCs tend to have higher tobacco taxes than other tribes. In some 

instances, the tribal taxes are higher than state taxes. As a result of TSC work, several tribes 

are working with their gaming divisions to measure levels of secondhand smoke, provide health 

education around secondhand smoke to employees, and provide referral services to 

employees. Cherokee Nation TSC was selected as a grantee to receive ARRA CPPW funding 

in both the tobacco and obesity tracts. Three of the TSCs (e.g., CRIHB, Muscogee Creek 

Nation, and Cherokee Nation) also work with their states’ respective quit lines to train 

counselors in cultural appropriateness when counseling AI / AN clients.

TSCs are implementing their own and working with other tribes to implement the American 

Indian Adult Tobacco Survey and the Alaska Native Adult Tobacco Survey. TSCs and the 

National Native Commercial Tobacco Prevention Abuse Network (NNCTAPN) are working with 

Legacy, RWJ, and other partners to expand surveillance systems and implement culturally 

appropriate interventions and evaluations. TSCs are also working with NNCTAPN on a 

REACH-US initiative that seeks to integrate tobacco control with chronic disease programs in 

tribal health systems. In addition, TSCs and NNCTAPN are working with tribal governments to 

Sustained Funding of Tribal Tobacco Support Centers
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

37

increase the number of tribes that adopt comprehensive commercial tobacco policies and 

smoke-free work policies.

The FOA for the 2010 Tribal Support Centers was released in May 2010. It is anticipated that 

five to seven TSCs will be funded. These are cooperative agreements, with awards ranging 

from $200,000 to $340,000. The purpose of the 2010 TSCs will be to reduce commercial 

tobacco use and abuse, eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, prevent youth initiation, and 

promote commercial tobacco cessation. As noted, the framework models for the FOA included 

MAPPS and MPOWER. There is also a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with I.H.S. of 

approximately $75,000 per year to fund staff activities. The activities of the MOU are to provide 

data analyses on the American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey, develop tribal funding 

recommendations, and conduct strategic planning.

As a result of OSH funding, I.H.S. created an I.H.S. Tobacco Task Force. This task force works 

closely with the OSH-funded NNCTAPN in areas of policy advocacy and implementation 

trainings at the tribal level; and systems change in an attempt to mandate tobacco clinical 

guidelines within tribal health systems. NNCTAPN is in the third year of a five-year cooperative 

agreement, and works with all of the 500+ federally recognized and state recognized AI / AN 

tribes in the US. Funding for this efforts is approximately $450,000 per year. The Inter-Tribal 

Council of Michigan is the managing partner / grantee. NNCTAPN activities include training and 

technical assistance for tribes and tribal organizations on policy development and chronic 

disease integration. In June 2010, NNCTAPN convened an intensive policy training institute for 

tribes. With regard to chronic disease integration, NNCTAPN partnered with the Oklahoma 

Council on Education and Economic Development (CEED) to host a training for tribal health 

administrators and staff, also in June 2010. In terms of monitoring and surveillance, in 

partnership with the American Legacy Foundation, NNCTAPN is working on a project that will 

build capacity at the tribal college level in implementing and maintaining commercial tobacco 

surveillance systems. In July 2010, NNCTAPN partnered with OSH’s Epidemiology Division, 

Health Education & Promotion Council, Inc., and JCW Research & Evaluation Group to provide 

technical training for AI / AN tribes on the implementation of the Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS). 

Currently, 11 tribes have implemented the ATS.

Discussion Points

Ms. Hughes inquired as to how they could access data from the ATS survey that 11 tribes 

have implemented.

Ms. Krishnan replied that Stacy Thorne, the Epidemiologist in OSH, would be able to 

respond to this. Her contact information is: Phone 770.488.5366 and email:

stacy.thorne@cdc.hhs.gov. 

Theresa Galvan (Navajo Nation) indicated that one of the objectives for the Winslow project 

in the Black Hills was to assist the Navajo Nation with legislative changes in existing tribal 

codes. She wondered whether OSH would assist other tribes with legislative input or 

assistance to amendments to existing codes or new codes dealing with tobacco. She heard 

that some areas have non-smoking casinos. 

Ms. Krishnan replied that OSH works with such partners as the Americans for Non-Smoker’s 

Rights (ANR) and NNCTAPN. OSH’s partners could assist with that upon request.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

38

Jace Killsback (Council Member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe) pointed out that it would be 

beneficial to have this type of policy data to share with their individual tribal councils to 

illustrate impact (health, economy, et cetera). A couple of years ago, his tribal council was

concerned about implementing no smoking policies in casinos because they were 

concerned about losing business, but he was unable to acquire any data.

Ms. Krishnan responded that TSCs, ANR, and NNCTAPN can assist with this. It is a matter 

of connecting, communicating, and figuring out what each tribe’s needs are. Stacy Thorne 

would also be a good contact. It has been a challenge to collect the data, and this effort is 

still in the initial phase.

Mr. Benjamin indicated that they would take this information back to OSH with them, 

because this is a way for them to illustrate that this type of project would be useful. This is 

how projects are generated. 

Ms. Krishnan agreed that many people would be interested in working on this. It is an issue

for a lot communities OSH works with in general in terms of advocating for smoke free

environments. Even in states with bars going smoke free these issues arise (e.g., losing 

business).

Ms. Hughes emphasized that the data collection issue is one that is on-going over a vast 

plethora of subject matter. The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act (PPACA) 

includes a requirement for the HHS Secretary to ensure that there is data collection being 

conducted within two years. The data collection issue must continue to be brought to the 

forefront. The regulations specify how that data is to be collected, including the 

distinguishing of AI / AN. That information has to be made available within two years. 

Ms. Kaslow (CRIHB, Family and Community Health Services Director) pointed out that 

CRIHB, as a TSC awardee, believes it is their responsibility to be responsive to tribal 

communities in its region. They conduct extensive outreach and offer opportunities for tribal 

communities to assess smoking issues in their particular tribe. The ATS is prohibitively 

expensive to administer in California because the tribes are so small. Given this barrier, 

they have tried to create opportunities such as electronic health record systems that are 

tobacco-oriented in their primary care settings so that clinics can their own data. It is part of 

the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) management through their Resource 

and Patient Information System (RPMS). Not everyone uses RPMS, but they are trying to 

offer other opportunities to collect the data and assess what the real rates are for various 

areas. This is an opportunity for TSCs to reach out to their constituencies. Based on the 

geographic locations of the TSCs, there are pretty significant gaps. Some of the states with

the highest rates of smoking for American Indians were not awardees. This is a major 

concern. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

39

CAPT Holly Billie, Injury Prevention Specialist

Division of Unintentional Injury

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI / AN) are at increased risk of motor-vehicle related 

injury and death, with rates 1.5 to 3 times higher than rates for other Americans. To address 

this disparity, CDC’s Injury Center funded four Tribes from 2004-2009 to tailor, implement, and 

evaluate evidence-based interventions to reduce motor vehicle-related injury and death in their 

communities. CDC is now seeking more positive outcomes in more tribal communities, and 

would like to identify best practices in Indian Country in terms of what the critical components

are for the funding agency and the tribal program. CAPT Billie suggested that agencies offering 

funding should make sure that the funding is multi-year, given that it is very difficult to show

impact with only one year of funding. She described the components of the cooperative 

agreements for which 6 tribes would be funded for 4 years at $70,000 per year. Tribes and 

tribal organizations were encouraged to apply for this funding. After the FOA closed in June, 16 

applications were received. They were reviewed and the award process was underway during 

the time of this meeting. With this funding, the goal is to add to a best practice manual that 

CDC is developing. This manual will include lesson learned from CDC-funded tribes and I.H.S.-

funded tribes. I.H.S. also announced new funding at about the same time that the CDC funding 

was released, so many tribes were working hard to write applications. I.H.S. is also in the 

process of allocating funding for motor vehicle crash prevention. NCIPC will be working with 

I.H.S. to develop this best practices manual in order to include as many tribes as possible. 

Another motor vehicle activity is multi-agency meetings to discuss the essential components to 

improve funding programs and developing a multi-agency RFP, which has not previously been 

done that they know of. The agencies include National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

(NHTSA), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), I.H.S., and CDC. Hopefully, the multi-agency RFP will 

be announced before the end of the year. 

The Lifesavers Conference, an annual national conference pertaining to highway safety 

priorities, represents another important motor vehicle activity. That will be held in Phoenix on 

March 27-29, 2011. This is a fairly large, well-attended conference. On a recent partnership 

call between I.H.S., NHTSA, BIA, and CDC, it was announced that since this conference is 

being held in a region with a high native population, organizers are considering a tract specific

to native traffic safety issues. The degree of interest will, of course, impact the likelihood of a 

dedicated tract. They have been trying to get the word out to tribes that this is an opportunity to 

help mold a tract that focuses specifically on tribal issues at a well-attended national 

conference. They have solicited input because they know there are many great motor vehicle 

injury prevention efforts underway in Indian Country. She invited suggestions on tribal highway 

safety topics, issues, potential speakers, et cetera the partnership would really like to hear about 

it. Self-nominations are completely appropriate. A few of the topics suggested so far include 

DUI court programs; whether Interlock programs would work in Indian Country; impaired driving

demonstration projects; data challenges; reciprocity issues; culturally relevant materials; grant 

application workshop; combining injury prevention and enforcement; checkpoints on 

reservations; rules, regulations, and challenges; et cetera. 

Injury Prevention and Control: Motor Vehicle Safety
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

40

There is an Older Adult Falls Prevention Work Group between I.H.S. and CDC, the purpose of 

which is to develop recommendations for clinical personnel and community public health 

personnel to address older adult falls. Recommendations include screening for vision and 

medication, exercise, education, and home improvement. That is still slowly moving along, with 

the recommendations now in draft format. They should be released by Dr. Bruce Finke from 

I.H.S. when completed.

Discussion Points

Ms. Hughes requested that CAPT Billie email her presentation to TCAC. She also indicated 

that they would notify their area tribes about the Lifesavers Conference, and request more 

feedback from them through that process.

Theresa Galvan (Navajo Nation) requested a ―Save the Date‖ flyer about the Lifesavers 

Conference. 

CAPT Billie responded that she was hoping to send one that says ―Native American TractSpecific.‖ They will send one out. The abstract deadline has not been set yet, but is 

expected to be announced in November.

Division of Adolescent and School Health

Linda Crossett, PhD, Health Scientist

Bridget Borgogna, MEd, Health Education Specialist

Allison Nihiser, MPH, Health Scientist

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Crossett noted that the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) gave a 

presentation to TCAC during the January 2010 meeting in Atlanta. DASH’s work with youth in 

schools is not specific to tribes, but transcends all school-aged youth. However, some funding 

is allocated specifically to three tribes. One of these is the Nez Perce Tribe, which is funded for 

Coordinated School Health known there as the Students for Success Program. This is a 

collaborative effort between the Nez Perce Education Department and four local school districts 

to support the development of coordinate school health programs in four K-12 schools on the 

reservation. This program targets efforts that improve the health and educational outcomes of 

young people; provides technical assistance and professional development on coordinated 

school health programs; teaches drug prevention curriculums to teens and parents; and works 

with coalitions to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and HIV and promote cultural 

identity and wellness. One of their specific efforts has been professional development training 

with food staff about healthy eating. Dr. Borgogna has been newly assigned to the Nez Perce 

Reservation, and planned to make a site visit there in early September. The Winnebago Tribe

of Nebraska and Cherokee Nation are provided with funding support for administration of the 

Youth Risk Behavioral Survey (YRBS). 

Youth Obesity
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

41

Ms. Nihiser spoke briefly about DASH’s work with obesity and youth. There are four ways that 

DASH addresses obesity, physical activity, and nutrition: 1) Surveillance and monitoring 

through the YRBS and the monitoring of school health policies and programs. The School 

Health Policy and Program Study is one of the largest studies on policies and programs for 

schools. She pointed out that was not certain whether they were collecting information on tribes 

with that survey, though she said she would follow up on this; 2) Research synthesis; 

3) Addressing health behaviors through funding 23 states and Nez Perce for Coordinated 

School Health, Nutrition, and Tobacco; and 4) Evaluation in large school districts that implement 

strong research to determine whether it is still effective at the school level. Much of what is 

produced within in DASH are tools and resources for schools and school districts to use to 

implement policy and environmental change strategies, which can be found at the following url: 

www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth. All of these resources are free and are downloadable.

One of the documents is ―Strategies for Schools to Address Childhood Obesity.‖ This includes 

10 health and environmental strategies that schools should be implementing to address obesity 

in schools, improve physical activity, and improve the eating environment. There are also 

resources that accompany all of the strategies so that schools and school districts can easily 

start implementing these strategies. One of these is the ―School Health Index: A SelfAssessment and Planning Guide (SHI).‖ This is one of DASH’s most popular tools. This is an 

assessment tool to help schools assess and improve their health and safety policies and 

programs in the context of a coordinated school health program. Another popular tools is the 

―Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT),‖ which enables users to analyze written 

physical education curricula based on alignment with national standards, guidelines, and best 

practices for quality physical education programs. There is also a ―Health Education Curriculum 

Analysis Tool (HECAT),‖ which help schools and school districts analyze health education 

curricula based on alignment with national health education standards and characteristics of 

effective health education curricula. DASH recently released a ―Physical Activities Guidelines 

Toolkit,‖ which is a toolkit to help schools and school districts help their students achieve the 

HHS recommendation for physical activity that all youth should be engaged in physical activity 

for 60 minutes daily. These toolkits can be request from website or all materials can be 

downloaded. These include fact sheets for parents and schools, PowerPoint presentations to 

help describe the importance of physical activity to decision makers, et cetera. 

Additional resources include ―Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories‖ that tells the 

stories of schools and school districts that have implemented innovative strategies to improve 

the nutritional quality of foods and beverages sold outside of federal meal programs. This 

allows schools to see how other schools have improved their nutrition environments, and the 

impact of this. They can use this as a tool to try to make such changes in their own schools and 

school districts. DASH also sponsored the IOM ―Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools,‖ 

which addresses competitive foods in schools that are served outside of the national school 

lunch program (e.g., vending machines, a la carte lines, fundraisers, school stores, et cetera). 

This is promoted as a gold standard in an effort to try to remove ―junk food‖ from schools and 

promote healthy foods. The DASH website also includes a number of fact sheets for decisions 

makers for schools and families about how they can implement these changes at their schools. 

The site also includes a document pertaining to the emerging practice of measurement of body 

mass index (BMI) in schools. This article titled ―Body Mass Index Measurement in Schools‖

describes the purpose of school-based BMI surveillance and screening programs, examines

current practices, and reviews research on BMI measurement programs. The article 

summarizes the recommendations of experts, identifies concerns surrounding programs, and 

outlines needs for future research. Guidance is provided on specific safeguards that need to be 

addressed before schools decide to collect BMI information. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

42

Plans for the future include the ―School Health Guidelines for Physical Activity and Healthy 

Eating Among Young People,‖ which is an update to the guidelines that were produced in 1996

and 1997. These guidelines describe all of the policies and environmental strategies that 

should be in place. This helps to guide DASH’s work and states’ work in promoting these 

activities to local school districts and schools. A number of complementary tools will be created 

about how to implement specific aspects of these guidelines. A second tool that is coming soon 

is the ―Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program Guide.‖ The plan is for this to be 

published soon after the guidelines and will inform states and school districts about how to 

implement a comprehensive school physical activity program, which includes quality physical 

education as the cornerstone, classroom-based physical activity, intramural sports and physical 

activity clubs, and walk and bike to school programs. DASH also offers a lot of training on these 

tools, which is free. There is a location on the DASH website to make a request for this free 

training. With respect to tribes specifically, perhaps some tribal schools could join together to 

request this training. 

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity

Kati Cooper, Orise Fellow

Alicia Hunter, JD, MSW, Team Lead for Policy and Partnerships

Michael Sells, MS, Health Disparities Lead

Lorraine Whitehair, Public Health Nutritionist 

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The vision of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) is ―a world where 

regular physical activity, good nutrition, and healthy weight are part of everyone’s life.‖ Its 

mission is to ―lead strategic public health efforts to prevent and control obesity, chronic disease, 

and other health conditions through regular physical activity and good nutrition. DNPAO’s goals 

are to: 1) Increase health-related physical activity through population-based approaches; 

2) Improve those aspects of dietary quality most related to the population burden of chronic 

disease and unhealthy child development; and 3) Decrease prevalence of obesity through 

preventing excess weight gain and maintenance of healthy weight loss.

DNPAO principal target areas are to:

 Increase physical activity

 Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables

 Decrease the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages

 Increase breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity

 Reduce the consumption of high energy dense foods

 Decrease television viewing

DNPAO currently funds 25 states to address the problems of obesity and other chronic diseases 

through statewide efforts coordinated with multiple partners. The program's primary focus is to 

create policy and environmental changes that will improve the health of places where 

Americans live, work, learn, and play. working to build lasting and comprehensive efforts to 

address obesity and other chronic diseases through a variety of nutrition and physical activity 

strategies [http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/stateprograms/index.html]. Numerous tribal activities are 

underway in Montana, Michigan, New Mexico, and Minnesota.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

43

Division of Diabetes Translation

Letia Boseman, MPH, Public Health Analyst

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Amongst Division of Diabetes Translation’s (DDT) numerous efforts, such as the Eagle Books, 

is the Native Diabetes Wellness program. The mission of the Native Diabetes Wellness 

Program is to ―work with a growing circle of partners to address the health inequities so starkly 

revealed by diabetes in Indian Country. With social justice and respect for Native and Western 

science as grounding principles, we strive to support community efforts to promote health and 

prevent diabetes.‖

The goals of the Native Diabetes Wellness Program are to: 1) Support sustainable, evaluable 

ecological approaches to promote the use of traditional foods, physical activity, social support, 

and health policy change in communities; 2) Share messages, including stories and art, about 

survival and traditional ways of health that are remembered, retold, and talked about in homes, 

schools, and communities; 3)Share and evaluate Native and Western programs, including 

community outreach, talking circles, community-based interventions, and diabetes education in 

schools; and 4) Support meaningful tribal consultation at the state and federal levels.

Traditional Food Grantees include the following:

 Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Inc., Alaska

 Catawba Cultural Preservation Project, South Carolina

 Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma

 Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Oregon

 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, North Carolina

 Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa, Oklahoma

 Nooksack Indian Tribe, Washington

 Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Kansas

 Ramah Navajo School Board, New Mexico

 Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Minnesota

 Salish Kootenai College, Montana

 Santee Sioux Nation, Nebraska

 Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan

 Southeast Alaska Regional Health Care Consortium, Alaska

 Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, North/South Dakota

 Tohono O’odham Nation, Arizona

 United Indian Health Services, Inc., California

Discussion Points

In terms of prevention, Mr. Killsback (Council Member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe) inquired 

as to how DASH addresses problems with youth obesity from a mental / behavioral health 

perspective.

Dr. Crossett replied that most of the tools DASH has developed are related to physical 

activity and nutrition behaviors. Some are food services and some are facilities for 

recreation. Most of DASH’s efforts do involve changing behavior of the students and the 

staff, but from a policy, environment, and classroom learning perspective. In some ways 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

44

changing the environment is behavior-related because that offers better choices. This 

agency does not address the mental health perspective to a great extent, even though it 

certainly is highly related. SAMSHA has historically engaged in more efforts in mental 

health. DNPAO may be addressing this aspect to some extent, but DASH is not addressing 

this except from the general standpoint of the influences on children. They try to affect 

issues from a policy and holistic standpoint. 

Ms. Nihiser added that mental health is addressed slightly in the ―School Health Guidelines.‖ 

In the YRBS data, DASH assesses obesity and bullying, for example, in terms of the 

psychosocial effects of obesity. In the document about measuring BMI in schools, some of 

the psychosocial and mental health concerns are addresses with respect to stigmatizing 

youth. That is why DASH also promotes an environment of physical activity and nutrition

that is targeted to all youth in order to focus on prevention so that it is not targeted 

specifically to overweight and obese youth.

Mr. Killsback (Council Member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe) added that recently, the Northern 

Cheyenne Tribe has made an effort to assess diabetes and obesity on their reservation from 

a mental / behavioral health standpoint because they believe that a lot of these issues are 

only being addressed through the physical aspect: exercise, exercise, exercise. A lot of

times tribal members have mental and behavioral health issues which tie in to ailments. In 

terms of SAMSA and I.H.S., he understood that they did not want to see a duplication of 

services by agencies. If CDC is geared toward the physical aspect, perhaps they could 

work with the other agencies in regard to the mental / behavioral health aspects. At the 

same time, tribal communities have very unique cultural issues they deal with that involve 

mental health aspects. Perhaps tribal leaders could help. They utilize the I.H.S. more 

toward the mental health aspect. Tribes are already dealing with limited resources.

Alicia Hunter replied that this is not an issue they overlook. CDC must work within the 

constraints of its resources and mandates. Especially outside the majority population, 

cultural competency and culturally relevant approaches. Her division addresses mental 

health from the perspective of stigma, discrimination, and self-esteem among children and 

adults—not the behavioral intervention approach perspective. Even with these 

environmental approaches, there still has to be a handoff between behavioral and mental 

health aspects, especially in terms of obesity and some of the other chronic diseases. The 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has been assessing obesity and mental health more 

closely than CDC has. Perhaps they could share some of their resources and insights into 

how to integrate that into a large framework.

Candida Hunter (Phoenix, Hualapai Tribal Councilwoman) indicated that they provide 

physical activity in schools and teach youth about healthy meals. The problem is that they 

go home to whatever the family feeds them depending upon their budget. The children are 

going to eat it because that is what is provided for them. She inquired as to whether parents 

are being addressed.

Alicia Hunter replied that they provide funding to 17 AI / AN communities, tribal 

organizations, and tribal colleges to increase access to traditional and local healthy foods

and physical activities for diabetes prevention and control, and they also have the series of 

children’s books, the Eagle Books, for Native American children about healthy eating. 

Parents are possibly reached through the Eagle Books, but beyond that, they have not 

developed anything specific for parents.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

45

Ms. Nihiser referred to NIH, which has a We Can! Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and 

Nutrition website found at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/. This 

is not targeted to Native Americans specifically, but it does include some nice parental 

resources.

Alicia Hunter added that the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative that specifically addresses 

what parents can do can be found at: http://www.letsmove.gov/. Getting parents involved in 

a hands-on way with initiatives that are underway is a good way to get parents involved. 

Another method is to use the workplace to educate parents about healthy eating. The byproduct of students receiving information in school and parents receiving it in the workplace 

is a healthier home. Although its applicability to tribes has not been tested, Kokomo [not 

sure this is what she said] is known to be very different from what would occur at the state 

level. This includes eight categories as strategies that are effective at the community level 

for improving healthy eating and active living lifestyles. This includes support groups, 

mobilizing the community around particular initiatives like farmer's markets or Safe Routes 

to Schools to change environments. It serves as a way to have a physical change for the 

environment (e.g., increasing access) and to bring families and caregivers to the table so 

that they are informed and are able to practice those lifestyle changes in their family.

Dr. Sells mentioned a few resources from his division: 1) How many fruits and vegetables 

do you need?; 2) Rethink your drink; and 3) Eat More. Weigh Less. He thought that these 

educational materials could be adapted for the purposes of the tribes.

CAPT Snesrud requested that all links, program materials, and contact information be 

submitted to her.

In terms of what can be done to reduce obesity among AI / AN children, Ms. Nihiser left the 

group with some examples. Urban and rural farming to improve the meals of children and 

expand economic options for farmers would allow instruction of community members in 

farming and gardening techniques, would allow for designating vacant space for community 

gardening, provide gardening surplus to childcare centers and schools to improve the 

dietary quality of the meals that they receive, and would teach children and parents about

nutrition, healthy preparation of foods, and the importance of physical activity. Another is 

the Safe Routes to Schools Program, which creates safe walking and biking access to 

schools for children. Joint Use Agreements are very important. These allow for increased 

safe places to be physically active. For example, this would allow for the use of school or 

community facilities after hours by the larger community (e.g., school track, school gym, 

playground). Another important activity is supporting mothers who want to breastfeed in the 

workplace in terms of giving them the time and a clean, secluded place to lactate; and also 

through peer-to-peer groups in which women can talk to one another about overcoming 

barriers to breastfeeding. It is also important to develop health education materials that are 

culturally competent and communicate key health messages that are relevant to the

particular population group. For example, the Eagle Books are a great effort that continues

to be promoted across NCCDPHP. There has been discussion having the Eagle Books 

story line be reflective of other tribes so that more tribes can use it. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

46

CAPT Myra Tucker

Tribal Liaison, Division of Reproductive Health

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CAPT Tucker indicated that following her first trip to Indian Country, she returned to CDC and

called CAPT Snesrud to tell her that she felt so small and so overwhelmed by the need. CAPT 

Snesrud told her that this and being around Indian people would keep her going. CAPT 

Snesrud has always been that Indian person, and has been her inspiration. One thing she 

could say unequivocally is that no one could outwork CAPT Snesrud. CAPT Tucker said that 

she was indebted to CAPT Snesrud for investing in her with her heart and eyes on what is best 

for the people and in trying to enable CAPT Tucker to be more effective. She expressed her 

gratitude to CAPT Snesrud. 

CAPT Tucker reminded everyone that she was presenting on a specific topic at TCAC’s 

request—an update on H1N1 influenza. An on-going theme for TCAC regards how to ensure

that CDC is responsive to the needs in Indian Country. Though not precisely what was 

requested, CAPT Tucker began with stories to illustrate examples of using the H1N1 pandemic 

to build CDC capacity and programs that are more responsive to tribes. This is a good example 

of using a public health crisis to build infrastructure that serves tribes. With the H1N1 pandemic,

a team was assembled for the first time within CDC history, the American Indian / Alaskan 

Native H1N1 Influenza Team. The team had a desk staffed by Craig Wilkinson in the 

Emergency Operations Center. Dr. Bryan led the scientific effort from his Albuquerque office. 

Tom Hennessy, with the Arctic Investigations Program, was a member of that team, as was 

CAPT Tucker. One of the efforts the Indian / Alaskan Native H1N1 Influenza Team engaged in 

was the development of public service announcements (PSAs) that were specific to tribes. 

CAPT Tucker shared an example of these PSAs that was narrated by Native American actor, 

Wes Studi. This is an example of a longer lasting benefit from the H1N1 crisis.

With regard to influenza in general, the key characteristics include rapid onset of symptoms, 

primary transmission though respiratory droplets, fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, runny

nose, headache, and non-productive cough. Influenza complications include the development 

of pneumonia, worsening of chronic lung and heart problems, and potentially death. The 

national list of high risk groups for seasonal influenza includes women who will be pregnant 

during the influenza season, children less than four years of age, and infants under six months. 

From a historical perspective, the 1918 H1N1 epidemic resulted in 500,000 deaths in the US

and 20 to 50 million deaths worldwide. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, the swine flu vaccine

was tested from the 1970s swine influenza, which was a recurrence of 1918. The formula for 

the 1970s vaccine was effective on the 2009 H1N1 pandemic strain. The median age for 2009 

H1N1 was 20 years, with a range from 3 months to 81 years of age. Of those who contracted 

2009 H1N1 influenza, 61% were 18 years and younger. Pregnant women are at increased risk

of complications and death from influenza historically, and this was also found to be the case 

with the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. CAPT Tucker pointed out that women who are pregnant during 

the influenza season should be vaccinated. There is no evidence to suggest maternal or fetal 

problems with influenza vaccination. She emphasized that this message must be carried back 

Updates Related to Maternal and Child Health Following H1N1
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

47

to communities. In terms of treatment recommendations, CAPT Tucker indicated that she knew 

of one death of a pregnant Native American woman who was pregnant during that past 

influenza season. It was typically found that pregnant women who did not receive treatment 

early were the ones who died, given that delaying treatment increases the risk of complications 

and death. The recommendation is to treat as soon as a woman has symptoms, without waiting 

for H1N1 validation. Treatment options include Tamiflu® (oseltamivir) or Relenza® (zanamivir). 

Of the deaths from H1N1 influenza in 2009 in the US, 6% were pregnant women who comprise 

only 1% of the general population. Young children, especially very young children, were at a 3-

to 4-fold greater risk of death. It is known that there are increased mortality and death from 

pneumonia and influenza among American Indians / Alaska Natives. American Indian / Alaska 

Native infants have a 4-fold higher mortality from influenza than US Whites. American Indians 

across the board are 1.5 times more likely to die from influenza than Whites. Why is that? A 

recurring theme heard in TCAC meetings is that there is a high prevalence of co-morbid or 

chronic conditions among American Indians that places them at increased risk for complications

(e.g., diabetes, end stage renal disease, obesity, childhood asthma, et cetera). Many American 

Indians and Alaska Natives live in remote areas where the poverty rate is quite high, there is 

household crowding, and often there is a lack of plumbing, which makes it difficult to engage in 

frequent hand washing to prevent transmission. Last fall, one of the early indications that H1N1

pandemic influenza would hit harder in tribal communities was that there were reports of 

increased risk of death in Arizona and New Mexico in October 2009. When CDC analyzed data 

from 12 states where there were fatal cases of influenza, they found that the age-adjusted 

mortality rate was four times higher among American Indians. The fatality rates of American 

Indians who had chronic conditions of diabetes and asthma were twice as high as Whites with 

diabetes and asthma, so something else is also contributing to risk of death. The potential 

explanations for increased risk include the higher prevalence of risk factors for severe disease,

co-morbid conditions, reduced access to health care services, delayed care, and higher rates of

viral transmission. 

What do we need to do? It is what everyone’s grandma has told them: community education, 

wash hands, act early to respond to illness, and vaccinate for prevention. CDC needs to 

conduct better surveillance in order to tell the story accurately. The I.H.S. worked with Indian 

Health Service and Tribal Hospitals to set up a surveillance system to monitor what was 

occurring with influenza in Indian Country. This is a voluntary system in which a number of 

facilities across the country participated. While it is an I.H.S. surveillance system, its purpose is 

to determine what is occurring at the community level. This system monitors influenza like 

illness (ILI), hospitalized cases, vaccine coverage, and adverse reactions to vaccines. The 

system illustrated that there was, indeed, a potential epidemic. The good news is that the 

Indian Health Service Surveillance System showed that overall vaccine uptake was higher

among Tribal and Indian Health Services facilities in 6 months to 17 year olds and health care 

workers than for the overall US population. This is a success story, and more success stories 

are needed. Surveillance can help to document successes as well as needs. 

In terms of next steps, it is important to look more deeply into risk factors for fatal influenza. As 

noted, even when co-morbid conditions are controlled for, the rate is twice as high among 

American Indians. A case controlled study is currently underway in which Tom Hennessy is 

involved. CDC has been lobbying for American Indians and Alaska Natives to be considered a 

priority group for vaccination. Right now, priorities are set on the basis of at-risk conditions

(e.g., chronic condition, being pregnant, et cetera). The rationale for making Tribal communities

a higher priority is that these communities have a higher prevalence of these conditions than 

other groups and should be priority for vaccination. This has already been done in Australia, 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

48

New Zealand, and some areas of Canada. CDC will continue to push for this. It is also 

important to improve reporting of race and ethnicity data on all US surveillance systems. This is 

an on-going issue for CDC.

CAPT Tucker shared another story to illustrate the use of a crisis to strengthen efforts in Indian 

Country. She feels very strongly that CDC needs to be certain that all of its data systems 

represent American Indians and Alaska Natives. Working at the division level, she has been 

pushing for this for six years. The largest surveillance system in her division is the Pregnancy 

Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) that sends questionnaires to new mothers 

to find out about their pregnancy experience and the health of their new babies. She and CAPT 

Snesrud agreed that PRAMS should be telling the story of American Indian women. They 

spoke with the PRAMS leadership who indicated that they would need additional resources in 

order to acquire these data, and they did not have the resources. This is where they started. 

She shared a map of the PRAMS states in the US. They identified that 10 of the PRAMS states 

have large American Indian and Alaska Native populations. They thought that they could get 

about half of all American Indian and Alaska Native births represented in the PRAMS 

surveillance system if they were able to achieve good response rates from among American 

Indians and Alaska Natives. When the PRAMS leadership told them more resources would be 

needed, they had to strategize about how to bring this issue forward without many resources. 

Therefore, they did an analysis of response rates among American Indian women, published a 

paper about this, went to the PRAMS national meeting, brought in tribal representatives to meet 

with state representatives, and began to talk to states about representation of the experience of 

American Indian women being an expectation. Simultaneously, the Santee Sioux Tribe in the 

Aberdeen Tribal Area Tribal Epidemiology Center applied for a point-in-time PRAMS. They 

examined all births to American Indian women for a six-month period in the nine tribes in South 

Dakota and part of North Dakota. The Tribal PRAMS program achieved response rates among 

American Indian women of 73%--higher than anything ever seen. 

An opportunity then arose to submit a proposal, which had to be influenza-related. CAPT 

Tucker put forward a proposal stating that there were not good data about the influenza 

experiences of American Indian mothers and their babies, and that in order to acquire better 

influenza data, the PRAMS system should be improved to include tribes and American Indian 

women. They received nearly half a million in funding, which will go out with the new PRAMS 

announcement in the fall. States can apply for these funds, with the following caveats:

 States must provide H1N1 data to the tribes in their states so that tribes will have these data 

for their own use. 

 States must hire a PRAMS American Indian / Alaska Native Coordinator, with preference to 

be given to hiring an American Indian or Alaska Native for this position. 

 A PRAMS Tribal Oversight Committee must be established. There has never been tribal 

oversight of PRAMS other than in the South Dakota project. 

While they are leveraging H1N1 resources to acquire better H1N1 data, if they obtain better

H1N1 data from American Indian women in these states, they will also have better data about 

their pregnancy risk factors and the health of their babies. CAPT Tucker’s hope is that by 

utilizing the H1N1 epidemic, they will begin to set a new standard for PRAMS, that tribes will be 

engaged, that there will be tribal oversight, and that the data are provided to tribal governments 

for their use in making decisions and improving health systems. Though this is a small 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

49

example, if they pushing in a lot of directions, directions will yield, and they will see progress as 

they make incursions into the organization to help CDC better serve tribes. 

Thirty–seven states and New York City currently participate in PRAMS. Six other states 

previously participated [http://www.cdc.gov/PRAMS/states.htm]:

PRAMS represents approximately 75% of all US live births

Review and Approval of 2010 Meeting Minutes

CAPT Snesrud indicated that because the full minutes from the January 2010 meeting were so 

long and because they were meeting in a remote location, they elected not to try print them out. 

In addition to a significant amount of copying, they were also concerned about everyone having

to take large amounts of materials home with them. They thought it would be less expensive to 

purchase a flash drive to send home with everyone with all of the materials. The minutes were 

sent out throughout the year, and they and the meeting presentation materials will be posted on 

the website. 

Motion: Approval of Minutes

A motion was made by Roger Trudell and was seconded by Derek Valdo to approve the 

January 26-27, 2010 TCAC meeting minutes, the January 28, 2010 Tribal Consultation Session

Minutes, and the April through July 2010 Teleconference Planning Minutes. The motion carried 

unanimously. 

TCAC Administrative Matters
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

50

General Items

CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that the previous day, Mr. Antone spoke about a fairly 

historic meeting that was convened September 21-23, 2009 in Washington, DC at the 

Substance Abuse Health and Services Administration (SAMHSA). CDC funded this meeting, 

which was a collaboration between CDC, I.H.S., and SAMHSA, to invite American Indian / 

Alaska Natives to discuss what is occurring in the field in suicide prevention. That is also 

approximately the time that the reorganization began within CDC. Mr. Antone was one of the 

invitees who kept contacting NCIPC to follow up. She indicated that a compilation of 

information from that meeting was distributed about six weeks prior to this TCAC meeting. 

During this TCAC meeting, they had also heard a lot about suicide, and she thought this 

compilation would help provide some more intentional questions back to that collaborative effort. 

Some of the staff who used to be in the National Center for Health Marketing (NCHM), who are 

now in the new Office of Communications at CDC requested that CAPT Snesrud bring a new 

social media tool to them. They are very excited to work with TCAC and tribes to determine 

how this can be a usable tool for them. She encouraged TCAC members to review this toolkit, 

and suggested that perhaps it could be placed on the agenda for an upcoming monthly call. 

CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone who had not submitted their area and national organization 

reports to do so in writing. She offered kudos to those who had already submitted their reports 

in writing. She indicated that she would resend the template to everyone, and requested that if 

at all possible, they submit them to the Writer / Editor who was on-site, David Silverman, before 

departing so that they could become part of the minutes. She emphasized the importance of 

these reports to OSTLTS, especially during this time of transition.

Funding Opportunities

There are currently a number of funding announcements that have been or will soon be 

published. Three tribal entities received large awards from the CPPW funding. Because of the 

size, breadth, and collaboration across NCCDPHP, this will afford them another opportunity to 

get to know a lot about tribes and how work with them. She did not remember the exact number 

of applications, but there were many. Every time a national center has an FOA for which a 

significant number of tribes apply, they are learning what is in the application, what they do to 

assist tribes in writing more successful grant applications, et cetera. Another new funding 

opportunity was released at the end of June to increase the number of policies and programs 

that support reduction in sodium intake in communities and expand the public health application 

and implementation of sodium-related policies, surveillance, and evaluation. This is a pretty 

narrow focus, but one of the reasons is that across CDC, the agency is being intentional about 

making sure tribes are eligible to compete. 

Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), also through NCCDPHP, is in its 

third cycle. These funds are to assist communities that are organized to respond and evaluate 

REACH core. There are four awards under this program. Applications were due June 21, 2010 

for this FOA and awards will be made at the end of September. There are at least 25 tribes and 

tribal organizations funded through the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC). 

DCPC plans to make two $400,000 awards to national entities, for which the application due 

date is August 10th, and the award will probably be made shortly after that going into fiscal year 

2011. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

51

There is another announcement that focuses on demonstrating the capacity of comprehensive 

cancer control programs to implement policy and environmental cancer control, with tribal policy 

opportunities. Applications were due on July 26th. That relates to some of the testimonies and 

feedback that they had been hearing during this TCAC meeting from both of the tribes they 

visited. The on-going National Breast and Cervical Cancer Detection Program (NBCCDP) is in 

year four of a five-year cycle, so that FOA will be coming up in 2011. 

The critical issue is the efforts of the national entities that are funded. Their role is to clearly be 

available to provide technical assistance and to help facilitate the dialogue at the state level.

Even if a tribe is not funded under this program, the tribe’s state is funded. Annie Fair is the 

contact for this program. Her contact information is as follows, and Dr. Duckworth can help 

make that connection:

Annie Fair, Public Health Advisor

NCCDPHP / DCPC / CCCB

Phone (602) 263-1200 X1351

annie.fair@cdc.hhs.gov

The Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CCCP) is in the second year of a four-year cycle, for 

which three tribal programs are funded. 

There is an increasing opportunity, and CAPT Snesrud strongly encouraged everyone to sign 

up for alerts and check FOAs on a regular basis. Perhaps it is time to schedule another 

technical assistance workshop from the PGO office to help tribes write more successful grant 

applications. CAPT Snesrud spoke with them the week before this TCAC meeting, and they are 

interested and willing. Guidance and feedback are needed from TCAC members about where

the best place would be to offer this workshop. Dr. Frieden is promoting the use of electronic 

web-based training sessions. With some planning, this might be a good candidate for this 

format. She requested that feedback about this be provided to Dr. Duckworth. 

Discussion Points

Ms. Hughes noted that they had been seeing a lot more webinar training. Centers for 

Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and I.H.S. are doing a lot of work with webinar 

training. She likes the idea, and even if she cannot make it to the specific training time, the 

module is there and she can access it anytime she needs it.

CAPT Tucker mention that Alison Sage was talking to her about the upcoming influenza

season, and mentioned that there is a wide variability among tribes in terms of getting 

vaccine supplies and how well states have been working with tribes. She encouraged tribes 

that experienced issues previously to begin planning immediately to avoid a potential crisis. 

Those who experience vaccine distribution issues can contact CAPT Tucker and she will 

coordinate getting them in touch with the right people at CDC.

Theresa Galvan (Navajo Nation) noted that a bullet about technical assistance would be 

good on the fact sheet that was distributed in the packet.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

52

Transition of OSTLTS Points of Contact

With the retirement of CAPT Pelagie "Mike" Snesrud, Dr. Melanie Duckworth will be the point of 

contact (POC) for Tribal relations in OSTLTS. Her contact information is as follows:

404.498.0419 Phone

404.638.5553 Fax

melanie.duckworth@cdc.hhs.gov

CDC / OSTLTS Tribal Public Health Webpage

CAPT Snesrud reported that a Tribal Public Health webpage had been developed to make it 

easier to locate items of interest (e.g., minutes, presentations, articles, TCAC charter, upcoming 

meetings, membership, et cetera). NIHB is graciously posting information on their site as well. 

This page can be found at the following url:

http://www.cdc.gov/ostlts/tribal_public_health/index.html

Revisions to the CDC Tribal Consultation Policy

Ms. Hughes reminded everyone that Mr. Antone departed earlier in the day to attend the HHS 

Consultation Workgroup, which was convening its first meeting in Washington, DC. A 

representative from each areas and a delegate were to attend, and the national organizations 

were also to be represented. They have been dealing with consultation review for at least a 

year. The President sent out his directive in December, allotting everyone 90 days to develop 

consultation policies. TCAC has a working consultation policy with CDC. While everything is 

subject to improvement, given that the TCAC / CDC policy was working and they were engaged 

in consultations on a regular basis, she suggested waiting for the outcome from the HHS 

workgroup before engaging in any detailed work in reviewing the CDC consultation policy. A 

report was recently published by the White House on the consultation effort, which is titled 

―Forging a New and Better Future Together.‖ Secretary Sebelius conducted regional 

consultations about the consultation process. The workgroup will utilize all of the information 

received during those consultation sessions to review the HHS policy. Secretary Sebelius has 

three priorities in reviewing those policies: 

 Accountability of the policy itself

 Communication and outreach with tribes regarding the policy

 Annual / regional consultation process 

Ms. Hughes was asked to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, she knew that 

they were also interested in the consultation policy. She thought the hearing on the consultation 

policy took place earlier in the morning, so they should hear a report on that soon.

 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

53

CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that CDC released its consultation policy in CDC 

consultations in 2002 and 2003, at HHS’s consultation in 2004, and at the NIHB’s annual 

meeting in 2005. CDC was the first agency following HHS to publish a consultation policy. She 

emphasized that a policy is meant to be a growing, working document as relationships grow and 

evolve. In addition, it is also part of the protocol within an agency that any and all policies be 

revisited within a five-year timeframe. It is highly relevant that CDC be informed by HHS’s 

policy review. HHS is the umbrella policy, while CDC’s policy pertains specifically to CDC. 

There is a commitment by OSTLTS to work with TCAC on this effort. She strongly encouraged 

TCAC members, as they heard back from their representatives who sit on the HHS workgroup, 

to assess the CDC policy [did not use microphone; please check for accuracy].

Revisions to the TCAC Charter

Ms. Hughes indicated that Stacey Ecoffey engaged in a couple of discussions with TCAC over 

the last couple of years regarding HHS’s concern about the advisory councils overall in terms of 

FACA compliance. FACA is a federal regulation that relieves the burden of forming some of 

these councils, provided that the members of the councils are elected officials. The concern 

with the advisory councils is that the representatives must be designated as an elected tribal 

leader or someone delegated by an elected tribal leader t serve on the council. 

CAPT Snesrud affirmed that Stacey Ecoffey has always been concerned about what will enable 

tribes to have the strongest voice. Thus, she collectively worked with the agencies that have 

existing policies and assisted CDC in acquiring advice from the Office of General Council (OGC)

to assess FACA and the existing charters, looking across the departments for consistency and 

in compliance. The rationale behind this is that as TCAC makes decisions and puts forth its 

recommendations to CDC and HHS, the agencies must listen because this is an official advisory 

committee with the authority to do so. FACA is exempt because it is between federal leadership 

talking to tribal leadership. An elected tribal leader or designee may speak, and this applies to 

TCAC subcommittees as well (e.g., Budget Subcommittee, Public Health Preparedness

Subcommittee, et cetera). It was suggested that CDC remove from the charter some 

statements that do not align with FACA. The following deletions / comments were read aloud 

[an electronic version of the tracked charter was not provided, but the marked up version could be inserted here to more fully reflect 

the suggested deletions]. 

 Tribal leaders in their official capacity or representatives from national or tribal organization 

with authority to act on their behalf . . .

 The meetings will be solely to exchange views, information, and advice concerning the 

management or implementation of CDC programs.

 Executive Orders that share intergovernmental responsibilities or administration . . .

 Seeking consensus, exchanging views, information, advice, or recommendations . . . 

 The TCAC will be composed of 16 members and designated alternates who are either 

elected or appointed officials of tribal governments in their official capacity . . .

 Representatives from national tribal organizations designated by tribal leaders to act on their 

behalf . . . (comment from the OGC: There is no authority for these organizations to have a 

seat on TCAC; they may be designated as the alternate of an official member)
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

54

 Comment: NIHB Support section should be removed. The understanding was that when 

CDC was first starting its effort, they looked to NIHB because they already had the 

established infrastructure of Area Health Boards, so it seemed like a natural fit for NIHB to 

be involved with this. They graciously did this from about 2006 to about midway through 

2008. In 2008, the continuing application was submitted, and a Branch Chief from PGO 

contacted CAPT Snesrud who inquired as to why a CDC advisory committee was being 

funded through a cooperative agreement, given that it was CDC’s work. They could not 

understand why a cooperative agreement was being given to a partner to conduct CDC’s 

work. She responded that that suggestion had come from PGO. The Branch Chief 

indicated that this was incorrect. It is CDC’s responsibility, so nothing that was being 

suggested for deletion from the charter was in no way intended to take away from the strong 

working relationship that CDC has and will continue to have with NIHB. It is to address the 

directive from PGO.

 A note in the Appointment Process section states that this section seems inconsistent with 

FACA. In the policy, clearly CDC did not want to define how an area would designate who 

their primary and alternate representatives would be. CDC was very cautious about giving

as much ownership and power to the tribes where it belonged as possible. This was written 

based on consultation with TCAC members. However, it does need to be CDC working 

directly with tribal designees. CDC still looks to the area consortia health boards to 

nominate and publish the announcement. This does not mean that a tribal leader has to be 

nominated only by a tribal area health board to be considered. Dr. Frieden ultimately makes 

the official appointment after receiving nominations.

 Within Period of Service, the section on Vacancy needs to be discussed further. Mr. Antone 

and Ms. Hughes have worked extremely hard to seek full representation because any empty 

seat is a missed opportunity to hear another tribal voice. They have talked to the area 

health boards to get them to make nominations. There has been a struggle with direct 

service tribes, and this area needs to be further addressed. They key point is that anytime 

there is a vacancy, a call must be sent out to all tribal leaders to offer an opportunity to 

nominate a primary and alternate member. 

 Under Meetings, originally the determination was that TCAC would meet bi-annually, 

followed by the consultation (once in the summer in Indian Country; once in January at 

CDC). They have struggled over whether conference calls should be monthly or quarterly, 

and who should be hosting the conference calls. As the DFO, CAPT Snesrud tries to avail 

herself of what the TCAC Co-Chairs want to do and follows directions from them pretty well.

 In terms of meeting logistics, the precedent has been to try to solidify dates so that TCAC 

members and CDC staff know them well in advance. 

 In terms of the Budget section, the bottom line is that there is not a lot of money for the 

TCAC meetings. Members decide where they would like to meet. A tribe or an area invites 

CDC / TCAC. To a degree CDC has been trying to reach all parts of the country, so it would 

be beneficial for members who represent areas where TCAC has not met to talk to their 

tribes and areas. July 2011 would be an excellent opportunity to convene the TCAC 

meeting in an area where CDC has not yet been.

 Regarding Terms of Service, there is no limit to the length of service on TCAC. TCAC 

members can suggest a term in the revised charter if they wish. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

55

Discussion Points

Ms. Hughes said that while she understood what OGC was saying about NIHB, from a 

council perspective, she is a Vice Chairwoman. To do the work on TCAC, she does not 

have time to develop and agenda, coordinate a conference call, to ensure that materials are 

being distributed as need, et cetera. However, this needs to be done and she still looks to 

CDC to determine how that is going to be done. As an advisory council to the CDC, she

expects that the work will be done by the CDC. While she could understand the suggested 

deletion, it was not clear to her what would replace it to say how the work of TCAC would 

get done.

CAPT Snesrud agreed, acknowledging that the members were already giving their time to 

serve on the committee. To a large degree, these tasks are the role of the Designated 

Federal Official (DFO). That is currently her and will now be Dr. Duckworth, or as otherwise 

determined within OSTLTS as some of the staffing issues are addressed.

Ms. Hughes thought that even though someone needed to make a final appointment for the 

workgroup members, every tribe is afforded an opportunity to make that appointment. She 

represents the Bemidji area, which does not have an area health board. Her nomination 

comes from a tribal health consortium. But if a tribe wants to make a recommendation, she 

expects the tribal nomination to be considered as well. Tribes have the right to submit the 

names of whomever they want to serve. It is important that this is clear with regard to the 

appointment process in the charter. She requested direction on the kind of language that 

should be used the section about meetings and the DFO. It should read the OSTLTS DFO.

CAPT Snesrud noted that the next TCAC meeting is tentatively scheduled for the third week 

in January 2011. Stacey Ecoffey requested that before the dates for the next meeting are 

finalized, they wait for the outcomes of the HHS meeting. CAPT Snesrud said she 

continued to feel that it was incredibly important for CDC to consult with TCAC members by 

themselves—not because they were being selfish, but because otherwise they do not get on 

tribes’ agendas. CDC would like to continue to host its own consultation because in having 

participated in all of the national HHS consultation sessions, the top number of attendees 

they have ever had at the CDC breakout session has been 19. CDC needs to hear from 

tribes. A few regular members were not in attendance during this TCAC meeting because 

the CMS TCAC was meeting simultaneously. They need to coordinate when meetings are 

scheduled.

Ms. Hughes noted that this is the only charter in which the term is not defined. She 

requested a copy of this tracked charter, so that they could all go through it carefully outside 

the meeting and deal with it before the tentatively scheduled January 2011 TCAC meeting. 

She suggested scheduling a conference call to review the tracked charter before the 

January 2011 meeting if possible.

CAPT Snesrud reminded Ms. Hughes that during the January 2010 meeting, she and Mr. 

Antone appointed a Charter Revision Subcommittee that included Joe Finkbonner and Reno 

Franklin. 
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56

Ms. Hughes responded that Mr. Finkbonner and Mr. Franklin would probably be very excited 

about the preliminary work that was accomplished for them. When she sends this out to 

them, she will ask them to craft some language for discussion on the conference call. She 

also requested that if any other members had suggestion on language they could draft to 

address some of the issues raised, that would be very beneficial (e.g., replacement of the 

NIHB language, how to address vacancies, et cetera).

Theresa Galvan (Navajo Nation) pointed out that in the Purpose section, the Presidential 

Memoranda date has changed from September 23, 2004 to November 5, 2009 because that 

is when President Obama signed this.

TCAC Strategic Planning

Ms. Hughes said she had just learned that she would be joining a group in Alaska the week 

following this TCAC meeting. NIHB is having a retreat to discuss health care issues. Another 

committee on which she serves has developed a five-year strategic plan, and the work of that 

committee is based on that strategic plan. Every funding request is sent forward on an annual 

basis to CMS based on that strategic plan, and the committee has deliverables under that 

strategic plan. She requested that this be presented to TCAC as something that this council 

could work on to assist them as they move forward in their budget considerations, and to 

increase TCAC’s funding from CDC with specific deliverables in mind. Development of a 

strategic plan cannot be accomplished in a few minutes or a few hours. This is at least a oneday task. They spent two days developing the CMS strategic plan, and it is now undergoing its 

second review.

Discussion Points

CAPT Snesrud agreed that development of a strategic plan is a huge, arduous task. The 

next day, the Consultation Session, promised to be a long day and everyone was already 

tired. That said, she had some preliminary discussions with Kitty Marx, the lead for the tribal 

council at CMS, and inquired as to whether the TCAC Co-Chairs would be interested in 

hearing a presentation about how CMS went about their strategic planning process. Kitty 

Marx said she would be willing and able to do this. 

Ms. Hughes requested that they hear this presentation during the January 2011 TCAC 

meeting. She thought it would be beneficial to TCAC and terms of feeling more productive. 

She feels like they are merely talking and not achieving any real outcomes. A strategic plan 

would help to better guide their work.

CAPT Snesrud requested that Dr. Monroe speak to how a TCAC strategic plan could align 

with CDC’s plans.

Dr. Monroe replied that generally speaking, a strong strategic plan would be beneficial to 

refer back to as they make decisions about how to move forward. It that ideally aligns with 

CDC’s goals, that would be very helpful and the outcomes would be much greater. It will 

also help OSTLTS, which is charged to work inside CDC on TCAC’s behalf. 

While she did not know what the TCAC budget looked like, Ms. Hughes pointed out that 

development of a strategic plan will take some time and will need some budgetary 

considerations.
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

57

CAPT Snesrud indicated that she would help to facilitate Dr. Duckworth working with Kitty 

Marx on a CMS presentation for the January 2011 TCAC meeting.

Emerging Public Health Issues

In addition to H1N1, Ms. Hughes reminded everyone that during the field trips, it was brought to 

their attention that tribes in the area were experiencing issues with tuberculosis, hepatitis C, and 

helicobacter pylori.

Discussion Points

 Mr. Trudell (Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman) indicated that they had 

brought to the attention of TCAC that there has been a re-emergence of tuberculosis across 

the Aberdeen area. There are some hot pockets. The issue of hepatitis C has been 

brought to the attention of TCAC on several occasions as well. He said he wanted to make 

a statement because it seemed like they always had to form tribal priorities based on 

whatever happens to be popular at the time nationally. To him, that is one reason tribes are

always fighting on the same issue repeatedly. Tribes have to change their priorities to meet 

someone else’s priorities. However, illnesses and disparities among tribes are not going 

away. He feels like someone should meet their priorities.

Formal Recommendations 

Three formal recommendations were made during this TCAC meeting:

 Draft a letter to Dr. Frieden about OSTLTS approval and vacancies

 Develop a matrix to reflect the status of recommendations, and provide an analysis of the 

results of tribal testimony

 Set up a conference call to discuss scheduling a webinar for grant writing technical 

assistance training, and to address the revision of the charter

Ms. Hughes indicated that the formal recommendation for this TCAC meeting was for a letter to

be written to Dr. Frieden that identifies TCAC’s voicing of the urgency of approving the OSTLTS 

structure, approving the vacant OSTLTS positions, and posting and filling those positions as 

quickly as possible. She thought that the draft could be shared with TCAC members via email, 

and that they could come to consensus on the language via email as well. She suggested that 

this should be finalized within a month.

Motion: Letter to Dr. Frieden

A motion was made by Derek Valdo and was seconded by Jackie Kaslow to approve the 

recommendation to draft a letter to Dr. Frieden that identifies TCAC’s voicing of the urgency of 

approving the OSTLTS structure, approving the vacant OSTLTS positions, and posting and 

filling those positions as quickly as possible. The motion carried unanimously. 
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

58

CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that there had been a fairly serious discussion about 

providing a matrix to TCAC that follows the pattern of the one the State of Wisconsin uses to 

quickly assess the status of recommendations, coupled with an analysis regarding how the 

testimonies offered during the five CDC Tribal Consultation Session have resulted in policy, 

practice, and / or budget responses. Ms. Hughes will send a request for a sample from 

Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services, and she invited others to submit samples to her as 

well.

In addition, CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that there was a recommendation for PGO to set 

up a webinar for grant writing technical assistance. TCAC should submit a formal request for 

this activity, with a suggested date, to be submitted to PGO. Ms. Hughes recommended 

convening a conference call in late October or early November 2010, during which the 

recommendation for PGO to schedule a webinar and the revision of the TCAC charter would be 

discussed. It would be beneficial for PGO to develop some preliminary information that could 

be presented on that call. 

CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that Dr. Monroe has talked about TCAC being inclusive of 

Tribal Health Officials. CAPT Snesrud has spoken with a few areas and has received some 

suggestions. She requested that TCAC members reach out to their tribes, and provide a list of 

new Tribal Health Officials. The criterion is that they have to have been on board for two years. 

Clearly, TCAC members are very busy and that the tasks of taking information back to their 

tribes and areas, and bringing information to CDC is a tremendous role. She emphasized that it 

would be beneficial for them to provide Dr. Duckworth with information about their area board 

chairs (e.g., contact information, including email addresses). This will be very beneficial in 

assisting Dr. Duckworth in knowing who the current contacts are, so that they can be added to 

the distribution list as additional players.

Ms. Hughes noted that several items had been listed for the next conference call and face-toface meetings (e.g., PGO webinar, charter discussion, strategic plan) and that more 

suggestions were likely to arise during the next conference call. TCAC will continue to work on

topics for those agendas.

In closing, CAPT Snesrud reminded everyone that the next TCAC meeting is tentatively 

scheduled for the third week in January 2011. 

With no further business posed or questions / comments raised, the meeting was officially 

adjourned.

Wrap-Up and Adjournment
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Members and Tribal Representatives

Folorunso Akintan, Epidemiologist, Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center

Chester Antone, Tucson, TCAC Chair, Tohono O’odham Nation Councilman

Lena Belcourt, Rocky Boy Health Board / CCT, Self-Governance Coordinator

Dyani Bingham, Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center, Project Coordinator

Kenny Bradburn, White Sky Hope Center

Joshua Brown, Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center, CYP Coordinator Volunteer

Bridget Canniff, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Tribal Epidemiology Center Consortium 

Project Director 

Les Cramer, Eagles Watch Organization

Elaine Dado, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, Executive Administrative Assistant

Lori de Ravello, I.H.S. / Division of Epidemiology & Disease Prevention, Public Health Advisor

Rick Doyle, Governor, Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point

Jerry Freddie, NIHB, Navajo Nation Council Delegate

Theresa Galvan, Navajo Nation

Mike Geboe, Clinical Supervisor, White Sky Hope Center

Taryn Hall, Montana Diabetes Project, Diabetes Epidemiologist

Rick Haverkate, NIHB, Director of Public Health

Steven Helgerson, DHSD / DPHHS, State Medical Officer

Kathy Hughes, Bemidji, TCAC Co-Chair, Oneida Business Committee

Candida Hunter, Phoenix, Hualapai Tribal Councilwoman

Michelle Jackson, FDA, Center for Tobacco Products, Regulatory Policy Analyst

Jackie Kaslow, California Rural Indian Health Board, Family and Community Health Services Director

Jace Killsback, Council Member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Tracy ―Ching‖ King, Billings, Ft. Belknap Community Council President

Sharon Longknife, Fort Belknap, Tribal Health Administration, Assistant Director

Elizabeth McClain, Emeritus Professor, Fort Belknap College 

Sherrilla McKinley, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Health Program Specialist

Aaron Morsette, Rocky Boy Health Board

Ben Murnel, Environmental Engineer, Rock Boy Health Board

Brenda Nielson, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board Secretary

Richard Phillips-Doyle, Nashville, Passamaquoddy Tribe: Pleasant Point Reservation, 

 Tribal Governor

Mitzi Racine, Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center, Project Coordinator

Alicia Reft, Alaska, Karluk Ira Tribal Council

Tim Rosette, Assistant CEO, Rocky Boy Health Board

Janet Runnion, Public Health Nurse, Rocky Boy Health Board

Allison Sage, Tribal Health Director, Wind River Indian Reservation

Lester Secatero, Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board Chairman

Kermit Snow, Jr., Ft. Belknap, Environmental Liaison

Audrey Solimon, Pueblo of Laguna, NIHB, Consultant

Shana St. Pierre, Rocky Boy Nation, Chippewa Creek, DETS Program Assistant

Loren "Bum" Stiffarm, Fort Belknap Chief Administrative Officer

Videl Stump, Tribal Elder Advisory Committee

Cecile Town, IHS / NCIRD / ISD / POB, Data Exchange Coordinator / Senior Research Officer

Roger Trudell, Aberdeen, Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska Chairman

Scott Tulloch, IHS, Public Health Advisor

Derek Valdo, Pueblo of Acoma, National Congress of American Indians

Anna Whiting Sorrell, Montana Dept. of Public Health & Human Services, Director

Participant Roster
Tribal Consultation Advisory Committee (TCAC) Meeting Minutes of the Meeting July 26-28, 2010

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Jonathan Windy Boy, Vice Chairman, Chippewa Cree Tribe Business Committee; Montana State Senator

Elder Sam Windy Boy, Rocky Boy’s Chippewa Cree Tribe

Donna Young, Forth Belknap Indian Community Environmental Department, Environmental Compliance 

Officer

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention / 

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Annabelle Allison, Environmental Health Scientist, OTA / NCEH / ATSDR

Danielle Barradas, Epidemiologist, NCCDPHP / DRH / ASB / MCH

Christopher Benjamin, Deputy Branch Chief, NCCD / OSH / PSB

CAPT Holly Billie, Injury Prevention Specialist, DUIP / NCCDPHP / CDC (via telephone)

Letia Boseman, MPH, Public Health Analyst, NCCDPHP / CDC (via telephone)

Bridget Borgogna, Health Education Specialist, DASH / CDC (via telephone)

Ralph Bryan, Senior Tribal Liaison for Science and Public Health (via telephone)

Pyone Cho, Epidemiologist, NCCDPHP / DDT / ESB

Rob Curlee, Deputy Director, Financial Management Office

Melanie Duckworth, Acting Tribal Liaison, Public Health Advisor, OSTLTS / TAB

Melinda Frank, Epidemiologist, DDT / Native Diabetes Wellness Program (NDWP)

Michael Franklin, Budget Analyst, Financial Management Office

Alicia Hunter, JD, MSW, Policy Lead, NCCDPHP / CDC (via telephone)

Sharanya Krishnan, Program Consultant, Office on Smoking and Health / CDC

Judith Monroe, Director, OSTLTS

Allison Nihiser, MPH, Division of Adolescent and School Health, CDC (via telephone)

Ken Rose, Director of Policy, National Center for Environmental Health / ATSDR

Michael Sells, MS, Health Disparities Lead, DNPAO, NCCDPHP, CDC (via telephone)

Mike Snesrud, Senior Tribal Liaison for Policy and Evaluation

Dan Strausbaugh, Montana Representative, ATSDR / OA / OD / DRO

CAPT Myra Tucker, Tribal Liaison, Division of Reproductive Health, Maternal and Child 

 Health Branch, NCCDPHP

Lorraine Whitehair, Public Health Nutritionist, DNPAO / NCCDPHP / CDC (via telephone)

Others

Kathie Avis, Chief Administrative Officer, Native American Programs / Benefis Health System

Lesa Evers, State of Montana Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, Acting State Director of Indian Affairs

Chris Rye, Geologist, Bureau of Land Management and Geology; Lewistown, Montana

David Silverman, Writer / Editor, Cambridge Communications & Training Institute

Anna Whiting Sorrell, Director, Montana Department of Public Health