News from the Program Manager
Boozhoo! (Hello!)
I’ve hit the ground running in my short duration as Program Manager for our National Native Commercial Tobacco Abuse Prevention Network (NNCTAPN)! I would very much like to thank the NNCTAPN Partners – Favian Kennedy of the Health Education and Promotion Council; Cynthia Tainpeah and Ursula Hill of the Musckogee Creek Nation; Janis Weber of JCW Research and Evaluation Group, Inc., as well as our previous Program Manager, Lisa Abramson – for making my transition into the Network as smooth as possible . It isn’t easy to change leadership midstream for anyone, and I feel a very warm welcome and great support from each and every one of them.
Since the beginning of the NNCTAPN in 2008, Cynthia Tainpeah, RN, with the Muskogee Creek Nation (MCN) has been an intricate partner with the National Network efforts and work plan implementation. It is with great regret to announce that Cynthia has taken a new position as a Clinic Director within MCN, and therefore has resigned her responsibilities within the NNCTAPN. However, we are pleased to announce that Ursula Hill, who has also been an intricate partner along with Cynthia, will assume her responsibilities with the National Network representing the Muskogee Creek Nation partnership. We congratulate Cynthia on her new position, and welcome Ursula as a full partner within the NNCTAPN.
I am pleased to say that my timing into the position of Program Manager has proven to have been very fortunate (for multiple reasons)! To be specific, I was able to attend the Alaska Native and American Indian Adult Tobacco Survey Training Conference, July 12-14, in Anchorage Alaska, just 2 weeks after coming aboard. Of course, a trip to Alaska is a dream come true (even if it is work!). But more importantly, I was able to meet and connect not only with the NNCTAPN Partners mentioned above, but I was also able to meet Alaska Native partners who are on this journey we all embark. The training conference was educational to say the least. Staff from the NNCTAP, CDC/OSH, (need more detail on presenters), presented training sessions regarding the implementation of the Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS). As you may know, the ATS is a valuable research project that will give Tribes essential data that they will own, for use with commercial tobacco control programming, attaining lucrative grants, and otherwise helping to implement programs to assist their communities to reduce and prevent commercial tobacco abuse. We look forward to working with Alaska communities in implementing the ATS in the near future.
I also timed my transition well in that I am coming into a new fiscal year with the NNCTAPN. Our fiscal year (year 3 of our 5 year grant cycle) began July 1, 2010. I’d like to share with you the awesome work that we have planned to accomplish this year!
- Tribal Policy Institute
Plans are in the works to implement a Tribal Policy Institute in the spring of 2011. Potential training topics may include: smoke-free policies, FDA Updates and Advertising Issues, Evaluation, Sustainability and Enforcement, Keys to Approaching Leadership, and sharing program ideas that others are implementing. Consideration is being taken to implement the Tribal Policy Institute in one of the southeastern states, as we have provided trainings in South Dakota, New Mexico, Alaska, Minnesota, and Oklahoma thus far. Logistics are still in the exploring phase, and we welcome your input on where to hold the training, as well as topics to include. Please email me with your comments and suggestions – kalford@itcmi.org
- Establishing Position Papers and other Publications
We are working very closely with Creative Thinker’s, Inc. in preparation of several publications to include Position Papers, Journal Articles, and/or White Papers that will represent the expert views of the NNCTAPN and other Tribal Leaders and stakeholders, that are based on sound evidence in Tobacco Control Programming. It is time to take a stand that will support efforts to reduce the incidence of commercial tobacco related chronic diseases and to prevent the onset of commercial tobacco use and abuse with our youth, though policy, systems, and environmental change. This change will enforce, not impede, our Tribal rights and sovereignty as pressure proceeds to embark from the State and Federal levels. Not only will we be protecting our Tribal sovereignty, but we will also be protecting the health of our Tribal people and communities. (Do I want to say this???)
- Develop a “Promising Practices Guideline for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs for American Indians”:
This is very exciting work! This document will outline elements to be included in a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program within Tribal Communities. It will highlight strategies to implement one or many of these elements, individually and comprehensively. In addition, it will supply resources and examples of promising practices already occurring within our Tribal nations. This will be a model of excellence and a resource that will not just sit on your book shelf!
- Technical Assistance:
Four Technical Assistance (TA) venues will be offered to our National Network membership. The first TA offering will occur on Wednesday, September 8th, at 3:00 EST. Information was detailed in a previous “e-blast” to our membership a short time ago regarding logistics. This webinar will inform and update listeners on the FDA commercial tobacco regulations. Other TA venues will be offered on the following dates: Nov. 4, 2010; Feb. 3, 2011; and May 5, 2011. All dates occur on the first Thursday of the indicated month at 3:00 EST. Please join us! Visit our “Keep it Sacred” website at www.keepitsacred.org and become a member!
- Other Happenings:
Keep an eye on our “Keep it Sacred” website for new and improved information as we proceed to give the website a new face lift! We also now have a face book page! You will find many current updates and happenings on our face book page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/KeepItSacredorg/422096025223, or visit www.keepitsacred.org and click on the facebook button.
As you can see, we have big plans for our future! On behalf of the NNCTAPN, we value your insightfulness into the Native American communities and how we can proceed to assist our communities into a future of good health and prosperity! I am very fortunate to work with you and our great Team as we move forward! Please feel free to contact me, Favian, Ursula, or Janis at anytime.
Baamaapii! (I WILL see you)
