What to know
Background
CDC brings unique and unparalleled data systems, scientific and technical expertise, strong collaboration, and funding to Tribes and Tribal organizations to support injury prevention programs that promote the health and safety of non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native people.
The Injury Center partners with federally recognized Tribes, Tribal Epidemiology Centers, Tribal organizations, and Indian Health Service to provide technical assistance and develop resources, tools, and guidance to advance injury prevention in Indian Country.
Latest data on tribal populations
- In 2023, the homicide rate among non-Hispanic AI/AN people was roughly five times higher than that of non-Hispanic White people.
- In 2023, the overdose death rate among non-Hispanic AI/AN people was 35% higher than that of non-Hispanic White people.
- In 2023, non-Hispanic AI/AN people faced the highest risk of suicide compared to other Americans, nearly double than that of non-Hispanic White people.
- In 2023, homicide was the fourth leading cause of death among non-Hispanic AI/AN males (1-44 years old) and sixth leading cause of death among non-Hispanic AI/AN females (1-44 years old).
- In 2023, 69% of non-Hispanic AI/AN high school students experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) in their lifetime and 28% experienced four or more ACEs. The ACEs most commonly experienced were emotional abuse, physical abuse, and household substance use.
- Motor vehicle traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for non-Hispanic AI/AN people.
Key Tribal Programs
Tribal Suicide Prevention
Through this 4-year cooperative agreement, recipients build capacity and infrastructure to implement and evaluate suicide prevention programs. Community-based interventions focus on increasing community-specific protective factors and reducing risk factors for suicide in a culturally centered way.
CDC awarded the following to these Tribal organizations:
- Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (Oregon, Washington, Idaho): $255,000
- Rosebud Sioux Tribe (South Dakota): $255,000
- Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation (Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas): $255,000
- Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness (Maine): $255,000
Essentials for Childhood: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through Data to Action
This program funds recipient organizations to prevent ACEs and promote positive childhood experiences (PCEs) to help reduce leading causes of death and mental health challenges, health risk behaviors such as substance use, and confirmed reports of child abuse and neglect. This funding opportunity helps tribes improve their ACEs and PCEs data collection infrastructure and capacity. The goal is to enable the effective implementation and long-term sustainability of ACEs prevention strategies, ensuring all children have access to safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments.
CDC awarded $485,000 to the Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma).
Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through Data to Action
This pilot project assists Tribes and Tribal organizations in building their capacity to assess, collect, and analyze new and existing ACEs and PCEs surveillance data within their communities and to use that data to identify and implement locally-tailored and culturally relevant ACE prevention strategies.
CDC awarded $350,000 to the Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma).
Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) through Data Capacity
This pilot project assists Tribes and Tribal organizations in building their capacity to assess, collect, and analyze new and existing ACEs and PCEs surveillance data within their communities and to use that data to implement selected ACEs prevention/PCEs promotion strategies.
CDC awarded $200,000 to Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness (Maine).
Tribal Overdose Prevention Program (TOPP)
Recipient organizations are funded to help Tribal communities heal from the causes and effects of overdose through tribally driven and culturally based approaches. Program components include 1) community-based cultural interventions to address protective and risk factors, 2) strengthening overdose data and surveillance, 3) health systems interventions, 4) public safety partnerships and interventions, and 5) other innovative community-based strategies.
CDC awarded the following to these Tribes and Tribal organizations:
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Alaska): $800,000
- Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma): $800,000
- Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (Montana, Wyoming): $800,000
- Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation (Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas): $800,000
- United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine): $800,000
- Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan): $761,500
- California Rural Indian Health Board (California): $725,000
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (North Carolina): $725,000
- Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness (Maine): $725,000
- White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians (Ogema, Minnesota): $725,000
- Forest County Potawatomi Community (Wisconsin): $722,837
- Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board (New Mexico, Colorado, Texas): $671,497
- Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (Oregon, Washington, Idaho): $656,710
- Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (Belcourt, North Dakota): $535,064
- Colusa Indian Community Council (California): $529,215
- Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (Arizona, Nevada, Utah): $478,980
Tribal Epidemiology Center Public Health Infrastructure (TECPHI) Overdose Supplement
Tribal Epidemiology Centers receive funding to enhance overdose data for AI/AN populations. This funding supports strengthening surveillance and public health data infrastructure to improve data quality, completeness, accuracy, and timeliness, enabling better responses to drug overdose within AI/AN communities.
CDC awarded the following to these centers:
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (Alaska): $200,000
- Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board (New Mexico, Colorado, Texas): $200,000
- Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc. (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan): $200,000
- Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board (South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa): $200,000
- Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (Arizona, Nevada, Utah): $200,000
- Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (Oregon, Washington, Idaho): $200,000
- Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (Montana, Wyoming): $200,000
- Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation (Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas): $200,000
- United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine): $200,000
- Seattle Indian Health Board (Washington): $200,000
Overdose Supplement to Tribal Practices for Wellness in Indian Country (TPWIC)
The funding supports the implementation of Tribal practices that foster resilience, community connections, family bonds, and cultural preservation. Keeping community members engaged in these traditional practices is key to addressing the increasing rates of overdose among AI/AN populations.
CDC awarded the following to these Tribes and Tribal organizations:
- Aleutian Islands Association, Inc. (Atka Island, Alaska): $50,000
- American Indian Association of Tucson, Inc. (Tucson, Arizona): $50,000
- American Indian Health & Services (Santa Barbara, California): $50,000
- All Nations Health Center (All Nations) (Missoula, Montana): $50,000
- Central Oklahoma American Indian Health Council, Inc. (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma): $50,000
- Chickahominy Indian Tribe (Providence Forge, Virginia): $50,000
- Gerald L. Ignance Indian Center, Inc. (Milwaukee, Wisconsin): $50,000
- Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe (Sequim, Washington): $50,000
- K'mia Medical Center (Hoopa, California): $50,000
- Northern Arapaho Tribe (Fort Washakie, Wyoming): $50,000
- The Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, Inc. (Portland, Oregon): $50,000
- United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (Los Angeles, California): $50,000
- Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness (Houlton, Maine): $50,000
- White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians (Ogema, Minnesota): $50,000
- Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (Zuni, New Mexico): $50,000
- Nez Perce Tribe (Lapwai, Idaho): $49,113
- Knik Tribe (Palmer, Alaska): $47,930
Rape Prevention and Education (RPE)
This program funds state and territorial health departments and sexual assault coalitions in all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This funding supports collaborative efforts with educational institutions, rape crisis centers, community organizations, and others to help plan and assess state efforts to prevent sexual violence.
CDC awarded the following to these Tribal sexual assault coalitions:
- Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition (Minnesota): $90,000
- Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition, Inc. (California): $90,000
- First Nations Women's Alliance (North Dakota): $90,000
- Hopi-Tewa Women's Coalition to End Abuse (Arizona): $90,000
- Midwest Native Coalition for Justice and Peace (Kansas): $90,000
- Healing Hearts Native Coalition (Alaska): $90,000
- Reflection of Inspiration (North Carolina): $90,000
- Native Alliance Against Violence (Oklahoma): $90,000
- Restoring Ancestral Winds, Inc. (Utah): $90,000