Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board
The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) is a non-profit tribal advisory organization in Portland, Oregon, run and organized by participating tribes.[1] It was established in 1972 to focus on four areas as they pertain to the health of Native people: health promotion and disease prevention, legislative and policy analysis, training and technical assistance, and surveillance and research. It serves 43 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, with each tribe appointing a delegate to the board that oversees the NPAIHB. The board meets quarterly to discuss current projects and issues.[2]
Mission
The mission of the NPAIHB is: “to eliminate health disparities and improve the quality of life of American Indians and Alaska Natives by supporting Northwest Tribes in their delivery of culturally appropriate, high quality healthcare.” Its slogan is “Indian Leadership for Indian Health.”
In fulfilling its mission, the NPAIHB seeks to support tribes in addressing health problems, to present unified position on health issues facing Indian communities, to provide partnership with Indian Health Services and other governmental organizations, and to advocate for issues related to Indian health.
Services
The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board houses the Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (The EpiCenter). The EpiCenter runs research and surveillance of health issues as they pertain to health and quality of life of American Indians and Alaska Natives. The EpiCenter receives funding from the Indian Health Service.
The Portland Area Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Indian Health Service (IHS) is run through the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. It reviews all research that uses IHS facilities, data, staff resources, or funding and that affects members of the Portland Area American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population and tribes. It collaborates with the National IHS IRB.
Current projects
Current projects:
- Western Tribal Diabetes Program ([1])
- Toddler Obesity and Tooth Caries Prevention Project ([2])
- Northwest Tribal Registry Project ([3])
- Northwest Tribal Cancer Navigator Program ([4])
- Northwest Tribal Dental Support Center ([5])
- Project Red Talon STDs/HIV/AIDS ([6])
- Northwest Tribal Immunization Project ([7])
- Northwest Tribal Cancer Control Project ([8])
- Northwest Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Project ([9])
- Women’s Health Promotion Program ([10])
