Advancing Public Health in Indian Country

What is a Tribal Epidemiology Center?

The 12 Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) offer epidemiologic and public health support to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities, Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and urban Indian organizations (T/TO/UIOs). The TECs recently celebrated their 25th year working to improve public health capacity and the availability of valid and reliable data in AIAN populations.


Funded in part by the Indian Health Service, TECs manage public health information systems, investigate diseases of concern, manage disease prevention and control programs, and respond to public health emergencies.

The TECs provide services to an estimated 574 Tribes1, 41 UIOs2, and 9.7 million AIAN people3 across all 12 IHS Areas.


12 Tribal Epidemiology Centers

ANTHC-ANEC-logo
AASTEC-logo
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GLITEC-logo
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ITCA-TEC-logo
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OATEC-logo
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USET-logo
UIHI-logo

 

MISSION:
Improve the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives by identifying and understanding health risks and inequities, strengthening public health capacity, and assisting in disease prevention and control.

 

What is Epidemiology?

Epidemiology is the study of the origin and causes of diseases in a community. It is the scientific method of investigation problem-solving used by disease detectives— epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, statisticians, physicians, other health care providers, and public health professionals—to get to the root of health problems and outbreaks in a community.*

*Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). The Importance of Epidemiology. CDC 24/7.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

A. Tribal Epidemiology Centers are housed in organizations who serve American Indian/Alaska Native tribal and urban communities by managing public health information systems, investigating diseases of concern, managing disease prevention and control programs, responding to public health emergencies, and coordinating these activities with other public health authorities.

There are 12 TECs in the United States. Each TEC is designated to serve the federally recognized tribes within one of the 12 Indian Health Service (IHS) administrative areas, although one TEC serves two IHS areas and another TEC serves UIHOs throughout the nation. TECs are located at tribes or Tribal organizations which are authorized under the Indian Self Determination Act to act on behalf of AI/AN Tribes.

A: TECs have the authority to conduct public health activities on behalf of AI/AN tribes and people. TECs are expressly designated as public health authorities. TECs add one more layer to the United States public health infrastructure: Federal, state, local… And now Tribal! Legislation on public health authority from the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA) can be found here (PDF 2MB). *Title 25-Indians, Chapter 18-Indian Health Care, Subchapter II-Health Services, U.S. Code § 1621m – Epidemiology Centers.
A: TECs have 7 Core Functions: In consultation with and on the request of Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations, each Service area epidemiology center established under this section shall, with respect to the applicable Service area:

• Collect data relating to, and monitor progress made toward meeting, each of the health status objectives of the Service, the Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in the Service area;
• Evaluate existing delivery systems, data systems, and other systems that impact the improvement of Indian health;
• Assist Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in identifying highest-priority health status objectives and the services needed to achieve those objectives, based on epidemiological data;
• Make recommendations for the targeting of services needed by the populations served;
• Make recommendations to improve health care delivery systems for Indians and urban Indians;
• Provide requested technical assistance to Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations in the development of local health service priorities and incidence and prevalence rates of disease and other illness in the community;
• Provide disease surveillance and assist Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian communities to promote public health.

Each TEC addresses these 7 Core Functions in its own unique way.

Seven Facts you need to know about Tribal Epidemiology Centers

Did you know that there are 12 Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) in the United States serving approximately 4 million people? TECs aim to go beyond just eliminating health disparities for American Indian and Alaska Native peoples. With funding from the Indian Health Service (IHS), TECs were first established in 1996 amid growing concern about the lack of adequate public health surveillance and health data/information for indigenous populations. Most TECs were established to serve their IHS Administrative Areas and one TEC serves Urban Indian Organizations. Together, these TECs serve Indian Country nationwide. Here are seven facts about TECs:

The mission of each TEC is to improve the health of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations by identifying and understanding health problems and disease risks, strengthening public health capacity, and developing solutions for disease prevention and control;
TECs have the authority to conduct public health activities on behalf of AI/AN Tribes and peoples as a result of legislation which granted TECs public health authority from the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). IHCIA was permanently reauthorized in 2010;
TECs provide technical assistance and training to Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations (T/TO/UIOs) in their areas.
There are 573 federally recognized Tribes nationally with each TEC serving between 1 and 229 Tribes directly or through their tribal health organization. Each TEC strives to meet the data and information needs of their areas, as well as addressing acute and chronic epidemiologic services;
TECs rely mainly on grant funding. The core funding began with the IHS and has expanded over time with grants from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, Office of Minority Health, and others;
TECs provide trainings to build tribal public health capacity. Some past training topics include grant writing, grants management, program evaluation, project management, and data visualization. These trainings strive to build tribal public health capacity and communities of practice for knowledge-sharing;
TECs produce and disseminate reports and other publications for Tribal and non-Tribal entities, to monitor health on the Tribal, local, and regional level. Many of these publications are available through each TEC’s website or accessible via the national TEC website. The information on these documents can be used by leaders, decision makers, planners, and researchers.

1The 574 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in the United States, February 8, 2023. Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47414
2The 574 Federally Recognized Indian Tribes in the United States, February 8, 2023. Retrieved from https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47414
32020 Census Illuminates Racial and Ethnic Composition of the Country. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/08/improved-race-ethnicity-measures-reveal-united-states-population-much-more-multiracial.html