The Seven Directions training focused on applying the Indigenous Evaluation Framework, a Tribally developed framework that highlights proven traditional approaches and emphasizes community stakeholder engagement.

Fourteen participants representing nine (50%) of the Great Plains Area (GPA) Tribes attended, including department directors, program managers, and staff. Key outcomes include:

• Increased confidence in planning and implementing program evaluations. Prior to the training, participants were asked about their evaluation experience, with only three (3) indicating that they had previously planned or participated in an evaluation. By the end of the training, 100% of participants recognized evaluation as already part of their daily activities, which helped them identify and reconcile previously held assumptions and doubts concerning evaluation and their ability to plan and implement evaluation activities within their own programs.
• Increased ability to plan and implement program evaluations. By the end of the training, 100% of participants agreed that the knowledge, tools, and resources provided during the training would help them to respond to evaluation requirements within funding proposals, plan and implement evaluations that are meaningful to their communities, and utilize evaluation findings to improve program efficiency and effectiveness.
• Increased collaboration and partnerships. As participants shared their experiences and roles, the group recognized one another as valuable resources. By the end of the training, participants wished to formalize their collaborations into a group with regularly scheduled meetings, thus establishing a Great Plains Tribal Evaluation Community of Practice. GPTEC evaluation staff will facilitate group logistics and discussions, while Tribal staff set group goals, agendas, and activities. The first meeting is planned for July 2026.

Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) is spreading magic and love to AI/AN youth and families across Indian Country through its campaign, Magical Millie’s Courageous Journey. The campaign centers on a coloring book featuring a magical unicorn named Millie. In the story, Millie visits her relatives to have conversations about health and wellness topics, including immunization. This resource was written by UIHI’s youth intern and Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) with illustrations by Megan McDermott (Little Shell Chippewa, Blackfeet, and Cree).

The coloring book contains companion materials including stickers, an immunization passport booklet, posters, well child immunization schedules based on American Association of Pediatrics recommendations, croc charms, and a unicorn plushie featuring a mini t-shirt that says, “Get Vaccinated!” Magical Millie’s Courageous Journey appeared on billboards to promote vaccinations at two Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs). The campaign facilitates stories about health, wellness, and immunizations while showcasing AI/AN values of bravery, courage, reciprocity, and caring for others.

UIHI has distributed over 30,000 materials since the launch, and partners nationwide have shared positive feedback including a provider who said, “We have been giving these away with immunizations over the past several months and they bring such joy to children and families. A few young children danced in the room as their unicorns gave each other unicorn kisses, other children have rocked their unicorns and told them they were brave for getting a shot, and elders at community lunches have eagerly taken them to give [and] share with grandchildren.”

Learn about UIHI’s public health education campaigns and resources by visiting www.uihi.org or emailing info@uihi.org.

Upcoming webinars in USET OTPH Opioid Recovery Series:

Building on the success of the first two sessions, the USET OTPH Opioid Recovery Series will continue to foster conversations that honor Tribal knowledge while addressing the complex realities of substance use recovery.

We invite TEC staff and your Tribal Nation partners to join us for the two remaining sessions in our Opioid Recovery Series. To register, click the links below.

June 25 – A Multi-Pronged Approach: The Role of Spirituality in Substance Use Recovery

8:30am Alaska / 9:30am Pacific / 10:30am Mountain / 11:30am Central / 12:30pm Eastern

Join us for an engaging session with Chief Spencer Lyons from the Onondaga Nation as they explore how spirituality can play an important role in substance use recovery. This session will share strategies on how to engage in meaningful conversations about spirituality and incorporate spirituality into substance use recovery programs.

August 26 – Whole Health: Strategies to Manage Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders

8:30am Alaska / 9:30am Pacific / 10:30am Mountain / 11:30am Central / 12:30pm Eastern

Join us for an engaging session with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana as they explore how substance use and mental health recovery can be supported through multi-disciplinary coordination. This session will share strategies to manage co-occurring mental health disorders in rural and tribal settings that often require coordination across departments, nuanced prescription management, and a team-first approach.