The American Lung Association proudly partners with Tribal leaders and organizations to raise awareness about lung health and devise community-informed, effective ways to address disparities. Here are some highlights of these impactful partnerships:

 

Janna Vallo is from the Pueblo of Acoma. She is the Commercial Tobacco Control & Prevention Coordinator under the CDC Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country Program at the Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center (AASTEC).

 

Janna currently chairs the New Mexico Credentialing Board for Behavioral Health Professionals, the New Mexico Allied Council on Tobacco, and the Southwest Tribal Tobacco Coalition. Janna provides interactive facilitation, networking, technical support, and training opportunities for Tribal communities seeking to build their knowledge around Commercial Tobacco Prevention, while respecting traditional and sacred uses of tobacco.

Although the pandemic gave us a challenging year, AASTEC was able to reach out to all their local tribal partners, as well as national tribal partners, to provide monthly virtual presentations around commercial tobacco. They provided technical assistance as requested to tribes around commercial tobacco and COVID-19. They also created packets for tribal casinos to positively encourage them to maintain their smoke-free status, with the hopes of them making it a long-term policy. AASTEC worked to embrace the change to a virtual platform that allowed us to network and collaborate nationally to grow the efforts around commercial tobacco cessation and prevention. They consider this work continuous and fun!

Janna Vallo,
Commercial Tobacco Control and Prevention Coordinator
Albuquerque Area Southwest Tribal Epidemiology Center,
Albuquerque, New Mexico

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The Wellness Strategies for Health (WSH) Program focuses on chronic disease prevention through policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change. The WSH team has three CDC-funded projects: Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country (GHWIC), Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH), and a contract with the State Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) Program.

GHWIC and REACH focus on increasing access to healthy foods and beverages, increasing opportunities for physical activity, and reducing tobacco use. Both also work to increase referrals and access to chronic disease prevention programs and services.

GHWIC and REACH support regional projects at six THOs selected through a competitive application process. Partners are the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Copper River Native Association, Maniilaq Association, Norton Sound Health Corporation, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Corporation, and Tanana Chiefs Conference.

The WSH Program also partners with the SOA on the Campus Healthy Food (CHeF) Project through its SPAN grant. CHeF focuses on increasing the number of healthy food and beverage options available at ANTHC facilities and making it easier for people to choose those options. As a way to show support for essential hospital staff and to encourage healthy food choices at a time when campus food service is limited due to COVID-19, the CHeF Project distributed lunchboxes filled with pre-packaged healthy snacks and thank you messages to ANMC housekeeping and laboratory staff.

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To learn more about the WSH Program and partner activities, please visit our website.