Phase 3: 11/01/01 - 09/30/03

Tribal Connections Pacific Northwest, 2001-2003:
Brief Description

Tribal Connection Pacific Northwest, 2001-2003 is designed to increase three tribal communities' use of Internet based information about health, medicine and wellness. The principal goals of the program are:

• Enhance capacity in tribal communities to promote and use health information.
• Learn from the project so that the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) can assist its network members to undertake successful outreach projects in underserved tribal and Native American communities.

Tribes participating in the program will have the resources of the Regional Medical Library for formal and/or informal training on accessing electronic health information and support for health promotion activities and events. Tribes working with the TC3 team will design the project based on tribal needs and resources. The steps in project implementation include the following:

1. The tribes and RML staff will develop projects.
2. Each tribe will receive $5,000 to assist their project implementation.
3. The tribe and project staff from the RML will determine the audiences, logistics, and time lines for training and resource development activities.
4. Medical librarians will work with sites through May 2003 and will provide up to four full days of on-site training plus continuing support on resource development, project planning and implementation through May 2003.
5. In addition to on-site visits, the project staff will provide materials and other resources for tribal needs as are appropriate and within the scope of the budget and project duration.
6. Project staff, in cooperation with the tribe, will evaluate what was learned. The evaluation questions and methods will be included in negotiating the project design.

Timeline:

• October 2001-Project begins with planning, hiring, and selection of tribes
• Summer 2002-Initial meetings, jointly develop project plans
• November 30, 2002-Mid-point assessment to check progress, barriers, successes
• May 1, 2003-Project activities completed
• September 2003-Final reports submitted

By Sept. 2003, there will be three case studies that provide a robust description of health information outreach in different settings and provide a better understanding of the role of health information in tribal communities. Other anticipated results include broader community awareness of health information; enhanced community self-sufficiency and tribal capacity to find and use health information; increased numbers of people involved with tribal health programs or networks; contribution to the continuum of services that lead to improvement in health status; and formation of a model for conducting community based activities in tribal communities featuring added value, provision of service, and the understanding that community needs are primary.

Idaho Participant

• Nez Perce Tribe - Ne Mee Poo Health Connections Project, Lapwai

Oregon Participant

• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Pendleton

Washington Participant

• Samish Indian Nation - Samish Tribal Telecommunications Project, Anacortes