APACHE TRIBE COMMUNITY HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE PROGRAM
Abstract
The Apache Tribe, Community Health Representative Program is seeking the Indian Health
Service, Injury Prevention Program New and Competing Cooperative Agreement grant funding
under “Effective Strategy Projects” in the amount of $32,000.00/year for five years.
The Apache Tribe will utilize these funds to address a leading cause of injury death for American
Indian/Alaska Native(AI/AN) people: motor vehicle crash (MVC) injuries. Data from the Oklahoma
Highway Safety Office between 2015 and 2019 indicates a total of 257 crashes and 872 seat belt related
crashes in Caddo County. In June 2018, Safe Kids NA-I-SHA, the first Native American coalition in
Oklahoma, was established to address these concerns. In tribal language, NA-ISH-A is the name used
by the Apache people to refer to themselves.
To reduce MVCs injuries and deaths, we will increase car seat use by continuing to build a
sustainable partnership for behavioral change and provide clientele with safety equipment, education,
and training on the proper use of child safety seats and training to obtain further Child Passenger Safety
Seat Technician certifications. Funding to support our project will also allow us to support efforts to
amend current State of Oklahoma car seat and seat belt laws to include a provision for “Vehicle
Restraints Required in back seat”. There is still a lack of knowledge on the importance of child safety
restraints and this funding will assist us with outreach on child safety restraint. The Injury Prevention
program will provide appropriate car seats to parents and caregivers, combined with an education
component and training opportunities by using proven strategies for increasing the use of car seats and
booster seats.
To further these goals the Injury Prevention Program will utilize established baseline data and
develop a plan of action designed to use the best possible methods to accomplish this much needed
enforcement and education in the American Indian/Alaska Native Community. The Injury Prevention
Program funding that the Apache Tribe is seeking will increase collaborations with a diverse group of
local faith base organizations and law enforcement entities, including: City of Anadarko; Caddo County;
Oklahoma Highway Patrol; Bureau of Indian Affairs; and Tribal groups and programs. Organizations
we will build partnerships and work with, are the Indian Health Services, State/Health Care
Organizations, Law Enforcement Agencies, Emergency Medical Services, Broadcast Companies, Safe
Kids Coalition, Insurance Companies and other Tribal Organizations. These entities will be engaged to
conduct forthcoming outreach, attain training, and assist in conducting widespread prevention efforts to
reduce injuries related to motor vehicle crashes.
The goal of the Apache Injury Prevention Program is to reduce motor vehicle injury related
death and disability among American Indian/Alaska Natives living in Caddo County by 2% by 2025.
The Apache CHR Program will expand on the current program directors successes over the last 19
years. The Director is experienced and has had extensive training in injury prevention (IHS Levels I, II,
and II; IHS Program Development Fellowship) to provide comprehensive needs-base services and
community-based education to Native American families, and ultimately lower the rate of injury in this
service area. In spring of 2018, another member of our CHR program completed the I.H.S Level 1.
