Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center - The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center (GLITEC), a program of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC), proposes to strengthen Tribal public health infrastructure throughout the Bemidji Indian Health Service (IHS) Area by advancing all seven core functions of a Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) authorized under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). Serving 34 Tribal Nations, four Urban Indian Organizations, and three IHS service units across Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the Chicago service area, the project will expand epidemiologic capacity, strengthen Tribal data sovereignty, improve public health surveillance, and provide culturally responsive technical assistance that supports Tribal self-determination and data-informed decision-making. Building on nearly three decades of Tribal epidemiology leadership, the project will integrate surveillance, epidemiologic analysis, public health assessment, program evaluation, workforce development, technical assistance, and partnership development into a coordinated framework designed to improve Tribal public health systems. Activities will strengthen Tribal capacity to collect, govern, analyze, interpret, and use public health data while supporting evidence-informed planning, policy development, and health system improvement. Core activities will include Community Health Assessments (CHAs), Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs), Tribal BRFSS and Tribal PRAMS implementation, epidemiologic analyses, disease surveillance, program evaluation, environmental health assessment, emergency preparedness support, workforce development, and dissemination of culturally relevant public health information. Supplemental activities will expand regional capacity through behavioral health data modernization, behavioral health communications and community engagement, dementia surveillance and system improvement, national dementia training and technical assistance, and culturally grounded cancer survivorship leadership training. Implementation is guided by an integrated five-year framework emphasizing planning, implementation, evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and sustainability. Activities are supported by secure data infrastructure, established data-sharing agreements, multidisciplinary epidemiology staff, longstanding partnerships with Tribal Nations, and governance through the GLITC Board of Directors, whose elected Tribal leaders provide strategic oversight and ensure continued alignment with Tribal priorities. Evaluation will integrate performance measurement, process evaluation, outcome evaluation, and continuous quality improvement using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Progress will be monitored through standardized performance measures, surveillance indicators, technical assistance tracking, workforce development metrics, and community feedback. Findings will be translated into actionable recommendations and disseminated through reports, dashboards, presentations, technical assistance resources, and community-focused products that support Tribal public health decision-making. By strengthening Tribal epidemiologic capacity, advancing Tribal data sovereignty, improving public health systems, and expanding access to timely and culturally relevant information, this project will increase the ability of Tribal Nations to identify health priorities, respond to emerging public health challenges, improve health outcomes, and build sustainable public health infrastructure throughout the Bemidji Area.
