Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Established in 1969, the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization representing 30 federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. In 2014, USET established a Sovereignty Protection Fund (USET SPF) dedicated specifically to advancing the inherent sovereign rights and authorities of Tribal Nations and in assisting its membership in dealing effectively with public policy issues. USET member Tribal Nations traditional homelands span across what is present day Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Rhode Island, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine. Since 2005, USET has operated a Dental Support Center (DSC) that supports prevention-based training for dental staff, and community outreach and education. USET’s main office is located in Nashville TN and is adjacent to the Nashville Area Dental Office and Indian Health Service offices. At this time, we are requesting a continuation of IHS Dental Preventive and Clinical Support Center program funding. This will allow for the support of a variety of activities designed to strengthen the oral health and access to care for Native Americans throughout the Nashville Area, as well as expansion of professional development training that benefits Tribal dental clinic staff. Focus areas include but are not limited to disease prevention activities, clinical and community based health promotion, capacity building and communications, and collaboration with national and regional initiatives. This also includes web-based training, to reach the Tribal dental clinics located in rural areas, and more recently, address travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional activities call for regional and local support of community education projects on oral health promotion and disease prevention-based care through the sponsorship of mini-awards. This approach supports Tribal community efforts specific oral health projects and programs. Providing opportunities for community developed projects will serve to generate a higher level project ownership and participation. Regional and national collaborative activities also call for the sponsorship of Tribal dental clinic staff to travel (as allowed) to national oral health conferences and the annual meeting of the Nashville Area dental department. Providing training opportunities for rural-based dental professionals will allow for improved awareness and dissemination of best-practices used in Native American communities. This is a five-year project; costs associated with DSC’s program continuation and planned expansion activities total $250,000 annually and are detailed in our budget and budget narrative
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
