First American Indian Healthcare Summit in Berks County Announced
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The Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge is organizing its first American Indian Healthcare Summit on November 18, in Berks County, Pennsylvania in honor of Native American Heritage Month. The free event aims to discuss urban Indigenous health, Indigenous data sovereignty, and how data decolonization works, with a particular focus on Berks County, which has the highest population percentage of Native Americans in Pennsylvania at 3.2%. The summit aims to identify and discuss strategies to address health disparities, enhance cultural competency, promote indigenous knowledge and practices in healthcare delivery, strengthen community health programs, and advocate for increased funding for American Indian/Alaska Native healthcare programs.
Widoktadwen Center Hosts First American Indian Healthcare Summit
Widoktadwen Center for Native Knowledge celebrates Native American Heritage Month by inviting the Greater Berks County healthcare community to its inaugural American Indian Healthcare Summit. Focusing on urban Indigenous health, Indigenous data sovereignty, and data decolonization, the summit is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 18, from 8 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. at the Berks County Community Foundation. Breakfast from 7.30 a.m. It’s free to attend but registration is required.
Filling the Data Gap in Native American Healthcare
The summit will address the underrepresentation of the local Urban Indian population in Berks County data. Berks County, with 3.2% Native Americans, has the highest population percentage of Native Americans in Pennsylvania. However, current data collection methods fail to account for most of this American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population, affecting their culturally specific health needs. The event will offer recommendations for remedies and partnerships, along with a Q&A session.
Call for Participation
We encourage local government officials, nonprofit/community leaders, healthcare professionals/students, educators, and community health workers to attend. For more information, please email amanda@widoktadwen.org. Kindly RSVP by Nov. 14.
Summit Outcomes
Summit discussions will focus on strategies to address health disparities, enhancing cultural competency among healthcare providers, promoting traditional indigenous knowledge and practices, strengthening community health programs, and advocating for increased local and state funding for AI/AN healthcare programs.
The American Indian Healthcare Summit is supported by a Decolonizing Data Grant from the Urban Indian Health Institute.
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