Grantee Address
Native American Connections
AZ
United States
Arizona: Support to Native American Connections (NAC) to act as a lead convener in the Phoenix community as part of the Grassroots Engagement. Year 1 afforded NAC the opportunity to learn about the oral health landscape as it currently exists, bring in key stakeholders to their local network, and understand how the existing oral health system impacts Native American families. Although a survey was completed, NAC believes the results may tell only a portion of the story. In Year Two, they will continue to survey individuals and families with children in order to better understand beliefs about oral health. Oral Health 2020 investment of $100,000 will be used to address the oral health disparities and empower community members to advocate for systems change. Native American Connections will establish the NAC Oral Health Champions Grassroots Network. The Network’s target population will be Native Americans living in the metro Phoenix area. The Network will include Oral Health Champions from NAC’s housing communities and parents from the Johnson O’Malley parent groups based within the schools across metro Phoenix with the highest rate of Native American enrollment. Year Two will focus on building out the capacity of the network to raise awareness of the importance of oral health, provide oral health education in the Native American community and become advocates for improving oral health systems locally. Network members will be afforded the opportunity to attend training in community organizing, leadership development and communication strategies. Lastly but perhaps most importantly, network members will participate in a Gathering of Native Americans (GONA). A GONA is a best practice designed to strengthen communities through an understanding of historical trauma, the impact trauma has had on individuals, their health and their communities, and to lay the groundwork for moving the community forward. The focus of the GONA will be social justice and whole health, which will elevate oral health as a part of overall health. This investment aligns with the Oral Health 2020 focus of improving the public perception of the value of oral health to overall health.
Grant Amount
$97975.00