Support a Native American Migrant Health Science Program at Washington State University, Spokane with WSU Native American Health Sciences and the Office of Superintendent Public Instruction

Res #:	Committee:	Submitted by:	Title:                                 Pass →	Yes	No	Amended/Tabled	To NCAI
2020-04	Education	Patricia Whitefoot	Support a Native American Migrant Health Science Program at Washington State University, Spokane with WSU Native American Health Sciences and the Office of Superintendent Public Instruction

 2020 Winter Convention 

Portland, Oregon 

RESOLUTION #2020 – 04 

“SUPPORT A NATIVE AMERICAN MIGRANT HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAM AT 

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY, SPOKANE WITH WSU NATIVE AMERICAN HEALTH SCIENCES AND THE OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC INSTRUCTION” 

PREAMBLE 

We, the members of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants rights secured under Indian Treaties, Executive Orders, and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and constitution of the United States and several states, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise to promote the welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution: 

WHEREAS, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI) are representatives of and advocates for national, regional, and specific tribal concerns; and 

WHEREAS, ATNI is a regional organization comprised of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and tribes in the states of Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, and Alaska; and 

WHEREAS, the health, safety, welfare, education, economic and employment opportunity, and preservation of cultural and natural resources are primary goals and objectives of the ATNI; and 

WHEREAS, as a land grant institution located on ceded tribal lands, Washington State University (WSU) wishes to strengthen relationships, improve the access to educational services and opportunities for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) achievement; and

WHEREAS, in accordance for support of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine by ATNI Resolution #14-49, “Improving Access to Health Care,” ATNI urged the Washington State Legislature to authorize said legislation; and 

WHEREAS, the number of AI/AN physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals still make up less than 1% of all healthcare professionals in the United States; and more AI/AN healthcare professionals are needed to culturally align and respond to the healthcare needs of their people and the lack of AI/AN health care workers in both rural and urban Tribal communities; and 

WHEREAS, a recent report by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) (2019) found that culturally responsive academic enrichment programs, access to information, academic support, connection with mentors, and availability of financial support, including federal programs, have been shown to influence the number of AI/AN students who apply, enroll, and succeed in medical school and other health and allied health disciplines; now 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ATNI urges the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to partner with WSU’s Native American Health Sciences in Spokane and commit to financially support a culturally based Native American Migrant Health Science summer program on its campus; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ATNI urges OSPI to establish two (2) positions to support the educational migrant needs of AI/AN students in the distinct locations of the states; such as, eastern and western Washington, to work closely with tribal nations, their education systems and educators, and the public-school systems in which our native youth are educated, to advance and expand the number of AI/AN migrant students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) professions. 

CERTIFICATION 

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2020 Winter Convention of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Portland, Oregon, on January 27-30, 2020, with a quorum present. 

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