The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) now invites award nominations for the Annual NIHB Outstanding Service Awards.
Each year, NIHB invites nominations for awards that recognize excellence, achievement, and contributions that go "above and beyond" the call of service and honors efforts made by individuals, organizations, and programs that have enriched and improved American Indian/Alaska Native health, health systems or policy. Contributions must be in the field of health policy, health care services, health education, preventive health, health administration, public awareness, or health care policy and/or advocacy. Emphasis will be given to Tribal members, health care providers and/or advocates. Award nominations are open to Tribes, individuals, organizations, and programs that serve Tribes and Tribal organizations.
NIHB will present the awards at the NIHB 2023 National Tribal Health Conference at the Annual Awards Gala in Anchorage, AK on Thursday, May 4, 2023. The award nomination deadline is Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 3 p.m. Awardees will be notified within two weeks upon close of the nominations.
If you have any questions, please contact the NIHB Awards Committee via email at NTHC@nihb.org or by phone at (202) 507-4070.
2023 Outstanding Service Awards Criteria:
NIHB is seeking nominations for the following prestigious awards:
- Area / Regional Impact Award - Pays tribute to an individual or organization whose work has contributed to improving American Indian / Alaska Native health care or has affected change on an Area or regional basis. This work may have been done at the Area Indian Health Board or state level, for example, leading a program or advocating for a legislative or policy change. (Twenty four awards will be given.)
- National Impact Award - Honors an individual or organization whose work has made an impact on American Indian / Alaska Native health care and/or public health on a national level. This includes innovations in public health adopted nation-wide, or advocacy for a legislative or policy change adopted by Congress. (Eight awards will be given.)
- Jake Whitecrow Award - Recognizes an individual or organization with outstanding lifetime achievements in elevating health care advocacy, raising awareness or affecting positive change for American Indian and Alaska Native health care at the national level. This includes advocating for national policy change adopted by Congress or the administration and/or innovations in public health nationwide. This person may have served as a long time Tribal Leader on national Tribal advisory committees, at a National native organization, or in an academic setting. (One award will be given.)
- Youth Leadership Award - Commends a young American Indian / Alaska Native for their leadership and outstanding efforts to increase the quality of healthcare or awareness of health issues within their peer group or community on a local or national level. (One award will be given.)