Tribal Implementation Center
Data Modernization Implementation Center Program
The Tribal Implementation Center (Tribal IC) program is a collaborative effort between Tribes and Tribal-serving organizations, the PHIG National Partners, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve interoperability of public health data systems and enhance Tribes’ capacity to access and analyze data. The program provides implementation support to make it easier for Tribes, public health and healthcare agencies, and other data providers to share and use data. It is intended to help Tribes get the data they need to improve health outcomes in their communities. Implementation support will take many forms, including training, technical consultation, funding for local implementation projects, and the development of data platforms and systems.
Program Goals and Outcomes
The Tribal IC is part of the Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Center Program, which provides direct technical implementation services to State, Tribal, Local and Territorial (STLT) and freely associated state public health agencies. Implementation Centers will help agencies adopt the latest health IT standards and participate in data exchange networks. The overarching goal of this program is to improve the timely prevention and detection of public health threats by reducing the burden of data exchange between public health agencies, healthcare systems, and the communities they serve.
Chickasaw Health Consulting was selected via a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process to serve as the Data Modernization Implementation Center supporting Tribes and Tribal-serving organizations. As the Tribal IC, Chickasaw Health Consulting will:
- Support Tribal engagement
- Facilitate a Tribal Expert Working Group
- Provide technical support to participating Tribes for their data modernization projects, and general guidance to all Tribes interested in learning more about public health data modernization.
- Help with project management and program communications.
Federally-recognized Tribes, Tribal Epidemiology Centers (TECs) and Tribal Consortia will have opportunities to participate in implementation projects, but Tribal IC resources and findings will be broadly available to the Tribal public health community and partners – not just those who apply for implementation project support. Support will be delivered via webinars and guidance material (e.g., playbooks, technical guides), and topics will address strategies for data modernization and describe successful approaches from implementation projects.
More detailed information about the Tribal IC, including information about funding, program structure, and how the Tribal IC differs from Implementation Centers serving governmental public health agencies, is available in our Data Modernization Tribal Implementation Center: Frequently Asked Questions.
Co-Designing Data Solutions with Tribes
In recognition of Tribal sovereignty and the unique data challenges and opportunities that exist for Tribal communities, PHIG National Partners are taking a deliberate approach to engage tribal representatives and will gather their input and feedback throughout program design, implementation, and evaluation. Tribes and tribal-serving organizations will be asked to provide guidance on:
- Data opportunities and challenges that should be prioritized.
- Technical implementation services and support that should be offered.
- How to ensure Tribal sovereignty is upheld through new data technologies and policies.
PHIG National Partners are actively engaging with Tribes and Tribal-serving organizations to co-design the program and identify opportunities for data modernization projects.
Opportunities to Engage
- Sign up for our DMI Tribal IC Mailing List to learn about opportunities to engage and receive program updates.
- Email your ideas for potential Tribal data modernization projects and any additional thoughts, suggestions, and questions to tribalic@nnphi.org.
- Apply for implementation project opportunities when available later in 2025.