During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an exponential increase in the need for public health informational materials that address specific concerns in Native American communities. In March 2020, partners such as the Indian Health Services and tribally led Incident Command teams began reaching out to us to help produce multimedia content such as fact sheets, public service announcements (PSAs), social media graphics, and videos designed for their audiences.
After reviewing information needed by different groups of people such as Tribal Leaders, Native community members, and healthcare workers, we compiled all materials into a searchable online library in order to make all resourcesincluding fact sheets, radio PSAs, videos, and social media toolkitsreadily available to the public. Today the COVID-19 Health Resource Library has over 150 materials available, and continues to grow.
Our goal from the beginning has been to provide scientifically accurate and accessible materials that can be adapted to the context of diverse Native communities in order to stop the spread of COVID-19. The materials and activities provide factual information and guidance, decrease fear by making the latest science accessible, promote positive behavior changes and create opportunities to problem solve.
All materials have been reviewed by experts in infectious disease and behavioral health as well as culturally informed by our Tribal Advisory Board of two dozen representatives from Native communities across the U.S. We are grateful to have support from the Walmart Foundation, which has helped to make this resource library possible.