A group from the Bay Mills Indian Community in Michigan participated in a public health training program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They studied public health topics, surveyed their local community, and developed action plans. Their goals were to promote the Boys and Girls Club and promote higher education for youth. At health fairs, they informed community members and signed people up for a raffle to support the Boys and Girls Club. They also engaged youth at a local charter school with science experiments and information about higher education and the environment. The group accomplished their goals of training in public health and implementing projects to support their community.

1. Bay Mills Public Health
Research Cohort
EDUCATION TO ACTION
A JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD
OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

2. The team that went to UNLV
Sarah Teeple Larry Jacques
Dr. Mary Anne
Shannon
Angela
Jason Klien
Rintamaki

3. Our Mission
Study public health at
UNLV
Survey our local
community
Develop and implement
an action plan

4. Phase 1

5. Going to the University of Nevada Las Vegas

6. Arrived in Vegas
We were picked We checked into Meeting members
up at the Airport our dorms and from other tribal
settled into our schools
• This is when we first
new surroundings
met Carolee Dodge Fort Peck, Stone
Francis
Child, Bay
• She brought us to
Mills, and Fond
campus.
du Lac

7. Becoming a Student at UNLV
The entire group registered We met Dr. Chino our We started working to
and were issued student instructor for the next two understand public health
ID’s weeks
We learned; history,
We were given a tour of the We settled into the definitions, career options,
campus and surrounding classroom and became and the techniques
areas acquainted with the associated with public
faculty, staff, and our new health
classmates.

8. Course Objectives of Intro to Public Health
 Understand the history and purpose of public health
 Describe public health as a system and identify its
functions
 Identify the basic tools of public health that can be
used to assess community health status
 Recognize determinants and contributing factors of
community health problems
 Gain familiarity with public health
concepts, terminology, and web sites

9. Definition of Public Health
Public Health the absence of
is: sickness and the
active pursuit of
wellness.
the health of
the health of the people and
the individual the
and the environment
community. in which they
live.

10. The Five Core Sciences of Public Health
Epidemiology
Biostatistics
Environmental Sciences
Health Policy and Administration
Social/Behavioral Sciences

11. Lead Lab
Testing for lead plays an important role in Public
Health.
As part of the course we had a chance to use gamma
ray guns that could read every element inside of the
material it tested.

12. Extra Curricular

13. Phase 2

14. Understanding Public Health issues in the
Community
The health of our community depends on the health of our
individual members. To put the issues in to context we
utilized the following information sources:
A survey of our community
• Identify the status of 12–19 year old BMIC members in relation to risk factors
that impact their health and well-being.
• Compare the 2008 survey to the 2000 survey
The County Health Department
• Compared trends in our community versus trends in the region.
• Used as a reference material
State/Federal Databases
• Compared local trends against trends in the state.
• Additional reference material

15. Choosing a Survey
We decided to continue the work of Steve Yanni who in
2000 administered three surveys to determine the
health of our local youth ages 12 – 19.
Adolescent Leisure Time Activity Scale
Leisure Boredom Scale
Indicators of Risk Scale

16. Results of the survey
 We were able to survey 53 percent of the targeted
participants.
 We used SPSS a statistical data program for stratifying
out results from the raw data of the survey.
 The five top areas of concern that the survey indicated
were:
Drug and Alcohol use/abuse

Risky Sexual Behaviors

Suicidal Ideations

Lack of interest in furthering post-secondary education

Under utilization of available community resources


17. Illegal Activities Comparative Data
40
35
30
25
2000
20
2008
15
10
5
0
Weapons Crime Marijuana Alcohol Cigarettes

18. Unhealthy Behaviors
70
60
50
40
2000
30
2008
20
10
0
Out Late Swearing quot;Dquot; Willing Unhealth
Grade Sex Self

19. Phase 3

20. 2 Goals of Phase 3
As full-time students we understood that there would be barriers to accomplish our
chosen action plans.
Some of the barriers were; time, finances, and man-power.
In the end after weighing out all of the possible areas where we
could have an impact we choose two goals:
Promote the Boys & Girls
Club of Bay Mills
Promote higher education
to 7th – 9th grades

21. Goal 1

22. Promoting the Boys and Girls Club
 The Boys and Girls Club is an excellent resource
already in the community. The results from our
survey showed that it was being underutilized.
 In August we found out that the Bay Mills tribe’s
H.R. department was putting on a Worksite Wellness
Health Fair.
 This was an opportunity to contact large numbers of
adults who may not be aware of the benefits of
enrolling their child in the Boys and Girls Club.

23. At the Worksite Wellness Health Fair and the
BMCC Health Fair
Informing the Drawing in a Getting Results
Public Crowd 200 people in
Presentation Racing exercise attendance of the
board bike game worksite wellness
event
Protecting your Free prize
child brochures drawings 80+ signed up for
our raffle

24. Goal 2

25. At the Ojibwe Charter School
Grabbing their Attention Getting out the Message Promoting environmental
awareness
Chemistry experiment: The importance of
Instant Ice thinking about higher ed. Biodiesel Processor Exhibit
We distributed college
information.
Non-toxic, Fun, Affordable Q&A about bio-fuels
Aaron Tadgerson BMCC’s
local recruiter assisted in
providing college info.

26. Summary of Accomplishments
 Trained at the University of Nevada Las Vegas
 Surveyed 53% of the tribal youth of Bay Mills
 Stratified out the results of the data
 Developed two attainable action plans
 Promoting Bay Mills Boys and Girls Club
 Promoting Higher Education and Environmental Health
 Implemented the action plans
 Organized our results and accomplishments for
presentation

27. We feel honored to have been part of the first of
it’s kind Native American Public Health
Thank You Institute.
We would like to thank all of those who have
helped us along the way in our journey into the
world of public health.
B.M.I.C.
U.N.L.V.
Dr. Carolee Dodge-
Bay Mills Boys& Girls Club
Francis
Bay Mills Indian Community
Dr. Michelle Chino Tribal Council
Bay Mills Tribal Members
A.I.H.E.C.
(especially our Tribal Youth)
All of our hosts who Bay Mills Community
helped make this College
event possible Ojibwe Charter School

28. The End