BWA Meets with Leaders Across Michigan to Improve Native American Health

Earlier this month, BWA was excited to participate in a meeting in Traverse City, Michigan, with the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan (ITCM), leaders from six federally-recognized tribes and the American Indian Health and Family Services Agency in Detroit, to discuss plans to improve the health of Native Americans across the state. The meeting served as an initial kick-off for REACH- Journey to Wellness, an initiative to prevent chronic disease by encouraging exercise and healthy eating, as well as lowering commercial tobacco use, among Native Americans in Michigan.

“Native Americans in Michigan suffer from some of the highest rates of obesity and chronic illnesses—like heart disease and diabetes—and also have disproportionately high rates of commercial tobacco use. By focusing on chronic disease prevention, REACH- Journey to Wellness has the power to positively change the health and quality of life of Native Americans in Michigan”, said Noel Pingatore, ITCM Principal Investigator.

In October 2014, ITCM was awarded three years of funding for REACH- Journey to Wellness by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of their Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) initiative. BWA is excited to support the REACH- Journey to Wellness communications efforts for the project, as well as to develop a new social marketing campaign to promote increased physical activity.