Thousands of college-bound Arizona students still in financial aid ‘limbo’ in wake of FAFSA snafus
WASHINGTON – Five months after the Department of Education rolled out a long-delayed new FAFSA, thousands of students still haven’t completed the form and many still await word on their college aid awards. College administrators are optimistic the problems will unwind through the summer, but Arizona rates remain far below the national average and the same time last year.
Rapid rise in syphilis hits Native Americans in the Southwest hardest
Syphilis infections nationwide reached a 70-year high in 2022, and no group has been hit harder than Native Americans, CDC data shows. Rates of congenital syphilis were three times higher for Indigenous than for Black babies, and 12 times higher than for whites.
Indigenous advocates work to combat fake sober living homes in Arizona
PHOENIX – After Arizona legislation targeting fake sober living homes failed, tribal advocates across the state are working to combat the $2.8 billion Medicaid scheme that targets vulnerable Indigenous individuals.
New Sage Memorial Hospital transforms Navajo health care
GANADO – A new $177 million state-of-the-art medical facility in the Navajo Nation is nearing completion. Before the new hospital opens, staff must keep caring for patients in cramped spaces and with outdated equipment. All of that will change this fall when the new facility opens. Here’s a look at how radically different the new hospital will be.
Mobile units and nutrition assistance extend Sage Memorial’s reach
GANADO – Sage Memorial Hospital is tackling access to health care beyond its main facility in Ganado, with two mobile units.
Salton Sea immigrant community experiences high rates of asthma from inhaling dust from the drying sea bed
NORTH SHORE, California – Childhood asthma rates are disproportionately high for immigrant families who live and work near the Salton Sea in Southern California. Scientists say the alarming rate of respiratory problems comes from inhaling dust of decayed fish that ingested toxic materials flowing into the sea from nearby agricultural sites.
Navajo psychiatrist bridges gaps between Native American culture and behavioral health care
GANADO – Dr. Richard Laughter, a Navajo psychiatrist practicing in the heart of the Navajo Nation, incorporates Native American cultural practices into the behavioral health program at Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado.
Best foot forward: Tucson farrier educates Native American communities on horseshoeing
TUCSON – George Goode explains the significance of farrier education through his nonprofit organization, the Native American Horse Education Foundation, which provides courses to Native American communities in Sells.
‘Combating this epidemic’: Native Americans gather to address suicide prevention
PHOENIX – The Phoenix Indian Center recently held its 2024 Annual Suicide Prevention Convening to address the staggering losses due to mental health in Native American communities.
4th annual American Indian Youth Disability Summit honors ASU student with Youth Tribal Leadership Award
PHOENIX – The fourth annual American Indian Youth Disability Summit, held April 13, was created to support young American Indians with disabilities and provide peer advocacy. This year’s Youth Tribal Leadership Award was given to an ASU student studying speech and hearing sciences.
Tribal leaders seeking solutions to cartel crime, say they mostly got talk
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers wanted to talk about the problems of criminal cartels on Indigenous lands, but tribal leaders came to the House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing seeking solutions. Instead, they said, they left afraid it was just another "check-a-box-off" exercise.
The first Indigenous woman in space never planned on becoming an astronaut
AVONDALE – It was never in her plans to become the first Indigenous woman in space but Nicole Mann’s career path eventually took her there. At Estrella Mountain Community College, she shares her unorthodox journey of becoming a NASA astronaut.
