STLT Gateway

Welcome!

The Tribal Support Unit, housed within CDC’s Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support (OSTLTS), is the primary link between CDC, the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and tribal governments. CDC’s Tribal Support Unit focuses on activities that reflect the agency’s role in helping to ensure that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities receive public health services that keep them safe and healthy.

CDC/ATSDR policy requires that all agency programs consult with tribal governments when they develop programs and activities that will affect Native populations. CDC is committed to working with federally recognized tribal governments on a government-to-government basis, and strongly supports and respects tribal sovereignty and self-determination for tribal governments in the United States.

Our Mission

Our mission is to affirm the government-to-government relationship between CDC and AI/AN tribes by advancing connections, providing expertise, and increasing resources to improve tribal communities’ public health.

Our Role

• Principal advisor to policy-level officials about AI/AN public health issues
• Principal contact for all public health activities affecting AI/AN communities
• Coordinator for CDC and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) programs and policies that benefit or affect AI/AN tribes

Our Work

• Serve as CDC’s principal point of contact for tribes and tribal-serving organizations
• Manage the CDC/ATSDR Tribal Advisory Committee
• Connect tribes and tribal-serving organizations to CDC and ATSDR programs
• Develop communication and information resource for tribes and tribal-serving organizations
• Support and collaborate with tribal-serving organizations and public health partners to improve tribal public health capacity
• Educate about tribal health issues, policies, activities, and strategies, while serving as a principal advisor to CDC leaders and staff
• Guide and coordinate CDC’s tribal-related partnerships and activities with the US Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies

Tribal Support Fact Sheet [PDF – 170K]

Associate Director for Tribal Support: CAPT Carmen Clelland, PharmD, MPA