American Indian and Alaska Native Initiative

In 2013, NIOSH launched an initiative to partner with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, organizations, and other partners to identify priority issues, conduct outreach, and determine how NIOSH could best provide occupational safety and health support to tribal communities. The primary goal of the initiative is to build and strengthen tribal occupational safety and health capacity to ensure workers remain healthy and make it home safely. Activities are coordinated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support (CSTLTS).

As sovereign nations, AI/AN tribes maintain a government-to-government relationship with the United States. There are currently 574 federally recognized tribes across the U.S.[1] Over 5.4 million AI/ANs live across the United States and twenty-two percent live on reservations.[2]

American Indian/Alaska Native construction workers on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Photo by NIOSH

American Indian/Alaska Native construction workers on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. Photo by NIOSH

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