Did you know that North Carolina is home to the biggest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River?

The Native Pathways to Health (NPTH) project builds upon existing community-academic partnerships with NC’s AI communities and the University of NC American Indian Center, and seeks to leverage community’s unique strengths to better understand and address tribal health priorities. The tribal communities that partnered (9) in the Native Pathways to Health Project included: Coharie Tribe, Haliwa-Saponi Tribe, Lumbee Tribe of NC, Meherrin Tribe, Metrolina Native American Society, Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation, Triangle Native American Society, Sappony Tribe, and Waccamaw-Siouan Tribe.

In Phase 1, NPTH partnered with adults and youth from NC tribes and urban Indian organizations to form a Tribal Health Ambassador Program. Tribal Health Ambassadors (THAs) collaborated with the research team to assess health in their communities: Adult THAs led talking circles (a sacred approach for engaging in discussion); Youth THAs designed projects following a Youth Participatory Action Research approach. Findings from these projects and gathering are currently informing development of a community survey to document health needs, priorities, and assets; reveal unrecognized areas of concern, and inform development of tribal-led action plans. Download the Native Pathways to Health Community Report.