Category: Community

CHER Associate Director Samantha Sabo Co-Leads National Grant to Enhance Cancer Care Coordination for Native Patients

Beck Thomas | March 28, 2026

Northern Arizona Healthcare, Inc. (NAH) has received a $248,500 competitive grant from the American Cancer Society and Pfizer, Inc. to improve cancer care coordination for Native American patients in northern Arizona and the Colorado Plateau… Read more

Northern Arizona University campus drove overview.

Building Stronger Care Teams with Community Health Representatives

Beck Thomas | March 27, 2026

In Tribal communities across Arizona, Community Health Representatives (CHRs) are essential to how care works by improving communication, strengthening care teams, and helping patients navigate complex systems… Read more

Oncology Focus: 3-Day Training for Cancer Patient Care Navigation

Beck Thomas | March 17, 2026

NAU’s Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention Program, funded by the National Cancer Institute, in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and Pfizer, Inc., hosted a Connected Care three-day Oncology Patient Navigation Training in January to strengthen cancer care support across Northern Arizona… Read more

Amanda Aguirre: Building at the Border to Revolutionize Rural Healthcare

Beck Thomas | August 26, 2025

Former Arizona State Senator and longtime nonprofit health leader reflects on public service, policy wins, and the collective vision that’s transforming rural health in southern Arizona through quality, accessible, and affordable healthcare options like the San Luis Medical Mall and planned San Luis Community Hospital… Read more

A digital rendering of the planned San Luis hospital.

Rooted in Community: Indigenous Student Enhancement Program Expands to San Carlos Apache Tribe

Beck Thomas | July 22, 2025

Piloted for the first time outside Navajo Nation, ISEP brings culturally grounded public health education to Apache high school students sparking new career paths, personal growth, and community dialogue… Read more

A group of students outside lined up in front of the San Carlos Apache College sign.

SHERC awarded 10th supplement to support data capacity

Heather Tate | December 10, 2024

The southwest region of the United States is a beautiful part of the country, filled with rich culture, incredible landscapes, and a strong need for health equity intervention. SHERC, the largest research initiative within the Center for Community Health and Engaged Research (CHER), specifically addresses health and wellness disparities through community-based research. … Read more

Connecting through music: How music intervention is changing lives in Arizona’s care centers

Heather Tate | November 25, 2024

As the automatic doors rolled open, the light sounds of wind and percussion instruments filled the open corridor surrounding the front desk at Haven Health, a skilled-nursing and rehabilitation hospital in northern Arizona… Read more

Handheld bells, wood blocks, and personal drums sitting on a table.

Hualapai Tribe leading the way in diabetes prevention

llk73 | October 8, 2024

The Hualapai Tribe (Hualapai), a federally recognized Native nation located in northwest Arizona, is committed to managing critical health challenges for its community of over 2,000 enrolled members… Read more

Community members gather to play chair volleyball at the Fitness Center.

Now is the Time: Integrating and Reimbursing CHR Services within Tribal Health and Social Systems

llk73 | July 23, 2024

The CDC-funded CHRs WITH uS! (Community Heath Representative (CHR) Workforce Integration in Tribal Health Systems) initiative hosted a groundbreaking event on in May at Flagstaff’s High Country Conference Center. This first-of-its-kind conference, crafted by CHR leaders and allies, aimed to enhance rural and urban American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health across Arizona… Read more

Chassity Begay of CHER networking with CHR leadership.

Improving Mental and Physical Health in Rural and Culturally Diverse Populations: Music as a Therapeutic Intervention

llk73 |

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted mental health, with one in six youth and one in five adults in Arizona experiencing a mental health disorder each year.1 In response, a team of researchers from Northern Arizona University (NAU) engaged with clinical professionals and Indigenous musicians to initiate a pilot project to evaluate the benefits of music-based interventions (MBIs) on mental and physical health… Read more