The 3rd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health will be held on March 6-8, 2009 at the Hotel Albuquerque in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The theme of the 3rd International Meeting is, "Many Voices Into One Song: Promoting Child Health and Wellness in Native and Aboriginal Communities". (Click here for the Save the Date Announcement.) This meeting will build upon the successes of the first International Meeting on Inuit and Native American Child Health held on April 29 - May 1, 2005 and the 2nd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health held on April 20-22, 2007.

The target audience for the conference include child health providers, researchers, and others dedicated to working with American Indian, Alaska Native, First Nations, Inuit and Métis children and families. Participants will have the opportunity to share model programs and research, and develop skills and knowledge that can be applied in community settings.

The conference learning objectives are as follows:

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Demonstrate increased awareness of the changing health needs and unique solutions of children in indigenous populations.
2. Understand the importance of including the knowledge and experiences of those working in child health and traditional health and healing practices in the provision of culturally competent care in indigenous communities.
3. Become familiar with exemplary scholarly and community participatory research findings about the health and health care of indigenous populations.
4. Demonstrate evidence of increased collaboration and information exchange between those working in maternal and child health, or are interested in the health of indigenous children in rural and urban communities.
5. Explore existing and potential collaborative partnerships with indigenous health organizations that share concerns about issues related to child health.
6. Understand the importance of building the capacity of individuals and communities to identify and respond to determinants of indigenous child health
7. Become informed about the ongoing need to continue to advocate for the improvement in the health of indigenous children and their families.

Call For Abstracts
Similar to the 2nd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health, a Call for Abstracts process will be utilized. The Planning Committee invites abstracts on all topics pertaining to indigenous child health. Submissions will be accepted from individuals working with indigenous populations, and is not limited to medical providers. Abstract submissions are still being accepted for poster presentation and oral abstract presentation. The deadline for oral presentations and posters is January 16, 2009.

The Call for Abstracts can be found here. We encourage you to submit your proposal for consideration!

Conference updates will be posted periodically. We encourage you to visit this site regularly for the latest information about the 3rd International Meeting on Indigenous Child Health.