OKMULGEE, OK – The Muscogee Nation announced the appointment of Del Beaver, Second Chief, to the Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).
The CDC, the leading public health agency in the United States, shares its focus on health protection with its sister agency, ATSDR. ATSDR serves the public by taking responsive public health actions and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and diseases related to toxic substances.
“I appreciate Second Chief’s willingness to participate on this very important committee,” said David Hill, Principal Chief. “The work he will be doing not only impacts our reservation, but Indian Country as a whole.”
The TAC was established in 2005 to provide input and guidance on policies, guidelines, and programmatic issues affecting the health of American Indian/Alaska Native federally recognized tribes. The committee addresses a variety of issues including emergency preparedness, mental health, environmental toxins, and other public health needs.
“I am honored to have been selected to participate on this committee,” said Second Chief Beaver. “If anything, the pandemic has reinforced the importance of government-to-government interaction and our tribal nations’ abilities to exercise our public health authority in the best interest of our people. I appreciate the hard work the CDC has been doing, and I look forward to working with them to identify, discuss, and collaborate on urgent public health needs.”
The TAC meets face-to-face twice a year and has monthly conference calls. The next meeting will be held September 6-7 and hosted by the Oneida Nation.
