GHWIC
- FOCUS AREAS Alcohol, Tobacco, & Other Drugs, Chronic Disease Prevention, Culturally-Adapted Public Health, Training & Education
- HEALTH TOPICS Diabetes, Obesity, Tobacco Control
GHWIC Program Overview
Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country 3.0 (GHWIC) is a Health and Human Services initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to promote chronic disease prevention. GHWIC 3.0 provides funding for culture-first strategies to improve health in tribal communities through prevention, management, and control efforts.
GHWIC Program Goals
Goal 1
Support chronic disease prevention using traditional American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) practices that promote resilience and strengthen family, culture, and community connections.
Goal 2
Strengthen connections between community members and services to prevent and manage chronic diseases with a culture-first approach.
Goal 3
Promote a team-based approach to managing chronic diseases by integrating healthcare providers and connecting patients to culturally and economically appropriate community resources.
Caring Van
The Caring Van staff partners with Oklahoma tribes and travels to community events, health fairs, youth camps, and public schools in Oklahoma. We provide preventive health care and health education to American Indian children and adults.
Our partnership with the Indian Health Service and Community Tribal Clinics make it possible to offer one or two of the preventative health services by Caring Van per event. We hope to decrease health disparities throughout the tribal nations in the state of Oklahoma.
For assistance with preventive health screenings, email Janice Knight at jsknight@spthb.org or Yonavea Hawkins at yhawkins@spthb.org.
Services Offered
Promoting Healthy Behaviors
The Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country 3.0 (GHWIC) program can assist all Tribes, Villages, Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs), and other tribal entities within the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board’s (SPTHB) service area in establishing policies that promote healthier behaviors, such as commercial smoke-free air, worksite wellness, and public locations for physical activity.
Technical Assistance
The GHWIC program can provide technical assistance, training, and resources to all Tribes, Villages, UIO’s, and other tribal entities on evidence-based Policy, Systems, and Environmental changes.
Increasing Community Awareness
The Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country 3.0 (GHWIC) program can assist all Tribes, Villages, UIOs, and other tribal entities in increasing community members and leaders’ awareness of how Policy, System, and Environmental (PSE) changes promote health and encourage healthier behaviors.
Blog Posts
To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
By Taylor Pratt, GHWIC Project Coordinator | July 2026 Audrey Hepburn once said, “to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” There is something profound about that idea, the
Tribal Programs Inspire Movement and Health During National Diabetes Awareness Month
By Taylor Pratt,GHWIC Project Coordinator | November, 2025 As we observe National Diabetes Awareness Month throughout the month of November, the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board’s (SPTHB) Good Health and
GHWIC creates quarterly blog posts to help highlight some of the important community work of our tribal partners in advancing diabetes prevention, promoting physical activity, promoting culturally grounded approaches to wellness, and more.
Read our current blog posts below!
GHWIC Program Staff
GHWIC Program Manager
Public Health Specialist
GHWIC Project Coordinator
Public Health Specialist
Careers With SPTHB
We provide excellent compensation and benefits, a work-life balance focused schedule, and a diverse and innovative work environment. Come grow with us!
Meet Our Staff
Learn more about the leaders, advisors, evaluators, and advocates who maintain an unwavering focus on improving health outcomes for tribal nations and communities in KS, OK, and TX.
Programs & Projects
We provide public health services in epidemiology, data management, data analysis, training, health promotion/disease prevention, and research through outreach and creative partnerships.