AIHEC 2016 Winter Meeting & Capitol Hill Visits 

The AIHEC 2016 Winter Meeting and Capitol Hill Days will be held at the Holiday Inn Capitol in Washington, DC on February 8-11, 2016. Travel days are Sunday, February 7 and LATE on Thursday, February 11 or Friday, February 12.  A USDA-AIHEC Leadership Group meeting is tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, February 11.  A detailed schedule of events and logistics memo can be found on the AIHEC website at www.aihec.org. Please note:  it is very important to register ALL participants for this meeting. Please have ONE person register all those attending from your college. Please use the registration link below.  To help us accommodate Capitol Hill requests for names of all meeting attendees, please be sure to register all participants from your institution by 5:00 pm (EST) on Wednesday, January 27, 2016.

Important Webinars:  To prepare for the Hill visits, AIHEC will host a webinar on two different dates: January 20, 2016 and January 21, 2016. Both webinars will begin at 2:00 pm EST.  (The webinars are identical, so pick the one that fits your schedule best.)  Each webinar will explain the context for your meetings by discussing priorities, meeting format, appropriate attire, decorum and others.  Please encourage ALL participants from your institution -- especially students -- to participate in a webinar. 

Webinar Options: 

January 20, 2:00 pm EST:  Link:  https://aihec.webex.com/aihec/onstage/g.php?MTID=e1c8faa127224c45a74684e8c91f5f147; Conference call number:  415-655-0002; Access code 622 738 336

January 21, 2:00 pm EST:  Link:  https://aihec.webex.com/aihec/onstage/g.php?MTID=ee53d834947cc4410c9bdea7cfe9ea272;  Conference call number:  415-655-0002; Access code 622 001 189

To reserve your hotel room:  Please call the Holiday Inn Capitol at 877-572-6951, or Register Online.   Please be sure to request the "A7H" room block for our guaranteed rate of $179/night.  Please reserve your room before January 14, 2016. The room block will end at that time, or when full, whichever is first, so reserve a room now if you have not already done so. 

For more information on the host hotel, go to: http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/washington/wassm/hoteldetail 

Closest airport:  Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Tribal College and University (TCU) Behavioral Health Summit, February 11-12, 2016: SAMHSA is hosting a day and a half summit focused on reducing barriers that impact opportunities for Native youth to succeed; improving behavioral health on TCU campuses; and increasing Native youth leadership in their communities.  The Summit will begin on the afternoon of Thursday, February 11^th (immediately following the AIHEC Winter Meeting) and run through Friday, February 12th at the Holiday Inn, Capitol (the same hotel hosting the AIHEC Winter Meeting).  Activities will include AI/AN focused behavioral health training on topics such as suicide prevention, and substance abuse prevention; trainings on Leadership in Behavioral Health Education, Developing Support Groups on Campus; Peer Mentoring for Suicide Prevention; Peer Mentoring for Substance Abuse Prevention; and Strategies for Community Engagement. SAMHSA will provide support for per diem (meals) and an additional night stay for up to 60 college youth and College/University Presidents who attend the Summit.  Airfare will not be covered, so please plan to stay in Washington D.C. until Saturday morning, February 13.  Note:  Please be sure to register for the TCU Behavioral Health Summit before finalizing your travel arrangements.  Also, parental permission and chaperons are required for any youth under the age of 18 years of age.

Once you register for the AIHEC Winter Meeting, you also need to register for TCU Behavioral Health Summit.  To register, please click on the following link http://event.cabezon.com/wp/samhsa-bhs/.

For additional information and information on how to register, please contact Frank Bajowski at Frank.Bajowski@cabezon.com.

If your students are planning on participating in the SAMHSA TCU Summit this week, they may join the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE) for dinner and discussion on Wednesday February, 10 at 6:30pm at the Holiday Inn during the AIHEC Winter Meeting.  This student focused dinner is a great way to introduce students to behavioral health issues. Please contact Barb Cooper at barb.c@verizon.net to participate. Seating is limited to 15 students, and those who participate will receive a free gift card.