Maxine Bring Him Back-Janis

Biography

Dr. Maxine Brings Him Back- Janis a member of the Lakota (Sioux) Tribe.  She earned her doctoral degree from Northern Arizona University, her master’s in public health from Portland State University, and is a board-certified licensed registered dental hygienist. Dr. Brings Him Back- Janis’ teaching, service, and research interests include addressing social, educational, and health inequities among Indigenous populations.

As a public health practitioner, Dr. Brings Him Back- Janis draws on her lived experiences while seeking to integrate the traditional Indigenous knowledge in health and healing practices.  Dr. Brings Him Back- Janis is intent on transforming attitudes and beliefs, to counteract the minimization of Indigenous voices in our health care delivery systems, agencies, and among professionals.  Nationally, she works in tribal communities with lay health care persons, and tribal leaders, as well as state and federal agencies to promote policies on behalf of the Indigenous people who oftentimes are not invited to or seated at the table.

Dr. Brings Him Back- Janis’ international endeavors include social justice work among Indigenous populations informing education delivery modalities and health care practices.

Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.