What Is My Health My Choice?

My Health, My Choice is a culturally respectful health education program developed through a partnership between Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Arizona (UA), with support from the American Cancer Society. The program’s trained health educators work closely with Native American women with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) and their caregivers to promote cancer screening and preventive health. The program is currently delivered in collaboration with the Tucson Indian Center and Hopi Cancer Support Services.

Current (2026): Interested in participating in the MHMC Research Project?

Read below and click on the survey link and a member of the MHMC project team will contact you to provide details about eligibility, participation, and timeframes. 

1. MHMC Education Sessions: We invite Native American women living with disabilities, ages 25+, and their supporters to participate in MHMC Education sessions. A supporter could be a family member, a paid care provider, or a friend.

See the flyers below for more information.

2. Native- and Disability-serving organizations and agencies. We invite organizations serving Native American communities and/or people with disabilities to learn more about the MHMC program and participate in interviews. Your feedback will help us understand what support, resources, and adaptations are necessary for successful implementation of the MHMC program.

If you are interested, please click here to complete the survey!

Questions? Please contact Darold Joseph (Darold.Joseph@nau.edu) or Julie Armin (Jarmin@arizona.edu)

Why It Matters

Being a healthy woman means staying up to date on recommended health screenings—such as breast and cervical cancer screenings—and understanding how to advocate for your own care. The My Health, My Choice program is offered by a trained health educator, either in person or via Zoom (with in-person sessions encouraged to enhance engagement and connection).

The program includes six interactive sessions filled with fun activities and practical information. Caregivers and supporters are welcome to join, but the focus is on empowering women with IDD to feel confident and capable in making their own health choices.

The curriculum helps participants:

  1. Build self-confidence

  2. Understand the importance of preventive health screenings

  3. Practice effective communication with healthcare providers

MHMC Learning Objectives

MHMC program helps participants build skills and knowledge to support long-term health through the following ways:

  • Identify healthy lifestyle habits for women.

  • Practice ways to manage anxiety about cancer screenings.

  • Understand what cancer is and the body parts screened.

  • Discover the importance of breast cancer screening.

  • Learn about cervical cancer screening and its importance.

  • Practice self-advocacy to communicate with health care providers confidently

Session Snapshot

You are able to access all of our PowerPoints sessions with explanations, hands-on activities, role playing and opportunities to ask questions. Please share with family, friends, and colleagues. Please reach out with any questions or collaboration inquires.

FAQ & Accessibility

  • Native American women with I/DD who are interested in learning more about health and cancer preventive care. Caregivers are welcome.

  • Sessions are designed to be short and engaging (typically 45-60 minutes).

  • Yes – all materials use plain language, visual supports, and include opportunities for practice and repetition.

Supported by a Cancer Health Equity Center-MSI Grant # CHERC-MSI-22-283-01CHERC-MSI from the American Cancer Society.