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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Tribal Leader Letters

2023 Letters

December 21, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the publication of the Federal Register Notice for calendar year 2024 reimbursement rates, and to share the launch of a new page on the IHS website dedicated to information about the process for these rates. [PDF - 172 KB]

December 18, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the award of the Forensic Nursing Consultation Program contract that will help boost forensic health care-related workforce activities across IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian facilities. [PDF - 182 KB]

December 7, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) have executed a revised agreement to facilitate reimbursement by the VA to the IHS for health care and related services provided by the IHS to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans. [PDF - 179 KB]

November 28, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the eligible degree programs for the Indian Health Service Scholarship Program in Academic Year 2024-2025. [PDF - 166 KB]

November 27, 2023

The Co-Chairs of the Indian Health Service Director's Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation write to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the definition of "Indian Tribe" to use in the updated IHS Tribal Consultation Policy. [PDF - 277 KB]

November 16, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on developing a funding spend plan for the third year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Please make plans to join us on December 18, 2023, as the IHS convenes a virtual Tribal Consultation on the BIL allocation method. The comment submission deadline for the BIL Tribal Consultation will be January 4, 2024. [PDF - 122 KB]

November 13, 2023

The IHS Director invites Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to a 1 day Virtual Summit on the new IHS enterprise Electronic Health Record solution on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. This event will provide updates on the Health Information Technology Modernization Program and convene a caucus to enable Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to exchange viewpoints and share information on this important topic. [PDF - 122 KB]

October 1, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information regarding the current status of fiscal year 2024 appropriations for the Indian Health Service. [PDF - 171 KB]

September 29, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to acknowledge her 1-year anniversary as Director and reflect on our shared accomplishments. [PDF - 228 KB]

September 22, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information and resources to address the ongoing opioid epidemic. [PDF - 232 KB]

September 22, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on seasonal vaccines and the resources available for vaccine-related activities to purchase COVID 19 vaccines. [PDF - 170 KB]

September 20, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share IHS Medical Priority Levels updates and initiate Tribal Consultation. [PDF - 220 KB]

September 11, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate virtual Tribal Consultation on the feasibility of creating state-wide Purchased/Referred Care delivery areas (PRCDAs) in North Dakota and South Dakota. We are seeking Tribal Leader recommendations and comments prior to the conducting the PRCDA analysis, which will greatly assist us in preparing for the study. There are two dates for this virtual Tribal Consultation. Please make your plans to join us on either Wednesday, October 18, 2023, or Thursday, October 26, 2023. The comment deadline is November 15, 2023. [PDF - 368 KB]

September 7, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the fiscal year 2023 allocation decisions for $700 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding [PDF - 187 KB]

August 29, 2023

The IHS Director writes to inform Tribal Leaders that the IHS Loan Repayment Program will begin accepting applications on October 1, 2023. Please widely share this information among your medical and community networks. [PDF - 169 KB]

August 11, 2023

The IHS Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce an additional Tribal Consultation session and provide a summary document of key items related to the updated DRAFT Indian Health Service Tribal Consultation Policy. The virtual Tribal Consultation will be held on August 30, 2023. [PDF - 199 KB]

August 8, 2023

The IHS Director invites Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to participate in Agency-sponsored Listening Sessions to share information and solicit input on advance appropriations implementation. [PDF - 211 KB]

August 2, 2023

IHS Health Information Technology Modernization Program - Tribal Consultation / Urban Confer Leaders Engaging In Governance. [PDF - 2.8 MB]

August 2, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders inform you that the IHS will be accepting Small Ambulatory Program applications for Fiscal Year 2022 and Fiscal Year 2023 starting on August 7, 2023. [PDF - 244 KB]

August 2, 2023

The IHS Director writes to request your views and comments on the combined Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 Report to Congress on the Administration of the Indian Health Service Tribal Self-Governance Program. [PDF - 213 KB]

July 27, 2023

The IHS Director writes to invite you to attend the Agency's Health Information Technology (IT) Modernization Summit, which will be held in conjunction with the 2023 Partnership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Please make your plans to join us and participate in face-to-face discussions with IHS leadership on the Health IT Modernization initiative during this one day, in person event, on Friday, August 25, 2023. [PDF - 166 KB]

July 26, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on updates to the Indian Health Service Tribal Consultation Policy following the June 1 meeting of the Consultation Workgroup. A virtual Tribal Consultation session will be held on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. The deadline for written input and recommendations is September 11, 2023. [PDF - 185 KB]

July 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide information regarding the syphilis epidemic affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. [PDF - 340 KB]

July 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide an update on the status of implementing the FY 2024 advance appropriations for the IHS. [PDF - 235 KB]

June 30, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide an update on the status of COVID-19 supplemental appropriations for the agency following the signing of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. [PDF - 284 KB]

June 29, 2023

The IHS Director writes to share an opportunity with you to become involved in the collaborative planning for the new IHS enterprise electronic health record solution. [PDF - 238 KB]

June 21, 2023

The Indian Health Service Director writes to announce the appointment of Mr. DuWayne Begay to serve as the Director of the Navajo Area Indian Health Service. [PDF - 194 KB]

June 20, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the appointment of Mr. Joe Amiotte to serve as the Director of the Great Plains Area Indian Health Service. [PDF - 154 KB]

June 5, 2023

The IHS Director writes to notify Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders that the Indian Health Service has released the 2023-2027 Office of Urban Indian Health Programs Strategic Plan. [PDF - 187 KB]

May 19, 2023

The IHS Deputy Director for Operations writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to seek your recommendations on health professions priorities eligible for the IHS Scholarship Program in academic year 2024-2025 and the IHS Loan Repaym [PDF - 174 KB]

May 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to notify Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders of Fraud Schemes Targeting Native American Communities in Behavioral Health Treatment Centers. [PDF - 212 KB]

April 5, 2023

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation on Agency proposals to develop a spend plan for the second year of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funding. [PDF - 201 KB]

April 4, 2023

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation on Agency proposals to enhance the Small Ambulatory Program (SAP) and make its administration more locally focused. [PDF - 230 KB]

March 13, 2023

The IHS Director provides updates on the Agency's Tribal Consultation Policy and seeks Tribal Member nominations to fill current vacancies on the IHS Director's Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation. [PDF - 253 KB]

March 10, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share Agency outreach activities and invite you to join us in improving communications with Indian Country [PDF - 137 KB]

February 6, 2023

The IHS Director writes to invite you to join a series of four Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions in calendar year 2023 on Health Information Technology Modernization [PDF - 313 KB]

January 25, 2023

The IHS Director announces FY 2023 grant awardees for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) [PDF - 189 KB]
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