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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Behavioral Health

Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer

On March 2, 2020, a Dear Tribal Leader Letter was posted [PDF - 238 KB] with the decision on the funding mechanism to distribute Indian Health Service (IHS) behavioral health initiative funding for the Substance Abuse and Suicide Prevention (SASP) Program, the Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) Program, and the Zero Suicide Initiative (ZSI).

IHS has also posted the summary of input received in response to the Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer [PDF - 225 KB] initiated on August 2, 2019, regarding recommendations by the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health (NTAC).

Previous Tribal Consultations

On June 19, 2019, a Dear Tribal Leader Letter was posted announcing the initiation of Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer on developing an IHS Opioid Grant program for FY 2019. Formal sessions were held to allow for feedback on priorities, methodologies, and desired outcomes to be used in the selection and award process.

Virtual Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions were hosted by the IHS DBH, in partnership with the IHS Opioid Coordinating Group, and the National Committee on Heroin, Opioids, and Pain Efforts (HOPE).

On May 18, 2018, the Indian Health Service (IHS) initiated Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer [PDF - 231 KB] on the mechanism to distribute behavioral health initiative funding that is currently distributed through grants. At the request of Tribes and Urban Indian Organizations, on August 1, 2018 the IHS extended the comment period to August 17, 2018 [PDF - 116 KB] to provide additional time for comments.

STATUS: The IHS Division of Behavioral Health convened the National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health (NTAC) on October 25-26, 2018 in Albuquerque, NM. The NTAC requested additional information and will reconvene December 20-21 in Albuquerque to finalize and formalize recommendations based on comments received through Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer on the mechanism to distribute behavioral health initiative funding.