Executive Secretariat Staff (ESS)

The Indian Health Service (IHS) mission is to raise the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives to the highest level. 

The IHS Executive Secretariat Staff (ESS) manages the development and review of controlled correspondence and responses to numerous information inquiries, action documents, and other forms of written communication to and from the IHS Director, the Office of the Secretary, the Congress, the White House, Tribal leaders and governments, state governors and governments, national Indian organizations, heads of other Federal Government departments and agencies, the Indian community, and the general public.   The ESS supports the Office of the IHS Director and works with all Headquarters and Area Offices of the Agency.  The ESS also works with the Immediate Office of the Secretary to contribute analysis for, and input on, public health, health care, and human service policy decisions impacting the IHS and HHS activities, as well as those of other Federal agencies. 

The ESS ensures the responsiveness, policy consistency, quality, and timeliness of executive correspondence, and the completeness of staff work on action documents prepared for the signature of the IHS Director, the Secretary, executive staff in the immediate Office of the Director, and others by special request.