One of my priorities is to implement the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) in a manner consistent with the principles of self-determination and self-governance. To improve our work on this priority, IHS has focused its attention on updating its Contract Support Costs policy, which was last updated in 2007.
Our goal is to implement a new policy in 2016. To accomplish this goal, the CSC Workgroup [PDF - 67 KB] and IHS staff have met several times over the past three months and completed their work in drafting a revised policy. This week, IHS announced a 60-day tribal consultation through a letter to Tribal Leaders that includes a copy of a draft revised policy [PDF - 757 KB] for review.
In addition to the 60-day open comment period, IHS will conduct three in-person sessions on the revised policy scheduled over the next two months. Two of the sessions will be held in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ regional Tribal consultation. One session will take place during the Annual Tribal Self-Governance Consultation Conference .
Here is detailed information for each session:
2016 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region IX Tribal Consultation
Date: Friday, April 15, 2016
Time: 3:00-3:45 pm
Location: Acacia Ballrooms B/C/D
Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino
5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd.
Chandler, Arizona 85226
2016 Annual Tribal Self-Governance Consultation Conference
Date: Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Time: 2:30-4:30 pm
Location: Great Hall North
Buena Vista Palace and Resort
1900 E Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830
2016 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Region X Tribal Consultation
Date: Friday, May 13, 2016
Time: 10:45 am-12:00 pm
Location: Salmon/Whale Room, 4th Floor Tower Building
Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort
15347 Suquamish Way NE
Suquamish, Washington 98392
The government’s trust responsibility to provide access to health care extends equally to all American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and Tribal Organizations. We fully support the decisions made by American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and Tribal Organizations to meet their health care goals and objects either through direct services provided by IHS or through self-determination and self-governance ISDEAA authorities.
For more information about the Contract Support Costs Workgroup or the in-person sessions, please contact the IHS Office Direct Service and Contracting Tribes at 301-443-1104 or the IHS Office of Tribal Self-Governance at 301-443-7821.
Ms. Smith, a member of the Cherokee Nation, leads IHS, a nationwide health care delivery program responsible for providing preventive, curative and community health care to approximately 2.2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Read more.
