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

2024 Letters

December 20, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the Agency's decision on how the IHS will calculate Contract Support Costs on expenditures of third-party reimbursements and provide next steps. [PDF - 168 KB]

December 19, 2024

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation regarding Agency proposals to streamline floodplain impact review processes for certain actions associated with construction projects sited within a floodplain. Please make plans to join us at a virtual Tribal Consultation to discuss the floodplain class review process on January 22, 2025. [PDF - 340 KB]

December 12, 2024

The IHS Director writes today to reaffirm the commitment of the Indian Health Service to protecting our patients and improving the Purchased/Referred Care program. The letter includes information about IHS's work in collaboration with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to protect eligible PRC patients receiving IHS-approved medical services from being subjected to improper bills from medical providers and collection activities from debt collectors as prohibited under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. [PDF - 172 KB]

December 5, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the release of the Indian Health Service Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2025-2029. [PDF - 180 KB]

November 14, 2024

The IHS Director and the HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary write to initiate a joint Tribal Consultation session December 16, 2024, to request your feedback and recommendations on how HUD and IHS programs can better address housing-related water and sewer infrastructure needs within Tribal communities. In addition, we are extending the comment period originally posted in our September 9, 2024 letter from November 9, 2024, to January 8, 2025. [PDF - 231 KB]

November 12, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to inform you that an updated IHS Tribal Consultation Policy has been signed. The updated policy reaffirms the Agency's commitment to engage in regular, meaningful, and robust Tribal Consultation and permanently establishes the policy as a chapter in the IHM. [PDF - 163 KB]

October 24, 2024

The IHS Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders to request your comments and recommendations on the enclosed combined Fiscal Years 2020 and 2021 Report to Congress on the Administration of the Indian Health Service Tribal Self-Governance Program. Comments are requested by December 23, 2024. [PDF - 199 KB]

October 10, 2024

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer to seek your comments and recommendations on the proposed reorganization of the Indian Health Service Headquarters Office of the Director, specifically the structure of offices under the Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs. [PDF - 242 KB]

October 9, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to invite you to provide updated Facility Master Plans and other identified health care facility needs to be considered for inclusion in the 2026 IHS and Tribal Health Care Facilities' Needs Assessment Report to Congress. [PDF - 137 KB]

October 8, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the new solicitation for the Fiscal Year 2025 IHS Joint Venture Construction Program (JVCP). The letter includes a link to the application package. The IHS JVCP Phase 1 Application deadline is December 22, 2024. [PDF - 52 KB]

October 4, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share the Director's Year 2 Accomplishments Report--2024, which details the progress and shared achievements over the past year. [PDF - 197 KB]

October 1, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information regarding the current status of fiscal year 2025 appropriations for the Indian Health Service. [PDF - 850 KB]

September 10, 2024

The IHS Director is pleased to join with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary to seek your input and recommendations on how HUD and IHS programs can better address the housing-related water and sewer infrastructure needs of Tribal communities. This joint letter furthers the goals of Executive Order 14112, "Reforming Federal Funding and Support for Tribal Nations to Better Embrace Our Trust Responsibilities and Promote the Next Era of Tribal Self-Determination." [PDF - 306 KB]

September 10, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation to seek your recommendations on funding methodologies for the payment of eligible Contract Support Costs incurred by Tribes and Tribal Organizations (T/TOs) related to expenditures of program income (also known as third-party reimbursements) to further the purposes of the T/TOs respective Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act contracts and compacts. The letter also provides an update on the Agency's ongoing efforts that the IHS has taken to implement the United States Supreme Court's decision in Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe (Becerra). [PDF - 256 KB]

September 9, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to update you on a change for the Indian Health Service 105(l) Lease Program. On May 22, 2024, the administration of the 105(l) Lease Program transitioned from the IHS Office of Environmental Health and Engineering and the Alaska Area IHS to the IHS Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes. [PDF - 217 KB]

September 3, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share important information for our Tribal and Federal workgroup members on the relevant rules pertaining to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and FACA's Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) exemption. The letter includes a summary of the FACA and UMRA requirements. [PDF - 246 KB]

September 3, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the publication of the final rule in the Federal Register implementing regulations governing the Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund (CHEF).  In addition, the IHS Director welcomes you to attend one of the IHS virtual training sessions offered on September 18, October 10, and October 22, to inform Federal and Tribal Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) program staff of the new requirements. [PDF - 223 KB]

August 12, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information to help support your efforts to address climate change, assess associated health risks, and develop strategies to advance environmental justice. [PDF - 197 KB]

July 31, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to make you aware that the IHS will begin accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2024 Small Ambulatory Program beginning on August 1, 2024. [PDF - 210 KB]

July 29, 2024

The IHS Director invites Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to join us at the Health Information Technology Modernization Summit, which will be held on Friday, August 16, 2024, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. This half-day, in-person event will be held in conjunction with the 2024 IHS Partnership Conference. We anticipate a robust and meaningful dialogue with you on important Health Information Technology modernization issues. We will also convene a caucus to enable Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to exchange viewpoints and share information. [PDF - 172 KB]

July 1, 2024

The IHS Deputy Director for Management 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 Repayment Program in fiscal year 2025. [PDF - 193 KB]

June 13, 2024

The IHS Director writes to share with you the Agency's initial approach to implementing the United States Supreme Court decision on Becerra v. San Carlos Apache Tribe and Becerra v. Northern Arapaho Tribe regarding payment of Contract Support Costs on eligible expenditures of third-party reimbursements. [PDF - 199 KB]

June 5, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce Agency funding decisions on the Alzheimer's Grant Program to Address Dementia in Tribal and Urban Indian Communities for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. [PDF - 152 KB]

June 3, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on a combined Report to Congress on the Administration of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Tribal Self-Governance Program for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019. The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act requires that the IHS seek your comments and views prior to submitting the report to Congress. The comment submission deadline is August 2, 2024. [PDF - 160 KB]

May 21, 2024

The IHS Director writes to you, along with Brook Bender, the Co-Chair of the Community Health Aide Program Tribal Advisory Group, to invite your continued participation in our collaborative efforts to support and expand the Community Health Aide Program in Indian Country. [PDF - 197 KB]

May 21, 2024

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer to seek your guidance and recommendations on funding methodologies for seven Indian Health Service behavioral health initiatives, focusing on funds currently distributed through grants. [PDF - 231 KB]

May 20, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share FY 2024 funding allocations for the annual Sanitation Facilities Construction program appropriation. [PDF - 135 KB]

May 8, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share
IHS Harm Reduction strategy updates. [PDF - 243 KB]

May 2, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the Draft IHS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2024-2028. Please make plans to join us on May 29, 2024. [PDF - 192 KB]

April 23, 2024

The IHS Director announces FY 2024 allocation decisions for $700 million to address sanitation facilities and construction needs in American Indian and Alaska Native communities from the funding authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, or Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation. [PDF - 205 KB]

March 27, 2024

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) are writing to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer on the Draft Annual Operational Plan for FY 2024 and share our updated
FY 2023 VHA-IHS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Operational Plan. Please make plans to join us at a joint, in-person VHA/IHS Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer session that will be held on
Monday, April 15, 2024, during the Tribal Self-Governance Conference at the Gila River Indian Community's Wildhorse Pass Resort in Chandler, Arizona. [PDF - 233 KB]

March 20, 2024

The IHS Director writes to share a change to the Agency's publishing policy for Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcements, to include continuing to post to Grants.gov and the IHS Division of Grants Management website, and ceasing to publish to the Federal Register. [PDF - 174 KB]

March 4, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to update you on our Agency-wide consolidation of human resources (HR) offices, an initiative that we are referencing as "One HR." [PDF - 179 KB]

February 29, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share updates on Agency procedures for access by Tribal staff and contractors to IHS facilities and computer networks. Please make plans to join us on March 20, 2024, when we will convene a virtual Information Session on this topic, with next steps. [PDF - 161 KB]

February 15, 2024

The IHS Chief Medical Officer writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share an update on efforts by the Agency to address the syphilis epidemic in Indian Country. [PDF - 172 KB]

January 31, 2024

The IHS Director writes to communicate key leadership changes within the Indian Health Service, which include multiple reassignments, the departure of a long-tenured staff member, and a noteworthy retirement. [PDF - 205 KB]

January 22, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share Agency accomplishments during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. [PDF - 180 KB]

January 18, 2024

The IHS Director writes to invite you to join a series of four Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions in calendar year 2024 on Health IT Modernization. [PDF - 374 KB]

January 17, 2024

The IHS Director writes to notify you of an opportunity to comment on an NPRM published in the Federal Register, proposing the removal of outdated regulations on the use of IHS funds for certain abortions, and to initiate Tribal Consultation on the NPRM. [PDF - 220 KB]

January 16, 2024

The IHS Director writes to announce the appointment of the new IHS Deputy Director for Quality Healthcare and Enterprise Risk Management. [PDF - 180 KB]

January 12, 2024

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation on the proposed supplemental funding request to support fentanyl and opioid programs. [PDF - 193 KB]
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