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NPAIHB Legislative and Policy Update

Thursday, October 28, 2021

Important Dates

Oct. 29, 2021 cancelled

ISAC Monthly Meeting


Nov. 2, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)

Interior Boarding School Consultation

Registration Link

 

Nov 2, 2021 (12:00 PM Pacific)

IHS Director’s Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation Meeting

 

Nov. 3, 2021 (8:00 AM Pacific)

Contract Support Costs Advisory Workgroup Meeting

 

Nov. 4, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)

ACF Annual Consultation

Registration Link

 

Nov. 8-9, 2021

STAC Meeting

 

Nov. 15-16, 2021

White House Tribal Nations Summit

Registration Link


Nov. 16, 2021 (8:00 AM Pacific)

Portland Area FY 2024 Budget Formulation Meeting

Zoom Link

 

Nov. 16, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)

Interior Boarding School Consultation

Registration Link


Nov. 18, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)

Interior Boarding School Consultation

Registration Link

Visit our FHACT Tracker

Federal Health Agency and Congress Tracker (FHACT) An ongoing list of Dear Tribal Leader Letters, Federal agency actions, and legislation introduced in the 117th Congress related to health.

COVID-19 Funding Tracker

An ongoing tracker of COVID-19 direct and set-aside funding for Tribes. Updated as of Aug. 2, 2021.

Action Alert

Immediately Contact Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Schumer today to urge them to include increased spending for Indian health programs in budget reconciliation.

Leave a message for Majority Leader Schumer at 202-224-6542.

Leave a message for Speaker Pelosi at 202-225-0100.

Leave a message for Representative Kurt Schrader (OR-05) at 202-225-5711.

Leave a message for Representative Kim Schrier (WA-08) at 202-225-7761.    


Biden’s Build Back Better FrameworkPresident Biden released his updated framework for the FY 2022 $1.7 trillion Budget Reconciliation measure. The framework includes investments in child care and preschool, extending the Child Tax & Earned Income Tax Credits, closing the Medicaid coverage gap for those states that have not expanded health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, and expanding Medicare to cover hearing benefits.  

Tribal Consultation Updates

HHS Consultation on Access to Supplies from Federal Partners. The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) held tribal consultation last week. The consultation is intended to gather input and recommendations to facilitate access by Tribes, tribal health programs, IHS providers, and urban Indian organizations to medical countermeasures and supplies needed in a public health emergency. 

 

Nation to Nation Dialogue on COVID-19.  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) held a virtual, two-day Nation-to-Nation dialogue this week to share input, recommendations, and perspectives on how federal resources and assistance can best support Tribes’ response to public health emergencies and improve health systems. 

 

Office of Minority Health Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity (CIIHE). Through legislation enacted in 2020, OMH was directed to develop the CIIHE to focus on health research, policy, and innovation to address health disparities among American Indian/Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. OMH is seeking nominations for a delegate and an alternate from each IHS area to serve on the CIIHE Tribal Advisory Committee. Nominations are due Oct. 29, 2021

 

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Tribal Consultation(s) on Tribal Consultation Policy and Office of Head Start (OHS). ACF has announced their annual tribal consultation on Nov. 4, 2021. ACF is seeking tribal leader input for additional agenda items for the consultation session. Other agenda items include input on ACF Tribal Consultation Policy, self-governance and improving cultural adaptations that come from Tribal input for ACF portions of the Family First Prevention Services Act.                                          

 

Interior Consultation on Boarding Schools Initiative. The U.S. Department of the Interior announced 3 consultation sessions to seek input on the implementation of the Indian Boarding School Initiative announced this past June. Written input will be accepted until Dec. 17, 2021 to [email protected]. Consultation schedule is provided below:

 

Updated Indian Health Service (IHS) Tribal Consultation Sessions on Designating Arizona as a Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Area (PRCDA). On Aug. 20, 2021, IHS announced tribal consultation on the multi-year feasibility study results for designating the entire state of Arizona as a Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Area. Tribal consultation sessions have been rescheduled.

  • 1st Session: Nov. 30, 2021 1 PM Pacific Zoom Link
  • 2nd Session: Dec. 8, 2021 1 PM Pacific Zoom Link

 

Tribal Listening Sessions on Climate Change (Office of the Secretary, Department of the Interior). DOI is hosting virtual listening sessions focused on climate change and Tribal Nations and on Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) discretionary grants for Tribes. Climate change, equity, and environmental justice are among this Administration's top priorities. See Federal Register Notice.

Administrative and Regulatory Updates

HHS Strategic Plan HHS published their draft Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026 on the Federal Register. The five broad goals of HHS include: Protect and Strengthen Equitable Access to High Quality and Affordable Healthcare; Safeguard and Improve National and Global Health Conditions and Outcomes; Strengthen Well-Being, Equity, and Economic Resilience; Restore Trust and Accelerate Advancements in Science and Research for All, and Advance Strategic Management to Build Trust, Transparency, and Accountability.

 

SUNSET Final Rule Withdraw. HHS released a proposed rule to withdraw or repeal the Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely (SUNSET final rule). The SUNSET final rule’s effective date was delayed until Mar. 22, 2022 after a lawsuit was filed this past spring. The SUNSET Rule would have required HHS and its agencies to review all of their regulations within a certain time period or otherwise the regulations would sunset.     

  • Written comments are due Dec. 29, 2021 through the Federal eRulemaking Portal


New Federal Strategy for Overdose Prevention. Yesterday, HHS announced a new overdose prevention strategy that includes: primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment and recovery support. Earlier this year, the CDC determined that the rate of rural overdose deaths from 1999 to 2019 rose from 4.0 to 19.6 per 100,000 people. In 2019, rates in rural counties were higher than in urban counties in California, Connecticut, North Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. 


Open Enrollment for Health Insurance Begins November 1. Plans and pricing are already available for preview and consumers may use the Federal Health Insurance Marketplace or one of 18 state-based websites


Portland Area Office Health Care Facilities Construction Green Infrastructure Project. The Portland Area Office is accepting proposals for green infrastructure projects through Dec. 31, 2021. 

For more information Laura Platero, Executive Director

Lisa L. Griggs, Executive and Program Ops Assistant | Candice Jimenez, Health Policy Specialist | Liz Coronado, Health Policy Specialist

Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board npaihb.org