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NPAIHB Legislative and Policy Update
Tuesday, July 21, 2021
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Jul 21-22, 2021
CMS TTAG Meeting
July 22, 2021 (12:00 PM Pacific)
DSTAC Monthly Meeting
Jul 26-29, 2021
NPAIHB THD & Quarterly Board Meeting
Jul 28, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)
SAMHSA TTAC Meeting
Jul 28, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific)
CHAP TAG Monthly Meeting
Aug 2, 2021
Region 10 Opioid Response Learning Collaborative (ORLC) Annual Meeting
Registration Link
Aug 3-4, 2021
Joint SAMHSA TTAC/IHS NTAC on Behavioral Health
Aug 3-5, 2021
Region 10 HHS Opioid Annual Virtual Summit
Registration Link
Aug 4-5, 2021
CDC/ATSDR Tribal Advisory Committee Bi-Annual Meeting
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Legislative & Appropriations Updates | |
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S. 2326 - Amend Indian Child Protection & Family Violence Prevention Act - Sen. Ben Lujan (D-NM)/Indian Affairs (7/13/21)—A bill to amend the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act to reauthorize programs under that Act, and for other purposes.
S.2344 - Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act - Sen. Timothy Kaine (D-VA)/Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (7/14/21)—A bill to award grants for the creation, recruitment, training and education, retention, and advancement of the direct care workforce and to award grants to support family caregivers. The bill authorizes over $1 billion in supporting the direct care workforce and family caregivers. Given low wages and high turnover, the direct care workforce has long experienced staffing shortages. The bill aligns with President Biden’s American Jobs Plan, which calls for substantial investments to meet the growing demand for home and community-based services and directs the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Administration on Community Living (ACL), to award grants to states or other eligible entities for initiatives to build, retain, train, and otherwise promote the direct care workforce, including self-directed workers and direct care supervisors or managers, and to provide grants for states or other eligible entities for educational and training support for both paid and unpaid family caregivers and technical assistance for programs.
S.2364 - Reducing Teen Dating Violence - Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)/Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (7/15/21)—A bill to provide for demonstration grants and create a federal work group to reduce and prevent the incidence of teen dating violence and violence against women.
H.R. 4455 - WIC for Kids Act - Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT)/Education and Labor (7/16/21) — A bill to extend certain certification periods for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and for other purposes. Currently, WIC participation and retention is low due to the prolonged process of recertification, which can include income documentation with in-person verification at a WIC clinic, pay stubs for the last 30 days, tax returns, income verification letters, utility bills, and/or rent receipts. Alternatively, enrollment in WIC through adjunctive eligibility is a one-minute process, and requires a WIC client to present their Medicaid card, or demonstrate receipt of SNAP or TANF benefits. This makes the process much easier for participants, and the WIC clinic. The WIC for Kids Act would allow the same, easier process to take place for more mothers and children. Conferring adjunctive eligibility also cuts down on administrative cost and burden for WIC staff.
Committee hearings this week:
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Child Protection - On Wednesday, July 21, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee will mark up several bills, including H.R. 1688, a bill to amend the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act.
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Violence Against Women - On Wednesday, July 21, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will mark up S.1275, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021.
Senate Committees Advance Two Nominees: This past week, two Senate Committees approved two more nominations submitted by the Biden- Harris Administration that Indian Country has been watching. On July 14, by voice vote, the Senate Indian Affairs Committee approved the nomination of Bryan Newland to be the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs (ASIA) at the Department of the Interior. On July 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Lauren J. King to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
The House Committee on Appropriations approves the FY 2022 Appropriations Bill for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. H.R.4502 and accompanying Committee Report 117-96 includes funding for SAMHSA, CDC, HRSA, and CMS. This appropriations bill and accompanying committee report includes the following:
- For CDC:
- + $5 million to the Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country program ($27 million total);1
- + $150 million for CDC’s Social Determinants of Health program that supports states, locals, and tribal governments in improving health equity and data collection;
- For SAMHSA:
- + $500 million for the State Opioid Response Grants programs with $75 million for Tribal Opioid Response grants;
- + $4.25 million for Tribal Behavioral Health Grants ($25 million total);
- + $33 million for the Minority AIDS Initiative
- For the Office of the Secretary:
- $3 million tribal set aside for Minority HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Programs
- For ACL:
- + $35 million for the Services for Native Americans (OAA Title VI)
- + $35 million for Native American Nutrition and Supportive Services
- + $5 million for Native American Caregiver Support Services;
- For HRSA:
- $15 million tribal set aside for the National Health Service Corps.;
- For ACF:
- + $150 million for LIHEAP;
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+ $1.5 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant with a $177 million set aside and 3% allotment for tribes.
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Administrative and Regulatory Updates | |
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Commissioned Corps. Officers Assignment Pay is now available for eligible
officers assigned to specific duty locations within IHS. In order to participate in this incentive program, you must have eligible PHS officers listed below and submit the below Assignment Pay Template to Roney Won ([email protected]) by Jul 26, 2021.
- Eligible categories to be considered for Assignment Pay: Medical, Dental, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Mid-Wife, Pharmacist, Physician Assistant, Psychologist, Social Workers Engineers and Leadership/Multi-Disciplinary positions
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Assignment Pay Template available here.
Indian Health Service (IHS) is requesting priorities for additional health professionals for IHS scholarship program year 2022-2023. For Program Year 22-23, IHS will be funding scholarships and loan repayment for physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and optometrists. For reference, here is the 2021-2022 scholarship priority areas for preparatory through health professionals and the current loan repayment program eligible health professions.
Seeking comments and priority considerations by Jul 30, 2021 to Candice Jimenez at [email protected] (technical assistance) for upcoming agency meetings on CDC, SAMHSA and IHS NTAC on Behavioral Health, as follows:
- [Joint] SAMHSA Tribal TAC & IHS National TAC (NTAC) on Behavioral Health for August 3-4 meeting
- CDC TAC and Tribal Consultation for August 4-5 meeting
Contract Support Cost Advisory Group (CSCAG) Nominations. IHS has established the CSCAG through IHS Circular No. 21-02, Contract Support Costs Advisory Group—Charter. The CSCAG is tasked with providing recommendations for a uniform and equitable system to determine, pay, and reconcile CSC funds for new, expanded, and ongoing ISDEAA contracts and compacts. Tribal membership will consist of two (2) elected Tribal Leaders from each IHS Area, 1 representative from both Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee and Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee.
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Nominations are due Aug 11, 2021 to IHS Area Director Dean Seyler.
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First virtual meeting of the CSCAG will be Sep 2, 2021.
Provider Relief Fund Portal is now open for providers who need to report on the use of funds in Reporting Period 1. Period 1 reporting deadline is Sep 30, 2021. Reporting periods provided below:
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FCC Emergency Connectivity Fund for Libraries & Schools.
Schools and libraries can now apply for money from the Emergency Connectivity Fund to help students, teachers, and library patrons stay connected at home. During the application filing window, eligible schools, libraries (including tribal libraries), and consortia of eligible schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Interested schools and libraries can find more information and apply at www.emergencyconnectivityfund.org
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Filing window opened Jun 29 and closes on Aug 13.
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