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NPAIHB Legislative and Policy Update

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Important Dates

Oct 11-14 2021 

NCAI 78th Annual Convention 

Registration Link 

 

Oct 13, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific) 

STAC Federal Workgroup on HHS Tribal Consultation Policy Meeting 

 

Oct 18-21, 2021 

NPAIHB THD and Quarterly Board Meeting 

 

Oct 18, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

HHS ASPR Tribal Consultation Session: Access to Supplies from Federal Partners 

Registration Link 


Oct 20, 2021 (10:00 AM Pacific) 

MMPC Meeting

 

Oct 20, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific) 

HHS ASPR Tribal Consultation Session: Access to Supplies from Federal Partners 

Registration Link 

 

Oct 20-21, 2021 

IHS PRC Workgroup Meeting 

 

Oct 21, 2021  

DSTAC 1st Quarter Meeting 


Oct 25-26, 2021

AI/AN Virtual Healthcare Workforce Development Summit

Registration Link

 

Oct 27, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific)

Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Listening Session

Registration Link

 

Oct 27, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific)

Nation to Nation COVID-19 Dialogue

Zoom Link

 

Oct 27-28, 2021

TTAG Virtual Meeting

 

Oct 28, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific)

Nation to Nation COVID-19 Dialogue

Zoom Link


Oct 29, 2021 (11:00 AM Pacific)

ISAC Monthly Meeting

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. 

Legislation and Appropriations Updates

(Boarding Schools) S.2907 - Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the U.S. Act. On the National Day of Remembrance for U.S. Indian Boarding Schools, Sen. Warren (D-MA) along with Co-Chairs of the Congressional Native American Caucus, Congresswoman Davids (D-KS) and Congressman Cole (R-OK), reintroduced legislation that seeks healing for stolen Native children and their communities. Originally introduced last year with then-Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM), this bill would establish a formal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge past injustices of the federal government's Indian Boarding School Policies.

 

Additionally, in recent floor action this week:

  • On Tuesday, October 5th the Senate Committee on the Judiciary met for full committee on Renewing and Strengthening the Violence Against Women Act'. During the committee hearing, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and the Honorable Lisa O. Monaco, Deputy Attorney General for the Department of Justice shared member statement and testimony. Both noted that renewing and extending the Violence Against Women Act is top priority including taking short term extensions of VAWA, while bipartisan VAWA reauthorization negotiations take place. Top priorities mentioned by Honorable Monaco included: Supporting Tribes in their efforts to protect women in their communities from epidemic levels of domestic and sexual violence; Expanding Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction for Tribes; Request for an additional $30.4M for VAWA’s Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program
  • Learn more from the 10/5/21 Joint Statement from NCAI and NIWRC in theirCall on the Senate to Modernize, Reauthorize, and Strengthen the Violence Against Women Act Now

Administrative and Regulatory Updates

HHS Consultation on Access to Supplies from Federal Partners. The HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) announced tribal consultation on Oct. 18 from 11-1pm Pacific and Oct. 20 from 11-1pm Pacific. 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.

 

CMS All Tribes Call on Rural Emergency Hospital Provider. CMS will be hosting an all tribes call on Oct. 21, 2021 at 11 am Pacific on the Rural Emergency Hospitals, a new Medicare provider type established by legislation last year. 

 

White House Tribal Leaders Summit. The White House will be hosting this Summit the week of November 8, 2021. This Summit will allow Tribal Leaders and officials from the highest levels of the Administration to engage in robust and meaningful dialogue.

  • Register by Oct. 22, 2021 HERE.

 

Nation to Nation Dialogue on COVID-19. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a virtual, two-day Nation-to-Nation dialogue 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. OMH will be hosting a listening session on Oct. 27, 2021 at 10:00 am Pacific to provide updates on the establishment of the CIIHE.

 

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 invites representatives of federally recognized Tribes to participate in three upcoming virtual listening sessions focused on climate change and Tribal Nations and two upcoming virtual listening sessions focused on Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) discretionary grants for Tribes. The Department also invites Tribal youth to the first scheduled climate listening session, which is focused on Tribal youth and climate. Climate change, equity, and environmental justice are among this Administration's top priorities. See Federal Register Notice.

  • Session 1 – Tribal Youth & Climate; Oct 13, 12-2 PM Pacific
  • Session 2 – Tribal Climate Adaptation & Mitigation; Oct 28, 9-11 AM Pacific
  • Session 3 – Relocation, Managed Treat, Protect-in-place; Oct 28, 12-1 PM Pacific
  • Session 4 – Tribal Discretionary Grants; Oct 20, 5-7 PM Pacific
  • Session 5 – Tribal Discretionary Grants; Oct 27, 2-4 PM Pacific
  • Learn more at: https://www.bia.gov/guide/tribal-climate-listening-sessions

 

CMS Extends Four Walls Grace Period. Last week, CMS announced further extension of the grace period for IHS and Tribal facilities to continue to claim Medicaid reimbursements for clinic services provided outside of the “four walls” of their facility. The grace period is extended to 9 months after the COVID-19 public health emergency ends.

 

Updated Guidance on COVID-19, workplace, and HIPAA.  The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has issued updated guidance on when the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy rules apply to disclosure of COVID-19 vaccination status. The guidance provides that the HIPAA Privacy rule does not prohibit businesses or individuals from asking customers or clients if they have received their COVID-19 vaccine nor does it prohibit an employer from requiring their workforce to disclose if they have received the COVID-19 vaccine. 

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