Week of February 18, 2025 | |
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Halting Massive Layoffs at the Indian Health Service
On February 14, Secretary Kennedy issued an order halting the layoff of 950 Indian Health Service (IHS) employees. On the morning of February 14, NIHB acted swiftly with a coalition of Tribes and other national organizations requesting IHS, the Department of Interior, and the Office of Personal Management exempt Indian programs and their federal employees from the Executive Order 14210. As IHS has a vacancy rate of 30%, any further reductions would harm the health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Secretary Kennedy made a statement that IHS will be a priority over the next four years. This is a developing matter that NIHB will continue to work on.
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Live Streaming Available for NIHB’s 2025 Tribal Health Data Symposium
The National Indian Health Board will host the Tribal Health Data Symposium on Tuesday, March 4 & Wednesday, March 5, 2025. The symposium will explore diverse perspectives about what it can look like to have a Tribally-driven, culturally-grounded approach to data collection, analysis, governance, and communications. While in-person registration is now closed, you can register for the livestream by clicking the button below. Please note that live-stream viewers will not be able to participate in interactive sessions, networking sessions, or poster presentations.
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The Senate is the only chamber in session this week. The Senate Budget Committee cleared its budget resolution on February 12, which sets the new budget authority and outlays for the fiscal years 2025 through 2034 including health. The Senate could allow for consideration of the budget measure later this week on the floor. The House GOP leaders are considering holding a vote on its budget resolution in the last week of February, which includes a much broader mandate to do tax reform.
A Politico article entitled American Indians seek exemption from Medicaid cuts was released this morning. The article covers the questions around cuts to Medicaid and the impact to Indian Country. Jerilyn Church, CEO of Great Plains Tribal Leader's Health Board and a representative on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Tribal Technical Advisory Group was quoted saying, “A good portion of our funding comes through these Medicaid payments. A majority of our population meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid as well. So it'd be pretty catastrophic if those nuances weren't taken into consideration and protected.” NIHB’s A.C. Locklear, a member of the Lumbee Nation and interim CEO of the National Indian Health Board, commented that the “House spending bill for fiscal 2025 called for $8 billion in funding for IHS, but the service needs much more.”
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies public witness hearing will be held on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 at 10:30 AM. Instructions for submitting a request to testify for the public witness hearing can be found here.
Please contact NIHB’s Congressional Relations team for more information at wdavis@nihb.org.
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Hearings
Topic: Markup executive business meeting to consider the HALT Fentanyl Act
Committee: Senate Judiciary Committee
Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10:15 AM
Hearing Website Link
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SSA January 17 Letter: The SSA Acting Commissioner writes to Tribal Leaders to share updates to the SSA benefits program and office activities.
IHS January 17 Letter: The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to express deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve as the Indian Health Service Director
IHS DTLLs for Year 2024
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27th Annual HHS Tribal Budget Consultation
The Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs, sent out a DTLL, inviting Tribal Leaders to the 27th U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC), which will take place on April 22-23, 2025, at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building at 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC. Official comments are due April 12, 2025, at 5:00pm ET to consultation@hhs.gov.
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Register to attend the virtual ATBC Planning Sessions on March 5 and 19, 2025, here.
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Register to attend the ATBC in-person on April 22-23, 2025, here.
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Request a 30-minute one-on-one meeting with HHS Divisions, during the ATBC, before April 11, 2025, here.
POSTPONED: HHS Tribal Consultation on Proposed Modifications to the HIPAA Security Rule to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information
On February 3, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the Tribal Consultation is postponed. If you have any questions, contact consultation@hhs.gov. Comments are still being accepted until March, 7, 2025.
Proposed Rule, RIN number 0945-AA22
Contact: Devin Delrow, Principal Advisor for Tribal Affairs, at (202) 868-0013 or at consultation@hhs.gov
Comments Due: March 7, 2025
Comment Submission: Docket ID number HHS-OCR-0945-AA22, using any of the following methods:
- Federal Rulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
- Mail or hand delivery: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Attention: HIPAA Security Rule NPRM, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 509F, 200 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20201.
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Tribal Advisory Committee Meetings | |
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POSTPONED: FY 2027 Sub-Workgroup on Mandatory Funding Appropriations for IHS - First Meeting FY 2027
HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee (STAC)
Date: February 25-26, 2025
Location: Washington, DC
Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC)
Date: March 4-5, 2025
Meeting Website
Facilities Appropriation Advisory Board Meeting (FAAB)
Date: March 11-12, 2024
Meeting Website
IHS Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee Meeting
Date: March 19-20, 2025
Meeting Website
Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee (DSTAC) Monthly Meeting
Date: March 20, 2025
Meeting Website
3rd Quarter DSTAC Meeting
Date: April 24, 2025
Meeting Website
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FY25 IHS Tribal Self-Gov Planning & Negotiation Cooperative Agreements | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: February 19, 2025
Description: The awards support tribes and tribal organizations with the planning and preparation necessary to assume responsibility for providing health care to their tribal members through the Tribal Self-Governance Program. For more information, contact Jessaka Nakai at Jessaka.Nakai@ihs.gov or 301-526-6624.
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: February 19, 2025
Description: The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program increases diversity in the health professions and nursing workforce by providing awards to eligible health professions schools for use in awarding scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who have financial need, including students who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Grants | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: March 17, 2025
Award Amount: Up to $1,000,000
Description: The grant will support 5-year cooperative agreements between ACF and federally recognized Indian tribes (or a consortium of Indian tribes), tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations interested in developing, implementing, sustaining, or expanding an evidence-based home visiting program serving expectant families and families with young children aged birth to kindergarten. Additionally, awards will support the implementation of high-quality, culturally grounded, evidence-based home visiting services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) families and children; implementation of performance measurement and continuous quality improvement systems; development of early childhood systems; and participation in research and evaluation activities to build evidence around home visiting, particularly in Tribal communities
Long-term Care Joint Venture Construction Program | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: Phase I Application due on close of business, April 10, 2025
Description: Under the LTC JVCP, federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes construct a Tribal-owned Long Term Care, Skilled Nursing Facility, or Long-term Home facility using non-IHS funds that meets IHS design criteria and approval. In exchange, IHS will enter into a 20-year nominal lease for the facility and request annual appropriations for the operation and maintenance of the facility during the lease period. Additional priority is to be given to Tribes who agree to fund the initial equipment portion of the project.
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