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In this Letter:
✒️Congressional Items
📣Announcements
📝 Dear Tribal Leader Letters
📒Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations
🎟️Events
💵 Notice of Funding Opportunities
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Congressional Appropriators released six draft appropriations bills over the weekend as part of a deal to keep a portion of the US Government open. The minibus bill includes six appropriations bills: Agriculture-FDA, Energy-Water, Military Construction-VA, Transportation-HUD, Interior-Environment, and Commerce-Justice-Science. Included in the package is supplemental appropriations for FY 2024 and advance appropriations for FY 2025 for the Indian Health Service. If the bill passes, the IHS would receive a modest $3.6 million increase over the FY 2023 appropriations level but will also be impacted by recessions from one-time funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2) of $350 million. The IHS would also be impacted by a smaller recission of $90 million for funding provided in previous annual appropriations to address accreditation crises. The text of the minibus can be read here; the Interior Joint Explanatory Statement is here; the Interior Congressionally Directed Spending list is here. The Senate Appropriations press release is available here; the House Appropriations press release is available here.
The minibus appropriations package is part of a deal to keep the federal government open beyond March 8, 2024. As part of the deal, Congress passed Continuing Resolution (H.R. 7463, also P.L. 118-40) on Friday, March 1, 2024, to extend short-term federal funding for the agencies and programs outlined above, and extended through March 22, 2024, for Defense, Health-Labor-Education, Homeland Security, among other agencies, while negotiations continue.
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians will also receive another extension through Dec. 31, 2024, as part of the minibus package. The SDPI is reauthorized at $160 million annually, representing the first increase the program has received in two decades. An additional health care package is expected later in the Congressional year.
Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD-AL) and Kim Schrier (D-WA-08) introduced companion legislation to the PRC Improvement Act (H.R. 7516/S. 3797) and a new bill, Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act of 2024 (H.R. 7515), which seeks to protect and correct Native Americans’ credit from wrongfully charged medical bills owed by IHS through Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) claims. For more information, you can see the press release for the bills.
The House and Senate are both in session this week beginning Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
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Examining the White House’s Role in Pandemic Preparedness and Response
Committee: House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
Date: March 6, 2024, 10:00 AM ET
Hearing Webpage Link
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How Primary Care Improves Health Care Efficiency
Committee: Senate Committee on the Budget
Date: March 6, 2024, 10:00 AM ET
Hearing Webpage Link
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Advancing Tribal Self-Determination: Examining Bureau of Indian Affairs’ 638 Contracting | Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee
Committee: House Committee on Natural Resources Indian and Insular Affairs Subcommittee
Date: March 6, 2024, 2:15 PM ET
Hearing Webpage Link
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The Older Americans Act: Supporting Efforts to Meet the Needs of Seniors
Committee: Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions
Date: March 7, 2024, 11:00 AM ET
Hearing Webpage Link
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HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation on April 9 – 10 in Washington, DC
The HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC) invites Tribal leaders to consult on national health and human services funding priorities for the Department's FY 2026 budget request. The ATBC will take place in person on April 9 – 10, 2024 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, DC. The event will include a Tribal Resource Session, one-on-one Tribal meetings with HHS Divisions, a discussion on 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), and a full-day consultation on funding recommendations. You can register to attend the ATBC in person using this link. The Dear Tribal Leader Letter on the ATBC is available here.
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NIHB Seeking Elected Tribal Leaders to Fill Vacancies on HHS and IHS Tribal Advisory Committees
Tribal Advisory Committees (TACs) are advisory bodies made up of elected Tribal leaders or their designees, and they advise and provide recommendations to the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Department of Health and Human Services on policy and program issues impacting AI/AN people. Most TACs consist of one elected Tribal leader or appointed representative from all the 12 IHS delivery areas, and there are currently 40+ openings that NIHB is working to help fill. Membership in TACs varies but generally is limited to elected Tribal leaders and designated, qualified Tribal employees with granted authority to act on behalf of a Tribe. If you are an elected Tribal leader or Tribal employee and interested in joining a TAC, you can find more information about current openings and which TACs need your help here. The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) provides technical assistance and policy support to Tribal leaders serving on TACs, and we are here to help with the nomination process and to provide any and all assistance you will need once you join a TAC. For help submitting or drafting nominations, questions, or more information, please contact Garrett Lankford, NIHB Federal Relations Analyst, at [email protected] or 202-996-4302.
|  | Tribal Advisory Committee Vacancies as of February 27, 2024 | |
Registration is Open for the National Indian Health Board 2024 National Tribal Health Conference in Rapid City, SD
Click here to visit the conference website to learn more about the event, exhibiting, and sponsoring NTHC 2024. Check the conference website often for upcoming information regarding speakers, the call for abstracts, and exciting opportunities!
| IHS March 4 Letter: 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." | IHS March 1 Letter: 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 | HHS February 21 Letter: Invitation to the 26 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Annual Tribal Budget Consultation (ATBC), which will take place in-person on April 9 – 10, 2024 | VA February 20 Letter: VA would like to invite Tribal leaders (or their representative designees) to provide input through a written comment period on the Revised VA-THP Lower 48 Reimbursement Agreement | |
Tribal Advisory Committee Meetings | |
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Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC) Quarterly Meeting
Date: March 5 – 6, 2024
Location: Reno, NV
Meeting Webpage Link
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Medicare, Medicaid and Health Reform Policy Committee (MMPC)
Date: March 5, 2024
Location: Washington, DC
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CMS Tribal Technical Advisory Group (TTAG) Face-to-Face Meeting
Date: March 6 – 7, 2024
Location: Washington, DC
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Facilities Appropriation Advisory Board Meeting
Date: March 12 — 13, 2024
Location: Sacramento, CA
Meeting Webpage Link
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*UPDATED* Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Tribal Advisory Group
Date: March 25, 2024
Location: Rockville, MD
Meeting Webpage Link
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Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response: Improving Tribal and Urban Indian Organization (UIO) Access to Federal Resources During a Pandemic Response Webinar
Date: March 6, 2024, 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
Event Registration Link
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National Indian Child Welfare Association 42nd Annual Protecting Our Children Conference
Date: April 7 – 10, 2024
Location: Seattle, WA
Event Webpage Link
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2024 Tribal Self-Governance Conference
Date: April 15 – 19, 2024
Location: Chandler, AZ
Event Webpage Link
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National Council of Urban Indian Health 2024 Annual Conference
Date: April 29, 2024 – May 2, 2024
Location: Washington, DC
Event Webpage Link
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National Indian Health Board 2024 National Tribal Health Conference
Date: May 19 – 23, 2024
Location: Rapid City, SD
Event Webpage Link
| Notice of Funding Opportunities | |
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Native Connections Tribal Behavioral Health | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: Up to $250,000 per year
Application Deadline: March 6, 2024
Description: The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance use/misuse, reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental health among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, up to and including age 24, by building a healthy network of systems, services, and partnerships that impact youth. SAMHSA expects this program will be a model for community change that integrates a community’s culture, resources, and readiness to address suicide prevention and substance use/misuse among AI/AN youth.
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Funding Opportunity for the Tribal Management Grant Program | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: $50,000 – $150,000
Application Deadline: March 14, 2024
Description: The TMG Program is a competitive grant program that is capacity building and developmental in nature and has been available for federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations (T/TO) since shortly after enactment of the ISDEAA in 1975. The TMG Program was established to assist T/TOs to prepare for assuming all or part of existing IHS programs, functions, services, and activities (PFSAs) and further develop and improve Tribal health management capabilities. The TMG Program provides competitive grants to T/TOs to establish goals and performance measures for current health programs, assess current management capacity to determine if new components are appropriate, analyze programs to determine if a T/TO's management is practicable, and develop infrastructure systems to manage or organize PFSAs.
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Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) Evidence Based Telehealth Network Program (EB-TNP) | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: Up to $350,000
Application Deadline: March 22, 2024
Description: The purpose of this program is to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings using telehealth technology through telehealth networks and evaluate the effectiveness of such integration. The goal for the BHI/EB-TNP Program is to support evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth technologies through telehealth networks in rural and underserved areas.
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Supporting People with HIV as Leaders in HIV Systems of Care | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: Up to $800,000
Application Deadline: April 1, 2024
Description: The program activities are to: 1. Conduct training of trainers (ToT) for people with HIV on leadership in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) activities. 2. Provide supports to ToT trainees to help them accomplish goals related to the ToT. 3. Develop and disseminate relevant tools and lessons learned from the project. The goal of the Supporting People with HIV as Leaders in HIV Systems of Care program is to support leadership development and enhance meaningful engagement for people with HIV in health care planning and programs inclusive of RWHAP-funded organizations.
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Tribal MIECHV Notice of Funding Opportunity | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: $250,000 – $1,000,000
Application Deadline: April 18, 2024, 11:59 PM ET
Description: Administered by the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), this 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 entry. 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. Reach out to [email protected] with questions.
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Poison Control Centers Program | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: May 1, 2024
Award Amount: The goal of this program is to reduce poisonings and the harms resulting from poisonings by ensuring that individuals across the United States can connect to a Poison Control Center and obtain expert consultation on preventing and managing poisonings. The objectives of this program are to: 1. Support poisoning prevention activities; 2. Provide high-quality guidance and information to callers to the Poison Help Line; 3. Provide treatment recommendations when poisonings occur; 4. Collect data related to poisonings and poisoning outcomes; and 5. Use data to inform public health and emergency preparedness responses. These will be accomplished by: 1. Maintaining the number of calls received by the Poison Help Line. 2. Maintaining the percentage of human exposure poisoning case calls from health care facilities and practitioners. 3. Increasing the percentage of human exposure poisoning cases with a completed follow-up contact. 4. Increasing national data on poisonings available in the National Poison Data System (NPDS) for toxic exposure surveillance purposes.
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