ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
- Members. The workgroup is composed of nine members (five UIHP Executive Directors and four Federal employees). The Director, IHS, will appoint eight of the workgroup members. The President of the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) will automatically be an Executive Director member. The remaining UIHP Executive Directors will be selected by the Director, IHS, based upon letters of recommendation received from the individual UIHP Executive Directors. The Federal members will consist of one Area Director, one Area UIHP Coordinator, the Head of Contracting Activity, and one ad-hoc member, all selected by the Director, IHS.
- Co-Chairpersons. One UIHP Executive Director and a Federal employee will be selected to serve as Co-Chairpersons. Any of the five UIHP Executive Directors may nominate himself or herself or another member to serve as Co-Chairperson. Each Co-Chairperson must have the appropriate knowledge of and experience with, as well as the capacity to best represent, the interests of all the UIHPs.
- Federal Co-Chairperson. The Federal Co-Chairperson will be appointed by the Director, IHS.
- Urban Indian Health Program Executive Director Co-Chairperson. The UIHP Executive Director Co-Chairperson will be selected by the UIHP Executive Directors.
- Staff.
- A facilitator may be necessary to assist the workgroup; this will be determined following the first workgroup meeting.
- Technical support staff will be assigned to the workgroup to prepare materials, conduct analyses, and draft proposals, papers, and reports for workgroup action and approval.
- Technically demanding work required by the workgroup may be assigned to specialized ad-hoc staff (UIHP and Federal employees) when necessary. Key technical support staff designated for the workgroup include the following: Eric Bothwell, D.D.S., M.P.H., PhD.; Craig Vandenwagen, M.D.; Timothy Taylor, M.P.H., PhD.; Teresa Cullen, M.D.; Mr. Keith Longie; Mr. Cliff Wiggins; and Ms. Danielle Steward.
- The IHS UIHP Director and staff members will assist the workgroup and provide input on an as needed basis, as determined by the workgroup Co-Chairpersons.
- Other IHS program office staff will participate as deemed necessary by the workgroup members and with the concurrence of the Program Director and/or the staff supervisor.
- Schedules. The meeting and work schedules will be determined at the first formal meeting of the workgroup. Logistical support for the meetings will be provided or arranged through either the IHS or a contractor, whichever is more cost effective given the resources available.
REPORT.
- Recommendations. All recommended changes to the organizational and program structure or functions will include the following:
- An organizational chart showing:
- staffing structure, and
- change from the current program tier levels.
- Procedural charts for any changes from existing processes.
- Identification of recommended policy issues to be addressed, if any.
- Timetable for implementation actions.
- Projected improvements resulting from the recommended changes and the means for measuring these improvements.
- Final Report. A written report to the Director, IHS, is due by April 1,2005. The report will contain an assessment of the recommendations made to the IHS from the OMB relative to the PART review. The report also will provide recommendations that specifically address each OMB finding and recommendation within the context, and in consideration of, meeting the responsibility the IHS has under P.L. 94-437, Title V, of the “Indian Health Care Improvement Act,” or its successor.
SUPERSEDURE. None.
EFFECTIVE DATE. The policy and procedures contained in this circular are effective upon signature by the Director, IHS.
