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Tribal Leader Letters

March 4, 2024

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." [PDF - 179 KB]

February 29, 2024

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. Please make plans to join us on March 20, 2024, when we will convene a virtual Information Session on this topic, with next steps. [PDF - 161 KB]

February 15, 2024

The IHS Chief Medical Officer writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share an update on efforts by the Agency to address the syphilis epidemic in Indian Country. [PDF - 172 KB]

January 31, 2024

The IHS Director writes to communicate key leadership changes within the Indian Health Service, which include multiple reassignments, the departure of a long-tenured staff member, and a noteworthy retirement. [PDF - 205 KB]

January 22, 2024

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share Agency accomplishments during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. [PDF - 180 KB]

January 18, 2024

The IHS Director writes to invite you to join a series of four Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions in calendar year 2024 on Health IT Modernization. [PDF - 374 KB]

January 17, 2024

The IHS Director writes to notify you of an opportunity to comment on an NPRM published in the Federal Register, proposing the removal of outdated regulations on the use of IHS funds for certain abortions, and to initiate Tribal Consultation on the NPRM. [PDF - 220 KB]

January 16, 2024

The IHS Director writes to announce the appointment of the new IHS Deputy Director for Quality Healthcare and Enterprise Risk Management. [PDF - 180 KB]

January 12, 2024

The IHS Director writes to initiate Tribal Consultation on the proposed supplemental funding request to support fentanyl and opioid programs. [PDF - 193 KB]

December 21, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the publication of the Federal Register Notice for calendar year 2024 reimbursement rates, and to share the launch of a new page on the IHS website dedicated to information about the process for these rates. [PDF - 172 KB]

December 18, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the award of the Forensic Nursing Consultation Program contract that will help boost forensic health care-related workforce activities across IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian facilities. [PDF - 182 KB]

December 7, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) have executed a revised agreement to facilitate reimbursement by the VA to the IHS for health care and related services provided by the IHS to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans. [PDF - 179 KB]

November 28, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the eligible degree programs for the Indian Health Service Scholarship Program in Academic Year 2024-2025. [PDF - 166 KB]

November 27, 2023

The Co-Chairs of the Indian Health Service Director's Advisory Workgroup on Tribal Consultation write to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the definition of "Indian Tribe" to use in the updated IHS Tribal Consultation Policy. [PDF - 277 KB]

November 16, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on developing a funding spend plan for the third year of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Please make plans to join us on December 18, 2023, as the IHS convenes a virtual Tribal Consultation on the BIL allocation method. The comment submission deadline for the BIL Tribal Consultation will be January 4, 2024. [PDF - 122 KB]