January 30, 2026: IHS Updates for Tribes and Tribal and Urban Indian Organizations

The bi-weekly update provides up-to-date information on recent events, meetings, conferences, upcoming deadlines, and recognition of the work being done across the Indian Health Service, other federal agencies, and Indian Country. For more information or questions, please email IHSPublicAffairsStaff@ihs.gov.

Indian Health Services Launches Largest Hiring Initiative in Agency History

The Indian Health Service announced the launch of the largest hiring initiative in the federal agency’s history. This unprecedented hiring push represents a historic investment in rebuilding and strengthening the IHS workforce and reflects the urgency for recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified professionals in critical positions across clinical, public health, administrative, and leadership roles throughout the agency. With a near-30 percent vacancy rate across the IHS, the immediate focus will be on filling vacancies for critical positions essential to keeping our health care facilities operating smoothly, especially in some of the more rural and remote locations.

Additional positions will be listed as the year progresses. Therefore, we ask for your continued support in reaching qualified candidates and raising awareness of not just career opportunities at IHS, but in the transformative work already underway to fortify the foundation future generations will build upon. The IHS is an agency where those seeking to serve tribal communities—while building meaningful, mission-driven careers—can thrive, and we want to spread that message as far as we can. This is an exciting time to join the Indian Health Service.

Office of Resource Access and Partnerships Holds Arizona Tribal Consultation

Indian Health Service leadership and the Office of Resource Access and Partnerships held a tribal consultation session with Arizona tribal leaders on January 21 in Phoenix, Arizona, to receive feedback on designating Arizona as a statewide Purchased/Referred Care (PRC) Delivery Area. Nearly 60 tribal leaders, health directors, and PRC program directors participated, asking questions and providing input on considerations and next steps in the process. Additional information is available in the December 18, 2025, Dear Tribal Leader letter. Written comments may be submitted through March 6. An internal session will be scheduled at a later date to receive input from PRC staff. For more information, contact HQPRC@ihs.gov.

DOJ Office on Violence Against Women Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation

IHS Director of Strategic Initiatives Dr. Kim Hartwig and Forensic Nurse Consultant Nicole Stahlmann attended the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota. They extend their appreciation for the testimonies and robust conversations, as well as support for the enhanced safety of American Indian and Alaska Native women from violent crimes. The discussions serve to strengthen the federal response to domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide, stalking, and trafficking, and prioritizing behavioral health services in this realm. If you are interested in obtaining forensic health training, please visit the IHS Forensic Nursing Consultation Program and Texas A&M University Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing

Dr. Kim Hartwig and Nicole Stahlmann

Uniformed Service Staff Members Take Clean Sweep of Society of Military Engineers Awards

The IHS Office of Environmental Health & Engineering is proud to highlight the accomplishments of its staff in receiving all three Society of American Military Engineers Uniformed Service Awards for the U.S. Public Health Service for 2025.

Green Medal – Lt. Ashley Martinez, P.E., Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction
Martinez is recognized for her outstanding technical expertise, innovation, and leadership in advancing public health for tribal communities across Oregon and Washington as a field engineer for the Portland Area, Olympic District.

Hollis Medal – Cmdr. Louis Bernasconi, P.E., Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction
Bernasconi is recognized for his outstanding leadership, innovation, and commitment to advancing and protecting the public health of American Indian communities as the district engineer for the Phoenix Area, Reno District.

Cummings Plaque – Facilities Project Management Application Workgroup, Division of Engineering Services, for its visionary leadership and technical excellence in fundamentally reshaping how the Indian Health Service plans, funds, and delivers health care facilities.

The awards are presented annually at the Joint Engineer Training Conference Society Ball & Awards Gala, which will be held on May 21 in Portland, Oregon.

National Tribal Advisory Committee for Behavioral Health Hosts Fourth Quarter Meeting

On December 15, 2025, the National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health held its virtual fourth quarter meeting. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Loretta Christensen welcomed attendees and shared updates on topics that included the delegation of director authority for Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton, continuing appropriations, recruitment and retention, the proposed IHS realignment, and the new Office for Indian Veterans Support. The committee engaged in meaningful discussion on funding, NTAC vacancies, 2026 meeting dates, suicide prevention, and transportation. The CMO also engaged in a productive question and answer session, contributing to the overall success of the meeting.

The National Tribal Advisory Committee on Behavioral Health serves as an advisory body to the Division of Behavioral Health and the director of the IHS. Its goal is to provide guidance and recommendations on programmatic issues impacting behavioral health care for American Indian and Alaska Native people. For more information, please visit the NTAC website.

Office of Human Resources Convenes In-Person Hiring Workgroup Meeting

The IHS Office of Human Resources recently convened an in-person hiring workgroup in Rockville, Maryland, to focus on advancing workforce growth and modernizing hiring practices. The workgroup brought together HR operational leaders to initiate a coordinated hiring plan that will align with the agency’s annual staffing plan. Discussions centered on identifying strategies to streamline hiring, reduce time-to-hire, and improve the candidate and customer experience. Outcomes from the workgroup will inform future hiring initiatives and workforce planning efforts across IHS as the agency moves forward with rebuilding and strengthening its workforce.

2026 ISDEAA All Federal Staff Meeting Convened for IHS Staff

Hundreds of IHS staff from across the country participated virtually in the 2026 IHS Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) All-Federal Staff meeting. Originally scheduled for October 2025, the three-day meeting was an opportunity for key agency staff to engage in meaningful dialogue and lead working sessions that advance ISDEAA policies and best practices related to Title I Contracting, Title V Compacting, Contract Support Costs, and Section 105(l) Leasing. Participants from across the agency shared their experiences and best practices, while fostering collaboration and networking. We extend our appreciation to all participants and presenters who quickly pivoted to a virtual format when winter weather canceled in-person participation. If you missed it, please visit the ISDEAA Resource Center meeting page for recorded sessions and presentations.

IHS Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton provides opening remarks for the virtual ISDEAA All Federal Staff Meeting

IHS Extends Comment Submission Deadline for Agency Realignment – Deadline February 27

In response to verbal feedback received during tribal consultations and written comments regarding the timeline for the proposed agency realignment, the IHS is extending the comment submission deadline to February 27. After the comment period closes, the IHS will enter into an internal deliberation phase to review all feedback received, prior to moving through internal clearance for implementation. We appreciate all the great feedback received so far through both rounds of tribal consultation and urban confer, and the continued leadership from our tribal and urban partners in advancing the health and well-being of our communities. The IHS remains committed to a process that is transparent, inclusive, and responsive to their input.

Additional information on the proposed realignment can be found here.

IHS Invites All Staff to Wear Red February 6 to Support Women’s Health

We’re encouraging EVERYONE to wear red to work on National Wear Red for Women’s Day on Friday, February 6. Wear your best red-beaded skirt or your red-beaded moccasins to let Native women know that their health is our priority, not just at IHS, but through all Indian Country. It’s an easy and fun way to send a message that we care. Take a photo that day wearing red and share with us to post on our social media. For more information, please visit the American Heart Association website.

Office of Quality to Celebrate Patient Safety Awareness Week with Competition and Awards

Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) is March 8–14, and the Office of Quality, Division of Quality Assurance and Patient Safety, is excited to celebrate the outstanding work happening across the IHS to keep patients safe every day. This year, we will mark PSAW with a Good Catch Competition and by recognizing excellence across our workforce.

For the Good Catch Competition, throughout January and February, the Office of Quality will be tracking patient safety (non-medication) good catches entered into I-STAR. The Service Unit with the highest number of documented patient safety good catches will receive the Preoccupation with Failure Award, recognizing commitment to one of the key High Reliability Organization (HRO) principles. The winning Service Unit will be highlighted on the Patient Safety Awareness Week Recognition SharePoint site, on IHS social media, and the Week in Review.

PSAW is also an opportunity to recognize patient safety excellence across IHS. If you know a colleague who consistently promotes safety, identifies risks, speaks up for patients, or models HRO behaviors, please take a moment to recognize that person by submitting Patient Safety Excellence Recognition Nomination.

Thank you to all staff for your ongoing dedication to providing safe, high-quality care. Your good catches, your vigilance, and your commitment make a difference every day, for every patient, in every facility.

Division of Behavioral Health Offers Additional Connected and Strong Sessions

Thank you to everyone who has attended our Connected and Strong webinars. We are excited to bring you three more in the coming months. For those who attended the December 10 session on Returning to Calm and experienced technical issues, we will repeat that session in May 2026. Stay tuned for a registration link. We look forward to seeing you again soon!

New Search Site for Medical Student and Resident Rotations

IHS now has a central location to share available facilities with medical students and residents seeking to do a rotation in Indian Country. Interested medical students and residents are now able to search for rotation sites here. Searches can be conducted by specific parameters or by clicking the map to view available rotations at listed facilities. Tribal and urban sites are also encouraged to utilize this service. If your facility is interested in being listed as a hosting site or if you have additional questions, please email Alaina Kayaani-George.

Special Office Hours: Sterilization & Water Quality Related to Instrument Reprocessing

In collaboration with the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, the Office of Quality invites staff to attend an upcoming Office Hours session on January 26 from 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET. This session will focus on sterilization and water quality related to instrument reprocessing.  Click here to join. This Office Hours session is the second in a series and will be conducted in a question-and-answer format, addressing questions raised during the initial training session held on December 16, 2025, which reached 237 health care professionals from IHS, tribal, and urban health care facilities, CDC, and the American Indian and Alaska Native Quality Improvement Organization.

The target audience includes infection preventionists, quality professionals, facilities managers, industrial hygienists, biomedical engineering staff, safety and patient safety officers, staff who use and reprocess instruments and equipment, dental professionals, and leadership. We encourage all relevant staff to participate and bring questions for discussion. Reach out to Infection Control Program Manager Kelly Andrews with any questions.

IHS Scholarship Program Accepting Applications

The IHS Scholarship Program is currently accepting applications for scholarship support for the 2026–2027 academic year. The IHS strives to develop our next generation of leaders, as well as help make the pursuit of a meaningful career in Indian health attainable for American Indian and Alaska Native students. The list of 2026-2027 Scholarship Program Eligible Degree Programs is available here. Eligible students are encouraged to apply by February 28.

IHS Scholarship Program funding plays a vital role in reducing the financial burden of health professions educational costs for tribal members, while increasing the number of American Indian and Alaska Native health care professionals. These scholarships are essential to expanding access to care and addressing clinical shortages within our communities. Learn more about IHS student opportunities here.

Patient Safety Program and VHA Offer Training Opportunities for IHS Staff

The IHS Patient Safety Program partners with the Veterans Health Administration National Center for Patient Safety to enhance training opportunities for agency staff. Through this collaboration, IHS personnel have access to a range of VHA-administered training modules designed to strengthen patient safety practices across the system. These training courses are an excellent opportunity for professional development and to promote a culture of safety across IHS. For more information and to register, click here. Upcoming virtual training opportunities include:

• “Proactive Risk Assessment” on January 28 | 6.5 hours | Register by January 21
• “Foundations for Patient Safety Officers” on February 3–26 | 32 hours ?Register by January 27
• “Root Cause Analysis” on April 8 | 6.5 hours | Register by April 1

Advancements in Diabetes Webinar Series

The IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention: Advancements in Diabetes Webinar Series is hosting the following webinar for health care providers:  

• “Case Management: Practicing Population Health to Engage Patients as Partners in Care” on January 28 at 3 pm ET. Click here to attend. 

Participate in Focus Groups with the Health IT Modernization Program

The IHS Health Information Technology (IT) Modernization Program will hold its next focus group in February with a session on Interoperability. Focus groups provide an opportunity for subject matter experts to share information and expertise concerning issues of interest to all IHS, tribal, and urban Indian organizations related to electronic health record (EHR) use and PATH EHR implementation. The Modernization Program has three upcoming focus groups:
 

• “Interoperability: Patient Portals” - February 12 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET

Take an active role in shaping the future of health IT at IHS by joining a focus group. To participate, email modernization@ihs.gov with your name, title, credentials, tribe or organization, email address, and focus group(s) you wish to join.

Institutional Environmental Health Program Offers Long-Term Training Opportunity

The Division of Environmental Health Services Institutional Environmental Health (IEH) Program provides leadership in the development and implementation of effective environmental health and safety management systems to reduce risks of injury and/or illness to our employees, patients, and visitors in IHS and tribal facilities and institutions. The program is offering a professional development opportunity designed to develop highly competent and technically qualified IEH officers to enhance and advance environmental health and safety. This IEH field-based residency long-term training program is a two-year full-time assignment designed for applicants that do not have a graduate degree in industrial hygiene, occupational safety or environmental health. The candidate will complete two years of distance-learning graduate-level coursework at Montana Tech in the Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene degree program.

Requirements include:

• Existing IHS staff and existing PHS officers (already assigned to IHS or detailed to a tribal health program)
• Five years' experience as a professional in environmental health and/or safety
• Three years’ experience in IHS and/or on as a PHS Commissioned Corps tribal detail assignment
• Demonstrated commitment to institutional environmental health.

Applications are due by February 2. For more details, interested candidates are encouraged to contact their Area’s institutional environmental health officer or DEHS Institutional Environmental Health Program Manager Brian Hroch at brian.hroch@ihs.gov or 240-478-2724.

Indian Health Service Schedules Clinical and Community Workforce Summit

Join Indian Health Service clinical and community professionals for the Clinical and Community Workforce Summit from March 10–12, in Denver, Colorado. Hosted by the IHS Alzheimer’s Program, this is a focused summit on Alzheimer’s and elder care, centered on knowledge, compassion, and community at work. The event will bring together health care providers, program leaders, and community partners to share best practices, strengthen workforce capacity, and support culturally grounded approaches to elder care across tribal and urban Indian communities. For more information, visit the 2026 IHS Summit Registration website.

DEHS Injury Prevention Program Awards $2.65 Million to Address Injuries and Violence

The Division of Environmental Health Services Injury Prevention Program announced the award of $2.65 million for 25 Tribal Injury Prevention Cooperative Agreement Program (TIPCAP) sites.  The total commitment for the new five-year cycle awards is $13 million. The 2026-2030 awardees include 17 new recipients and eight returning awardees from the previous TIPCAP funding cycle.

Sites were awarded under the Part I or Part II components:

• Part I: Up to $150,000 per year for five years to hire a full-time injury prevention coordinator. 
• Part II: Up to $40,000 per year for five years for project-based injury prevention initiatives. 

TIPCAP builds capacity to reduce injuries and violence for American Indian and Alaska Native people through community-driven, culturally centered approaches. This is the seventh TIPCAP funding opportunity for the IHS Injury Prevention Program. Congratulations to all the awardees!

Office of Quality Announces Training for NEW I-STAR software platform

The IHS Safety Tracking & Response (I-STAR) system is a web-based event reporting application built on the RLDatix platform and serves as the single portal for reporting good catches (near misses), as well as patient/visitor, medication, and occupational safety events. The system also provides enhanced analytics and reporting capabilities that support a “Just Culture” approach by encouraging reporting, learning from events, and strengthening safe systems across IHS. As part of the upcoming software upgrade, the I-STAR user interface will change in March. The go-live for the new interface is set for March 23. 

Throughout February, the Office of Quality will finalize installation of the updated RLDatix platform. The Office of Quality, in collaboration with RLDatix, will provide training for all IHS staff in March. Training will cover updates relevant to both non-login users (frontline staff) and login users (quality professionals, safety, security, and leadership). All sessions will cover the same content; participants only need to attend one session.

• March 2 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CST | Training link
• March 4 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CST | Training link
• March 5 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CST | Training Link
• March 10 from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. CST | Training Link
• March 11 from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CST | Training Link
• March 12 from 9:30 a.m. -11:00 a.m. CST | Training Link

Thank you to all staff for your continued commitment to patient safety—your reporting, vigilance, and engagement help improve care and reduce risk for patients and staff across IHS.

Office of Quality Holds Tracers Office Hours

The Office of Quality, Division of Quality Assurance and Patient Safety, hosts biweekly Tracers Office Hours every other Tuesday from 12:00 p.m. to 12:50 p.m. MT for federally operated IHS sites. The next regular session is scheduled for February 10.  These sessions aim to strengthen capacity by developing accreditation-readiness tools and providing training for IHS staff. So far in 2026, 671 participants across the agency have attended these office hours to learn and share best practices. These sessions support program development and implementation to maintain compliance with relevant federal regulations regarding health care facility accreditation. Additionally, these survey-readiness activities help manage and coordinate a continuous accreditation compliance program through a multidisciplinary approach.

The Office of Quality is pleased to announce two additional Tracers Office Hours in February, offering more opportunities to learn about the applications of accreditation readiness tools.

• “Focus on Ambulatory Clinics” – February 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. MT
• “JCR E-Products Mock Survey Tool” – February 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:50 a.m. MT

If you have questions or would like to attend these Office Hours, please contact Nicole Flom at Nicole.Flom@ihs.gov.

IHS Blogs

• In Service to Our Relatives: IHS Announces Historic Hiring Initiative

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