National Combined Councils
The Indian Health Service (IHS) National Combined Councils (NCC) consists of fourteen councils, varying by discipline, that focus on the clinical and administrative health care needs of the agency:
- National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH)
- National Council of Chief Clinical Consultants (NC4)
- National Council of Chief Executive Officers (NCCEO)
- National Council of Chief Medical Officers (NCCMO)
- National Council of Clinical Directors (NCCD)
- National Council of Executive Officers (NCEO)
- National Council of Healthcare Safety and Engineering Professionals (NCHSEP)
- National Council of Informatics (NCI)
- National Indian Health Service Public Health Council (NIPHC)
- National Laboratory Professionals Council (NLPC)
- National Nurse Leadership Council (NNLC)
- National Oral Health Council (NOHC)
- National Pharmacy Council (NPC)
- National Quality Council (NQC)
The purpose of NCC is to serve as the voice of patient care field operations and teamwork facilitator within IHS. Each council provides consultation to the IHS Director and Chief Medical Officer on pressing issues that require action from IHS Senior Leadership.
NCC convenes for an annual meeting, providing opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration. Participants can share information, discuss problems and solutions, and develop new networking relationships that promote the IHS mission and priorities. Throughout the remainder of the year, councils are responsible for scheduling council meetings, managing work plans and tracking accomplishments.
National Council of Chief Clinical Consultants (NC4)
The National Council of Chief Clinical Consultants (NC4) is a council for the IHS, composed of the Chief Clinical Consultants, who are appointed by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of the Indian Health Service. All Chief Clinical Consultants are full-time employees of the Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban Indian Health Programs (I/T/Us), are board certified, registered or certified as appropriate for their discipline/specialty, and have significant experience in the discipline/specialty within the Native American health care system..
Current Chair: Dr. Paul Charlton
Learn more about our National Chief Clinical Consultants (NC4)
National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH)
The National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH), established in 2015, is composed of IHS behavioral health staff. The role of the NCBH is to advocate on behalf of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) for improved behavioral health care.
This includes contributing to the development, support, and advocacy of behavioral health services for the I/T/U systems including development of action plans, policies, and recommendations. The NCBH is responsible for advising and assisting IHS leadership concerning relevant behavioral health issues and policies while promoting integration of behavioral health into overall health care.
Current Chair: Kevin Seyler
Learn more about the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH)
National Council of Clinical Directors (NCCD)
The National Council of Clinical Directors (NCCD) consists of all designated Clinical Directors at all I/T/Us.. The NCCD continually improves the health status of the AI/AN people by responsibly and effectively participating in the development and implementation of the IHS health care policies. Clinical Directors are responsible for the clinical services administered at the various clinics and hospitals. They are involved in hiring and supervising clinical staff and making procurement decisions on clinical items while adhering to national clinical outcome goals and quality measures, as well as accreditation activities.
Current Chair: CAPT Jennefer Kieran, MD, FACS
National Council of Chief Executive Officers (NCCEO)
The National Council of Chief Executive Officers (NCCEO) is a council composed of local Chief Executive Officers, Tribal Health Program Directors, and Urban Indian Health Program Directors for all Hospitals and Clinics in the Indian Health System.
Current Chair: Dr. Brian Wren, PharmD
Learn more about the National Council of Chief Executive Officers (NCCEO)
National Council of Chief Medical Officers (NCCMO)
The National Council of Chief Medical Officers (NCCMO) is a council for the IHS Chief Medical Officer (CMO), the 12 Area CMOs, and the IHS Office of Clinical and Preventive Services Director. The role of the NCCMO is to support the mission of the IHS by developing management and clinical recommendations on IHS policies and strategic plans, particularly as they relate to Agency and Tribal health programs, clinical standards, and quality of care improvement. The NCCMO is responsible for providing clinical guidance, leadership and vision to Agency efforts in quality of care and quality improvement.
Current Chair: Dr. Matthew A. Clark, FACP, FAAP
Learn more about our National Council of Chief Medical Officers (NCCMO)
National Council of Informatics (NCI)
The National Council of Informatics (NCI) works to improve delivery of health care services for AI/AN people by identifying, defining, prioritizing, and advocating for the information resource management and technology needs of health care providers in I/T/U facilities.
Current Chair: CDR Donnie Hodge
Learn more about the National Council of Informatics Voting Members
National Council of Executive Officers (NCEO)
The purpose of the National Council of Executive Officers (NCEO) is to advise the IHS Director on all the administrative and management matters, including initiating and reviewing proposed (or existing) IHS policies, procedures, guidelines and instructions.
Current Chair: Carol Lincoln
National Council of Healthcare Safety and Engineering Professionals (NCHSEP)
The purpose of the National Council of Healthcare Safety & Engineering (NCHSEP) is to conduct risk management and perform root cause analyses on various systems related to the agency's care environment and life safety compliance at healthcare facilities. This council will create, reorganize, and optimize healthcare physical environment systems to enhance compliance with regulatory, federal, and consensus standards related to the physical and functional aspects of the healthcare environment. The NCHSEP will include strategic planning to improve environmental health and increase reliability within all healthcare facility infrastructure and engineering components.
Current Chair: Dr. Heather Zunino
Current Vice Chair: Currently Vacant
National Indian Health Service Public Health Council (NIPHC)
The National IHS Public Health Council (NIPHC) works to bring together a collaborative One Health Approach to the Indian Health Service. The council prioritizes and builds a foundation of trust to strengthen collaboration, coordination, and communication in preparation for and response to public health challenges in tribal communities. The NIPHC focuses on emerging infectious diseases, pandemic preparedness and response, disease surveillance, health education, environmental interconnection, and disease prevention. It focuses on ways to prevent and slow the spread of diseases by partnering with the community and building public health capacity at the community level. The purpose of this council is to support improved health outcomes in AI/AN communities by conducting disease surveillance, building an epidemiology workforce, providing community health education, addressing zoonotic diseases, and responding to any emerging disease that may impact them.
Current Chair: LCDR Shawnell Damon
Learn more about the National Indian Health Service Public Health Council (NIPHC)
National Laboratory Professionals Council (NLPC)
The National Laboratory Professionals Council (NLPC), established in 2016, consists of Laboratory Supervisors, Laboratory Directors, Area Laboratory Consultants, and Clinical Pathologists. The purpose of the NLPC is to ensure that the IHS Laboratory Professionals, Tribal Health Laboratory Professionals, and Urban Indian Health Program Laboratory Professionals have continual involvement and participative discussions with IHS Senior Leadership for improvement of care, quality of services, and the role of laboratory in the overall continuum of care within IHS.
Current Chair(s): Arlinda Lee, BSMT (ASCP), MAHSM
Vice Chair: Casey Kills Pretty Enemy
Learn more about the IHS Laboratory and/or NLPC
National Nurse Leadership Council (NNLC)
The National Nurse Leadership Council (NNLC) provides leadership for Indian Health through advocacy, accountability, communication and integrity. The purpose of the NNLC is to ensure that the Indian Health System Nursing Program representatives effectively participate in the establishment and implementation of Agency strategies to achieve the IHS mission.
Current Chair: Candace Lee
Learn more about the National Nurse Leadership Council (NNLC)
National Oral Health Council (NOHC)
The National Oral Health Council (NOHC) contains all dental staff in the I/T/Us.. The NOHC advocates on behalf of AI/AN people for improved oral health by advising and assisting IHS leadership concerning relevant health issues and policies while promoting integration of oral health into overall health.
Current Chair: Dr. Cheryl Sixkiller
Learn more about the National Oral Health Council (NOHC)
National Pharmacy Council (NPC)
The National Pharmacy Council (NPC) is hereby promulgated to develop and maintain a pharmacy service that would meet this goal by facilitating teamwork within the IHS pharmacy program. The NPC provides advice and consultation to the Chief Pharmacist of the I/T/Us on issues and problems related to the business of developing a pharmacy program that will help meet the mission of the IHS. Committee members and chairpersons are chosen to represent a broad cross section of management and professional expertise as resources to the IHS as a system. As the NPC is expected to work with all issues related to the practice of pharmacy within the IHS, the committee will conduct strategic planning sessions to formulate the scope and depth of issues to be addressed and will carry these issues to completion as a work product.
Current Chair: CAPT Tyler Lannoye, PharmD
Learn more about the National Pharmacy Council (NPC).
National Quality Council (NQC)
The purpose of the IHS National Quality Council (NQC) is to serve as a permanent advisory body established by the IHS Director to ensure that all IHS Health Care quality improvement programs are operated effectively.
Current Chair: Dr. Melissa Hubbard, DNP, RN
