IHS Blog

A 2025 Reflection: Expanding Dementia Care in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

March 5, 2026
by Valerie Jones, MPA, MA, Elder Care Data Coordinator, and Jolie Crowder, PhD, MSN, RN, CCM, Division of Clinical and Community Services, Office of Clinical and Preventive Services, IHS Headquarters

In 2025, the Elder Health Team of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Alzheimer's Program continued efforts to advance dementia care across the Indian Health Service, tribal, and urban Indian health ( I/T/U) sites and American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Our strategy was driven by four key ... Continue reading

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In Service to Our Relatives: IHS Announces Historic Hiring Initiative

January 29, 2026
by Clayton Fulton, Indian Health Service Chief of Staff

The Indian Health Service is hiring!

As IHS chief of staff, I’m honored to share the exciting news that today, the Indian Health Service announced the launch of the largest hiring initiative in the history of the agency. With the full support of the U.S. Department of Health and Human ... Continue reading

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National Handwashing Awareness Week: "Life is Better with Clean Hands"

December 9, 2025
by Mitchell Thornbrugh, Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Indian Health Service

Hand hygiene is a simple and fast intervention to protect our health--and we still miss it too often. This week, we recommit to the fundamentals that keep our patients, our colleagues, and our families safe. Washing your hands is easy, and it's one ... Continue reading

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November Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Recap: Pilot Site Implementation Pathway

December 5, 2025
by Jeanette Kompkoff, Director, Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations, Office of Information Technology, Indian Health Service

The Indian Health Service Health Information Technology Modernization Program continues to prioritize engagement and alignment with tribes and urban Indian organizations through tribal consultation and urban confer sessions. The third session of 2025 was held on November 6, with participants from ... Continue reading

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IHS Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction Recognizes Engineers of the Year

December 3, 2025
by Rear Adm. Mark Calkins, P.E., Director, Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction

Providing safe and reliable water, wastewater, and solid waste infrastructure remains essential to the Indian Health Service mission to ... Continue reading