Tribal Leader Letters
October 14, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to announce the new solicitation for the fiscal year 2020 Indian Health Service Small Ambulatory Program. The deadline for submitting applications is February 1, 2021. [PDF - 64 KB]October 14, 2020
The Director notifies Tribal Leaders about a comment period, open through October 21, to request input on the Indian Health Service COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan. [PDF - 168 KB]October 4, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to inform them that the Indian Health Service (IHS) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration recently amended the national IHS-VA VHA Reimbursement Agreement, which effects direct health care services to eligible American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans at 74 IHS facilities. [PDF - 178 KB]September 25, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to share an "Early Alert" issued by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General that identifies a vulnerability that compromises the safety and well-being of Indian children who receive treatment at Tribal health programs operated under Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act agreements with the Indian Health Service. [PDF - 184 KB]September 21, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the use of $5 million from the fiscal year 2020 appropriations that the Indian Health Service has allotted to support national Community Health Aide Program expansion. [PDF - 564 KB]September 16, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide updates regarding the Indian Health Service Resource and Patient Management System meeting the 2015 Edition Certification Requirements Published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. [PDF - 1.36 MB]- Enclosure: Applying for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Merit Based Incentive Payment System Program Hardship Exceptions. [PDF - 158 KB]
September 11, 2020
The Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the selection of the new Director for the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs. [PDF - 233 KB]July 2, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders to initiate Tribal Consultation on the use of approximately $30 million in offset and prior-year funds from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. [PDF - 311 KB]May 22, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to request assistance in identifying priority health professions for inclusion into categories eligible for the IHS Scholarship Program in academic year 2021-2022 and the IHS Loan Repayment Program in fiscal year 2021. Priorities are due to the IHS Scholarship and Loan Repayment Programs by June 15, 2020. [PDF - 240 KB]- Enclosure: IHS Scholarship Program Priority Categories for Academic Year 2021- 2022 [PDF - 167 KB]
- Enclosure: IHS Loan Repayment Program Fiscal Year 2021 Priority Categories [PDF - 119 KB]
May 20, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide several updates about the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. [PDF - 305 KB]May 19, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce distribution decisions for $750 million in new resources appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services to support testing and testing related activities in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, authorized by the recent enactment of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. [PDF - 394 KB]April 23, 2020
The Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders in follow-up to the April 3, 2020, letter to announce the Indian Health Service final allocation decisions of the remaining resources, authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Public Law 116-36. [PDF - 341 KB]April 3, 2020
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the creation of a new Indian Health Service Opioid Grant Pilot Program. [PDF - 214 KB]- Enclosure: Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Summary Report - Indian Health Service Opioid Grant Pilot Program [PDF - 242 KB]
April 3, 2020
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the availability of, and distribution decisions for, $600 million in new resources appropriated in the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to address coronavirus prevention, preparedness, and response in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. [PDF - 266 KB]March 27, 2020
The Principal Deputy Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the availability of and distribution decisions for $134 million in new resources to respond to coronavirus in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. [PDF - 243 KB]