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2023 Letters

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 13, 2023

The IHS Director invites Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to a 1 day Virtual Summit on the new IHS enterprise Electronic Health Record solution on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. This event will provide updates on the Health Information Technology Modernization Program and convene a caucus to enable Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to exchange viewpoints and share information on this important topic. [PDF - 122 KB]

October 1, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information regarding the current status of fiscal year 2024 appropriations for the Indian Health Service. [PDF - 171 KB]

September 29, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to acknowledge her 1-year anniversary as Director and reflect on our shared accomplishments. [PDF - 228 KB]

September 22, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information and resources to address the ongoing opioid epidemic. [PDF - 232 KB]

September 22, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to provide an update on seasonal vaccines and the resources available for vaccine-related activities to purchase COVID 19 vaccines. [PDF - 170 KB]

September 12, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget to Support Urban Indian Organizations report. The FY 2022 report details funds distribution by the IHS Office of Urban Indian Health Programs and IHS Area Offices. [PDF - 263 KB]

August 30, 2023

The IHS Director provides an update to Urban Indian Organization Leaders on the Urban Confer seeking your recommendations on forming an Urban Indian Interagency Workgroup. [PDF - 210 KB]

August 8, 2023

The IHS Director invites Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to participate in Agency-sponsored Listening Sessions to share information and solicit input on advance appropriations implementation. [PDF - 211 KB]

August 2, 2023

IHS Health Information Technology Modernization Program - Tribal Consultation / Urban Confer Leaders Engaging In Governance. [PDF - 2.8 MB]

July 27, 2023

The IHS Director writes to invite you to attend the Agency's Health Information Technology (IT) Modernization Summit, which will be held in conjunction with the 2023 Partnership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Please make your plans to join us and participate in face-to-face discussions with IHS leadership on the Health IT Modernization initiative during this one day, in person event, on Friday, August 25, 2023. [PDF - 166 KB]

July 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide information regarding the syphilis epidemic affecting American Indian and Alaska Native communities. [PDF - 340 KB]

July 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide an update on the status of implementing the FY 2024 advance appropriations for the IHS. [PDF - 235 KB]

June 30, 2023

The IHS Director writes to provide an update on the status of COVID-19 supplemental appropriations for the agency following the signing of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. [PDF - 284 KB]

June 29, 2023

The IHS Director writes to share an opportunity with you to become involved in the collaborative planning for the new IHS enterprise electronic health record solution. [PDF - 238 KB]

June 21, 2023

The Indian Health Service Director writes to announce the appointment of Mr. DuWayne Begay to serve as the Director of the Navajo Area Indian Health Service [PDF - 194 KB]

June 20, 2023

The IHS Director writes to announce the appointment of Mr. Joe Amiotte to serve as the Director of the Great Plains Area Indian Health Service. [PDF - 154 KB]

June 5, 2023

The IHS Director writes to notify Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders that the Indian Health Service has released the 2023-2027 Office of Urban Indian Health Programs Strategic Plan. [PDF - 187 KB]

May 22, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share comments received from Urban Indian Health Priorities Confers convened virtually on October 31, 2022, and December 15, 2022. An update is also provided on the 2023-2027 Strategic Plan of the Office of Urban Indian Health Programs. [PDF - 231 KB]

May 19, 2023

The IHS Deputy Director for Operations writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to seek your recommendations on health professions priorities eligible for the IHS Scholarship Program in academic year 2024-2025 and the IHS Loan Repaym [PDF - 174 KB]

May 19, 2023

The IHS Director writes to notify Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders of Fraud Schemes Targeting Native American Communities in Behavioral Health Treatment Centers. [PDF - 212 KB]

April 14, 2023

The IHS Deputy Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders to announce the Agency's Fiscal Year 2023 distribution decision for the Urban Indian Health funding increase. [PDF - 164 KB]

March 24, 2023

The IHS Director writes to inform Urban Indian Organization Leaders that the Indian Health Service has completed revisions to the IHS Urban Confer Policy. [PDF - 172 KB]

March 13, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders to initiate a second Urban Confer to seek input and recommendations on how to improve the process for requesting Federal assistance for medical supplies. [PDF - 252 KB]

March 10, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share Agency outreach activities and invite you to join us in improving communications with Indian Country [PDF - 137 KB]

February 13, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders to clarify use of funds requirements arising from the Fiscal Year 2022 Infrastructure Study. A summary of comments submitted to the June 23, 2022-dated Confer is also provided. [PDF - 259 KB]

February 6, 2023

The IHS Director writes to invite you to join a series of four Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions in calendar year 2023 on Health Information Technology Modernization [PDF - 313 KB]

January 26, 2023

The IHS Director writes to Urban Indian Organization Leaders about the Indian Health Service Urban Emergency Fund. [PDF - 163 KB]

January 25, 2023

The IHS Director announces FY 2023 grant awardees for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) [PDF - 189 KB]