June 11, 2021 | Issue 21-19 |
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Secretary Becerra Testifies before the House and Senate on President Biden’s FY 2022 Budget Proposal |
In the various hearings, Representatives and Senators questioned Secretary Becerra on the agency's handling of unaccompanied minors at the border, the funding increases for the Department, including Indian Health Service, and the various priorities listed in the President’s Congressional Justification. Secretary Becerra also testified that HHS will be releasing additional guidance in the coming weeks on the remaining $24 billion in the Provider Relief Fund established in 2020 as a result of the CARES Act.
Read President Biden’s FY 2022 Budget here and NIHB’s analysis here.
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UPDATES FROM THE FEDERAL & STATE ADMINISTRATIONS |
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Listening Session from IHS on the HIT Modernization Project |
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DHS Virtual Gathering for Tribes |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is hosting a virtual gathering for Tribes from August 9 - 13. In total there will be 10 different sessions held throughout the week that highlight topics such as disaster preparedness, grant program best practices, training providers, and cybersecurity for Tribal communities. Specifically, Session 3 details a Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Services Plenary where Tribal members can learn about responses, recovery, and mitigation of emergency preparedness. This session will take place on Tuesday, August 10 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EDT. Session 4 will be held on Tuesday, August 10 from 3:30 to 5:00 PM EDT and could also be beneficial to Tribal members interested in specific lessons learned from tribal emergency managers and emergency support individuals. This session will be presented as a dialogue between the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and Tribal staff. To register for any of these 10 sessions please click here.
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Extension on Nominations to the VA’s Tribal Advisory Committee |
On June 8, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) released an announcement in the Federal Register on the extension on the deadline to submit nominations to the new VA Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC). The TAC will serve to aid Native veterans in a number of ways, such as providing recommendations and solutions to address issues Native veterans might have as well as identify priorities on how to effectively solve those issues. The TAC will also be responsible for identifying issues on the ground with VA programs and services that Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native American veterans have had and continue to have. Nominations for the TAC are now due on June 16, 2021.
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Grant Program Announced by Vice President Kamala Harris on Funding for a Tribal Broadband Grant Program |
On June 4, Vice President Kamala Harris announced $1 billion in grant money to be allocated to a Tribal Broadband Grant Program. This program intends to fill the gap for broadband accessibility on Tribal lands and is purportedly just the beginning of the amount of funding the Vice President hopes to add to in the future for this program. These funds will help Tribal communities with fiber buildouts and digital literacy programs with job training. Tribal entities are encouraged to submit their proposals on the broadband gap currently seen on their lands related to digital inclusion planning, telehealth, education, and capacity building that could be improved on in the future. For more information and to apply for this grant program please click here.
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New Funding from CMS for Navigators |
On June 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new funding opportunity of $80 million available to Navigators in states with a Federally Facilitated Marketplace. This funding opportunity will cover the 2022 plan year and has been the largest amount of funding CMS had made available for Navigators ever. Navigators are located within health care facilities and are tasked with increasing the awareness of health care coverage to those who are uninsured and assist those through the Marketplace enrollment process. Current and past Navigators are encouraged to apply especially those in Tribal communities associated with education, outreach, and enrollment efforts. In association with this funding, CMS will be hosting an information session on June 28 from 3:00 to 4:00PM EDT. To register please click here and to find out more about applying please email questions to Navigatorgrants@cms.hhs.gov.
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New Applicants Eligible for the CMS CDO Program |
On June 3, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the ability for new organizations to join the Certified Application Counselor Designated Organization (CDO) Program. This opportunity will be available for organizations operating in a Federally-facilitated Marketplace state and who are interested in providing certified application counselor enrollment assistance to new consumers in their community. Organizations that wish to apply for the 2022 Plan Year must do by August 31, 2021, and by doing so will enter into an agreement with CMS in order to implement the CDO program. This program could be helpful for Tribal health care organizations wishing to include Certified Application Counselors in their facilities to aid in the Marketplace enrollment process for members in their communities. CMS has also published a FAQ sheet which can also be of use when deciding if the CDO program would be beneficial for your community. For all technical questions and concerns related to this program please email CACQuestions@cms.hhs.gov. For questions and concerns related to tribal engagement with this program please email KBitsuie@nihb.org.
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue hosting a series of virtual ITU trainings this summer for the Bemidji/Nashville Area and the Great Plains Area. ITU refers to the three entities that have worked to develop the capacity to serve traditionally medically underserved communities of American Indian and Alaska Natives. The ITU includes the Indian Health Service, Tribes and Tribal organizations, and urban Indian Organizations. For more information on ITUs please see this one-pager NIHB has created. The next training for the Great Plains area will take place on June 7-17, 2021, and the Bemidji/Nashville area training will take place from June 14-23, 2021. Tribal leaders, members, and health care facility staff are encouraged to join to learn more about health insurance and the Marketplace to serve their communities more effectively and promote the improvement of healthcare as a whole for their members. For more information on ITU training please email KBitsuie@nihb.org.
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GRANTS, RESOURCES AND EVENTS |
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Comments for the Record Due: IHS Tribal Consultation on IHS Tribal Consultation Policy and Process |
On Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the Indian Health Service hosted a virtual Tribal Consultation session to seek Tribal input on how to improve the Tribal Consultation Policy and process.
Written comments and recommendations on the IHS consultation policy are due by Tuesday, June 15, 2021 and can be submitted to consultation@ihs.gov with the subject line “IHS Tribal Consultation Policy and Process.”
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NCAI Mid-Year Conference Registration Open |
Registration for the National Congress for American Indians Mid-Year Conference is now open. The conference will occur virtually this year and provide tribal leaders and partners an opportunity to discuss work on issues facing Tribal Nations. The virtual conference will be held:
June 20-24, 2021
The conference agenda can be found on NCAI’s website here.
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Administration for Children and Families Seeking Nominations for Tribal Advisory Committee |
- Albuquerque Primary and Alternate
- Billings Alternate
- California Alternate
- Oklahoma Primary and Alternate
- Phoenix Primary and Alternate
Vacancies will be filled on a rolling basis. Click here to learn more.
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HRSA Seeking Nominations for a Tribal Advisory Council |
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is seeking nominations for their Tribal Advisory Council (TAC). These individuals are required to be Tribal officials who have the authority within their Tribe to act on behalf of their communities and who represent the collective views of the Tribes in the area from which they were nominated. These individuals when nominated will serve a length of two years before new nominations will take place. Currently, the areas open for nomination include the Albuquerque Area, California Area, Phoenix Area, and the Tucson Area. To see the work the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) has done on Tribal Advisory Committees please click here. Eligibility criteria for those interested in applying can be found here.
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CMS Extends Healthcare.gov Marketplace Special Enrollment Period |
For more information on the special enrollment period, visit the CMS website here.
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Visit the NIHB COVID-19 Tribal Resource Center at:
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