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In this Letter:
✒️Congressional Items
📝 Dear Tribal Leader Letters
📒Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations
📣Announcements
🎟️Events
💵 Notice of Funding Opportunities
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Congressional Items
Hours before the deadline, Congress passed a 45-day Continuing Resolution (CR) averting a government shutdown through November 17. Included is the reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, which will expire after the extension. The CR included extension of the expiring Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) until November 17. Shutdowns will not immediately impact Indian Health Service Programs since most accounts have an advance appropriation for 2024. Activity in Congress outside of spending negotiations could result in another funding standoff in November.
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Bills and Rules NIHB is Tracking this Month
Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI)
There are multiple bills that contain a reauthorization for SDPI, including S.1855 - Special Diabetes Program Reauthorization Act of 2023 and H.R. 3561 - Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency (PATIENT) Act. H.R. 5378, “Lower Costs, More Transparency Act”, which included reauthorization of SDPI, was scheduled for consideration but was pulled at the last minute. At this time, the exact vehicle for reauthorizing SDPI is uncertain. NIHB continues to advocate to Congress for SDPI’s reauthorization and is closely monitoring bills that contain language reauthorizing the program.
Parentage Establishment in the Child Support Services Program
Relevance: The office of Child Support Services (OCSS) proposes to replace the gender-specific term “paternity” with the gender-neutral term “parentage" throughout the Child Support Services Program. This proposed change provides flexibility for Tribes to establish parentage for all children in accordance with their laws.
Status: This proposed rule is set to announce Tribal consultation soon. Consideration will be given to written comments received on or before November 27.
Federal Register Link
Hearings
VA Accountability and Transparency: A Cornerstone of Quality Care and Benefits for Veterans
Date: October 4, 2023, 3:00 PM ET
Hearing Webpage Link
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Dear Tribal Leader Letters
View all of IHS' Tribal Leader Letters Here
October 1 Letter: 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
September 29 Letter: 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 accomplishment
September 22 Letter: 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.
September 22 Letter: The IHS Director writes to Tribal Leaders and Urban Indian Organization Leaders to share information and resources to address the ongoing opioid epidemic.
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Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations
Consultations
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Administration of Community Living (ACL) Tribal Consultation on the Older Americans Act (OAA)
Description: ACL will review proposed changes to the OAA, published on September 12, 2023 in the Federal Register, which can be found here. Tribal Leaders are encouraged to comment on how proposed changes will better serve eligible Tribal Elders.
Date: October 12, 2023
Time: 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM ET
Meeting Link
Comments Due: November 13, 2023
Comment Submission: olderindians@acl.hhs.gov
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Designating the States of North Dakota and South Dakota as PRCDAs Virtual Tribal Consultation
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
Dates: October 18, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET & October 26, 2023, 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
October 18 Meeting Registration Link
October 26 Meeting Registration Link
Comments Due: November 15, 2023
Comment Submission: consultation@ihs.gov, subject line “North Dakota and South Dakota State-wide PRCDA Study Tribal Consultation”
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IHS Medical Priority Levels for Purchased/Referred Care (PRC)
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
Comments Due: October 27, 2023
Comment Submission: consultation@ihs.gov, subject line “IHS MEDICAL PRIORITY LEVELS CONSULTATION”
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Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer: Health Information Technology Modernization The Path Forward
Date: November 8, 2023, 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET
Meeting Registration Link
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Tribal Advisory Committee Meetings | |
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Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Tribal Advisory Committee Meeting
Date: October 24 – 25, 2023
Location: Washington, DC
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Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Tribal Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting
Date: October 26, 2023, 12:30 – 3:30 PM ET
Meeting Link
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Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee (TLDC) Meeting
Date: December 5 – 6, 2023
Location: Portland, OR
Meeting Webpage Link
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Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee (DSTAC) National Meeting
Date: December 6 – 7, 2023
Location: TBD
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Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Tribal Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting
Date: December 28, 2023
Meeting Link
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Tribal Listening Session on the Safe Disposal of Opioid Analgesics
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
Date: October 5, 2023, 2:00 PM ET
Meeting Registration Link
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Environmental Justice Index Tribal Listening Session
Date: October 27, 3:00 PM ET
Meeting link is forthcoming
Office of Minority Health (OMH) Listening Session on Healthy People 2030
Dear Tribal Leader Letter
Date: October 25, 2023, 4:00 PM ET
Meeting Registration Link
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Social Security Now Offers Secure Video Services to Tribal Locations
Recently, Deputy Associate Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Strategic and Digital Communications, Dawn Bystry, put a statement announcing that SSA locations in Tribal areas can now use Microsoft Teams to offer secure, online videoconferencing meetings with SSA staff. To learn more about these video service options, people are encouraged to contact their local Social Security Office.
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Events
NCUIH UIO Focus Groups: Setting Policy Priorities for 2024
Description: This event will offer an opportunity for dialogue between NCUIH staff and Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs). Topics of discussion will include urban Native health initiatives and 2024 priorities. The focus groups will reflect on the achievements and challenges of 2023. Participants will be encouraged to share their personal experiences, insights, and feedback.
Date: Multiple Sessions from October 3 — October 5, 2023
Meeting Webpage Link
Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Convention
Description: The annual convention is a forum for the Alaska Native community to address critical public policy and government issues. The convention convenes thousands of official delegates and participants from membership organizations across the state.
Date: October 19 – 21, 2023
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Event Webpage Link
IHS Health Information Technology Modernization Summit
Date: December 13, 2023
Registration Link
| Notice of Funding Opportunities | |
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FY 2022 and FY 2023 Small Ambulatory Program Application | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: $3,500,000 for up to 12 IHS Areas
Application Deadline: November 10, 2023
Description: Under the SAP, American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes or Tribal Organizations that are operating an Indian health care facility pursuant to a health care services contract or compact entered into under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, P.L. 93-638, as amended (25 U.S.C. § 5301 et seq.), may competitively apply for funding for the construction, expansion, or modernization of small ambulatory health care facilities. The FY 2022 budget includes $25 million and the FY 2023 budget includes $25 million for a total budget of $50 million available for SAP. Fiscal year 2022 and 2023 SAP projects will be awarded up to $3.5 million and all 12 IHS Areas that submit an application will have an opportunity to receive an award.
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HRSA National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Students to Service (S2S) Loan Repayment Program | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: up to $120,000 in tax-free loan repayment
Application Deadline: December 7, 2023
Description: Students in the final year of a primary care health professions school may qualify for up to $120,000 in tax-free loan repayment for their medical, nursing, or dental school student loans in exchange for a three-year service commitment in a high-need rural, Tribal, or urban community. New this year, a Maternity Care Target Area Supplemental Award of an additional $40,000 is available to physicians specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, or family medicine physicians who practice obstetrics on a regular basis, as well as certified nurse midwives.
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Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) | Click Here to Learn More
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Description: The CCP is a short-term disaster relief grant for states, U.S. territories, and federally recognized tribes. CCP grants are awarded after a presidential disaster declaration. CCP funding supports community-based outreach, counseling, and other mental health services to survivors of natural and human-caused disasters.
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Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants | Click Here to Learn More
Award Amount: $150,000 for water transmission line grants; $1 million for water source construction
Application Deadline: Ongoing
Description: This program helps eligible communities prepare for or recover from an emergency that threatens the availability of safe, reliable drinking water. This program helps prevent damage or restore household and business access to clean, reliable drinking water in eligible rural areas and towns following natural disasters. Funding can improve the natural environment and encourage manufacturers and other businesses to locate or expand operations.
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