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Week of April 8, 2024

In this Letter:

📣Announcements 

✒️Congressional Items 

đź“ť Dear Tribal Leader Letters

đź“’Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations

🎟️Events 

đź’µ Notice of Funding Opportunities

Announcements

Biden-Harris Administration Releases Historic Enrollment Data in Celebration of the Affordable Care Act Marketplace's Anniversary 

The Biden Administration recently issued four new reports through the Department of Health and Human Services highlighting changes to American health insurance coverage under the ACA Marketplaces.  

Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Announces American Indian and Alaska Native Public Witness Hearing Dates and Testimony Instructions

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies will hold American Indian and Alaska Native public witness hearings on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, and Wednesday, May 8, 2024. As in past years, written testimony from Tribes or Tribal organizations will be accepted in accordance with the guidelines linked below. The deadline to submit requests to testify is Friday, April 12, 2024. The deadline to submit written testimony is Friday, May 10, 2024. Please find instructions for submitting a request to testify at the American Indian and Alaska Native public witness hearings by clicking here. All testimony will be reviewed by the Subcommittee and will be included in the public record. 

Registration is Open for the National Indian Health Board 2024 National Tribal Health Conference in Rapid City, SD 

Click here to visit the conference website to learn more about the event, exhibiting, and sponsoring NTHC 2024. Check the co­nference website often for upcoming information regarding speakers, the call for abstracts, and exciting opportunities!  

Congressional Items

Congress is back in session from their two-week recess, the Senate returned today, and the House is scheduled to return on Tuesday. The top priority going into this week is beginning discussions on Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. The Senate is shuffling Appropriations Committee members due to a recent vacancy and the House is doing the same as they seek to name a new Chair of the House Appropriations Committee this week.   


Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA-06), Michael Simpson (R-ID-02), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03), and Tom Cole (R-OK-04) introduced the Tribal Environmental Risk and Resilience Act (TERRA Act) on Tuesday, April 2nd. This legislation seeks to streamline the process for Tribal Nations to respond to environmental threats, including extreme weather events, natural disasters, and other climate-induced challenges. For more information, you can see Rep. Kilmer's press release here and follow the bill actions here


The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee is holding a hearing on "Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services" on Wednesday, April 10 at 10am EDT. The hearing will be discussing 15 pieces of legislation, including H.R. 4189, the CONNECT for Health Act of 2023. The CONNECT Act was introduced June 15, 2023, by Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), David Schweikert (R-AZ-01), Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), and Bill Johnson (R-OH-06), which would permanently expand access to telehealth services for millions of Americans – ensuring that Medicare beneficiaries can continue to receive essential care where they are. A Senate companion bill, S. 2016, was also introduced by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Roger Wicker (R-MI). This bill’s first hearing is critical to move this priority, as access to most Medicare telehealth is set to expire at the end of this year. 

Hearings

Closing Gaps in the Care Continuum: Opportunities to Improve Substance Use Disorder Care in the Federal Health Programs 

Committee: Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Health Care 

Date: April 9, 2024, 2:30 PM EDT 

Hearing Webpage Link


Legislative Proposals to Support Patient Access to Telehealth Services 

Committee: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee 

Date: April 10, 2024, 10:00 AM EDT 

Hearing Webpage Link


Biden’s Border Crisis: Examining the Impacts of International Cartels Targeting Indian Country 

Committee: House Committee on Natural Resources Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee 

Date: April 10, 2024, 10:15 AM EDT  

Hearing Webpage Link


U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Request for Fiscal Years 2025 and 2026 

Committee: House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs  

Date: April 11, 2024, 9:00 AM EDT  

Hearing Webpage Link


Bolstering Chronic Care through Medicare Physician Payment 

Committee: Senate Committee on Finance  

Date: April 11, 2024, 10:00 AM EDT  

Hearing Webpage Link

Dear Tribal Leader Letters


View NIHB’s full Dear Tribal Leader Letter Tracker here 

ASPE March 27 Letter: ASPE Tribal Consultation on the 2023 HHS Equity Action Plan Update 


IHS and VA March 27 Letter: The VHA and the IHS are writing to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer on the Draft Annual Operational Plan for FY 2024 and share our updated FY 2023 VHA-IHS MOU Operational Plan 


SSA March 7 Letter: SSA announces the Slam the Scam campaign to Tribal Leaders to prevent further losses, we urge everyone to use caution when receiving calls from someone claiming to be from a government agency and recognize the basic signs of a scam to stop fraudulent activity. 

Upcoming Tribal Advisory Committees & Tribal Consultations


View NIHB’s full Regulations Tracker here


Consultations

HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Agenda

Date: April 9 – 10, 2024

Location: Hubert H. Humphrey Building  

Comments Due: April 12, 2024, 5:00 PM ET

Comment Submission: consultation@hhs.gov, subject "HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation"

Meeting Registration Link

In-Person Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Veteran’s Administration VHA and IHS Draft Annual Operational Plan

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Draft VHA-IHS Operational Plan

Date: April 15, 2024, 1:30 – 3:15 PM

Location: Tribal Self-Governance Conference, Gila River Indian Community Wildhorse Pass Resort, Chandler, AZ

ACF Proposes Amendments to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) Regulations

Federal Register Link

Comments Due: April 23, 2024

Comment Submission: www.regulations.gov (RIN 0970-AC98)

CMS All Tribes Consultation Webinar on Traditional Health Care Practices Medicaid Coverage 

Save the Date 

Comments Due: April 24, 2024 

Comment Submission: tribalaffairs@cms.hhs.gov 

ASPE Tribal Consultation on the 2023 HHS Equity Action Plan Update 

Dear Tribal Leader Letter 

Date: April 29, 2024, 2:30 – 4:00 ET 

Comments Due: May 29, 2024 

Comment Submission: consultation@hhs.gov, subject line “HHS Equity Action Plan”

Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Health IT Modernization Program: Deployment and Cohort Planning

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: May 9, 2024, 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET

Meeting Registration Link 

Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Health IT Modernization Program: Multi-Tenant Domain Considerations 

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: August 8, 2024, 1:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Meeting Registration Link 

Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Health IT Modernization Program: Site Readiness and Training

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: November 7, 2024, 1:30 – 3:00 PM ET

Meeting Registration Link

Tribal Advisory Committee Meetings

Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee (DSTAC)

Date: April 18, 2024

Meeting Webpage Link 

IHS Information Systems Advisory Committee (ISAC) Semi-Annual Meeting

Date: April 23 – 24, 2024

Location: Oklahoma City, OK

Meeting Webpage Link

IHS NTAC Quarterly Meeting  

Date: May 16, 2024, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET  

Meeting Webpage Link

Direct Service Tribe Advisory Committee (DSTAC) Third Quarter Meeting

Date: June 5 – 6, 2024

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Meeting Webpage Link

Listening Sessions

ACF Tribal Listening Session on Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

Dear Tribal Leader Letter

Date: April 11, 2024, 10:15 AM – 4:00 PM CT

Location: Prior Lake, MN

Events

2024 Tribal Self-Governance Conference 

Date: April 15 – 19, 2024

Location: Chandler, AZ

Event Webpage Link 

HRSA Webinar on Addressing Substance Use in Maternal Health within Tribal Communities

Date: April 18, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Save the Date Link

National Council of Urban Indian Health 2024 Annual Conference 

Date: April 29, 2024 – May 2, 2024

Location: Washington, DC

Event Webpage Link

National Indian Health Board 2024 National Tribal Health Conference

Date: May 19 – 23, 2024

Location: Rapid City, SD

Event Webpage Link

Notice of Funding Opportunities

Cooperative Agreements for the Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program | Click Here to Learn More 

Award Amount: Up to $735,000 per year 

Application Deadline: June 3, 2024  

Description: The purpose of this program is to support states and Tribes with implementing youth (up to age 24) suicide prevention and early intervention strategies in schools, educational institutions, juvenile justice systems, substance use and mental health programs, foster care systems, pediatric health programs, and other child- and youth-serving organizations. 

Rape Prevention and Education: Enhancing Capacity for Sexual Violence Prevention | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: $90,000 – $900,000

Application Deadline: April 16, 2024

Description: This NOFO focuses on preventing sexual violence (SV) perpetration and victimization by increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors. With this NOFO, up to 10 Tribal Sexual Assault (SA) will be funded to address Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) within the community and societal-levels of the Social Ecological Model (SEM) using evidence-informed and culturally validated strategies. The goal is to promote health equity in prevention efforts and to foster meaningful engagement and coordination among Tribal and Sexual Assault coalitions and State/Territory Health Departments.

Tribal MIECHV Notice of Funding Opportunity | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: $250,000 – $1,000,000

Application Deadline: April 18, 2024, 11:59 PM ET 

Description: Administered by the Office of Early Childhood Development (ECD) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), this grant will support 5-year cooperative agreements between ACF and federally recognized Indian Tribes (or a consortium of Indian Tribes), Tribal organizations, or urban Indian organizations interested in developing, implementing, sustaining, or expanding an evidence-based home visiting program serving expectant families and families with young children aged birth to kindergarten entry. Awards will support the implementation of high-quality, culturally grounded, evidence-based home visiting services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) families and children; implementation of performance measurement and continuous quality improvement systems; development of early childhood systems; and participation in research and evaluation activities to build evidence around home visiting, particularly in Tribal communities. Reach out to TribalHV@acf.hhs.gov with questions.

Poison Control Centers Program | Click Here to Learn More

Application Deadline: May 1, 2024

Description: The goal of this program is to reduce poisonings and the harms resulting from poisonings by ensuring that individuals across the United States can connect to a Poison Control Center and obtain expert consultation on preventing and managing poisonings. The objectives of this program are to: 1. Support poisoning prevention activities; 2. Provide high-quality guidance and information to callers to the Poison Help Line; 3. Provide treatment recommendations when poisonings occur; 4. Collect data related to poisonings and poisoning outcomes; and 5. Use data to inform public health and emergency preparedness responses.

Indians Into Medicine | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: Between $230,000 – $700,000

Application Deadline: May 14, 2024

Description: The purpose of this program is to add to the number of Indian health professionals serving Indians by encouraging Indians to enter the health professions and removing barriers to serving Indians. Only the following type of organization may apply: A public or nonprofit private college or university that: 1. Has a medical or other allied health program, other than a nursing program. 2. Is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. 3. Has a target population for its proposed program that does not include Indian Tribes within the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. The existing University of North Dakota InMed grant program serves these states.

Indians Into Nursing | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: Between $300,000 – $400,000

Application Deadline: May 14, 2024

Description: Our purpose is to recruit, retain, graduate, and increase the number of registered nurses, certified nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners who deliver health care services to AI/AN communities. Our primary objectives are to: 1. Recruit and train Indian people in nursing fields. 2. Increase the skills of, and provide continuing education to nurses and advanced practice nurses.

Indians Into Psychology | Click Here to Learn More

Award Amount: Between $ 227,500 to $267,500

Application Deadline: May 14, 2024

Description: Our purpose is to increase the number of Indian clinical psychologists who deliver health care services to AI/AN communities. Our primary objectives are to: 1. Recruit and train Indian people to be clinical psychologists; 2. Provide stipends to people enrolled in schools of clinical psychology to pay tuition, books, fees, and stipends for living expenses.

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