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Posted October 16, 2020
IHS Releases COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan, Invitation to Comment – Deadline 10/21/20
In September, the United States Department of Health and Human Services initiated Tribal consultation to seek input from Tribal leaders on COVID-19 vaccine planning for Indian Country. The Indian Health Service (IHS) issued a Dear Tribal Leader Letter (DTLL) to request input through Wednesday, October 21, on the Indian Health Service (IHS) COVID‑19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan.
IHS developed and will continue to tailor the plan based on available information and Tribal leader input. Specifically, IHS will continue to assess, respond, and adapt federal guidance as new information becomes available regarding vaccine developments, vaccine storage requirements, risk groups, and recommendations prioritized by researchers and guidance bodies.
Tribal programs may submit written comments on the Draft Plan to [email protected] - SUBJECT LINE: IHS COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Draft Plan. The deadline for written comments on this Tribal Consultation is Wednesday, October 21, 2020.
Posted October 16, 2020
Press Release: Lawmakers Discuss Affordable Care Act Threats, Federal Officials Cover COVID-19 Impacts at NIHB National Tribal Health Conference
WASHINGTON, DC—October 15, 2020—The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) today during its annual National Tribal Health Conference welcomed key federal officials and lawmakers to address conference attendees on areas that are important to their work including funding for critical programs to support COVID-19 response and the extreme threat to the Affordable Care Act, which reauthorized the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and protected the Indian health system. Read more.
Posted October 15, 2020
Press Release: Tribal Leaders Share Experiences Navigating COVID-19 Impacts, Responses to Nearly 900 Virtual Attendees at NIHB National Tribal Health Conference
WASHINGTON, DC—October 14, 2020—The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) opened its annual National Tribal Health Conference to a virtual audience of nearly 900 Tribal leaders, health professionals, advocates and federal and Congressional partners to discuss Tribal health issues that are particularly poignant during a public health crisis, including COVID-19 Tribal impact and federal response, vaccine planning and the importance of maintaining community and expressing acts of love. Read More
Posted October 15, 2020
Press Release: Tribal Leaders, Health Advocates Press Federal Agencies on Funding, Programs to Aid COVID-19 Response in Indian Country
WASHINGTON, DC—October 13, 2020—Today, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) hosted two federal agency Tribal listening sessions and one Tribal consultation during the pre-conference day of this year’s NIHB’s virtual National Tribal Health Conference. Read more.
Posted October 6, 2020
HHS Opens Additional Tranche of Provider Relief Funding - Applications Due November 6, 2020
On Thursday October 1, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced their decision to allocate an additional $20 billion dollars in funding from the Provider Relief Fund. This new Phase 3 General Distribution will be open to providers who have already received general distribution funding, including those who have already received 2% of annual revenue that they get from patient care. Providers who have already received 2% of annual revenue are invited to submit additional information to become eligible for an additional payment. HHS will begin accepting applications on Monday, October 5th and the due date for submission is November 6, 2020. For more information, please visit this link.
Posted September 28, 2020
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Regional Tribal Consultation Calls on COVID-19 Vaccines
On Thursday, September 24, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Hargan sent a Dear Tribal Leader Letter (DTLL) announcing the initiation of Tribal Consultation to seek input from Tribal Leaders on COVID-19 vaccination planning for Indian Country. This Tribal Consultation complements the state planning process that began last week with the publication of the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook for Jurisdiction Operations. This playbook guides Immunization Program Awardees (e.g., state and local jurisdictions with routine immunization programs) in planning and operationalizing their COVID-19 vaccination response.
Tribal Leaders will have several forums to discuss vaccination planning for distribution and allocation, including the following national and regional conference calls:
- September 28, 2020; 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET: HHS Regions 1, 2, 3, 4
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 433 5800
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September 28, 2020; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET: HHS Region 5
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 237 2009
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September 29, 2020; 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET: HHS Regions 6
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 978 7009
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September 29, 2020; 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET: HHS Regions 7, 8
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 692 6624
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October 1, 2020; 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET: HHS Region 9
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 650 2728
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October 1, 2020; 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET, HHS Region 10
Dial-In: (415) 527-5035; Passcode: 199 442 6687
In addition to feedback during conference calls, Tribal leaders can provide input and recommendations in writing by submitting comments to [email protected]. The deadline for written comments on this Tribal Consultation is Friday, October 9, 2020.
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) held a webinar on Friday, September 25th with information on vaccine planning. The webinar included an overview of the federal government's COVID-19 vaccine planning activities and highlighted considerations for Tribal Leaders and health organizations serving Tribal and urban Indian communities making decisions on vaccine distribution.
View the Webinar Recording
View the Slide Presentations:
Posted September 22, 2020
CDC Reverses Testing Guideline Changes
On September 18th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced its decision to reverse an earlier recommendation and are now recommending that all persons who have come into contact with someone with a documented COVID-19 positive to be tested for the virus, regardless of whether or not they are experiencing symptoms. NIHB wrote a letter to the agency on August 28th urging the agency to take this action. The earlier guidance had recommended this action only if the person was experiencing symptoms or in a vulnerable group.
Posted September 18, 2020
HHS Releases COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense (DoD) released two documents on September 16, 2020, outlining the Administration’s detailed strategy to deliver safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses to the American people.
The documents, developed by HHS in coordination with DoD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provide a strategic distribution overview along with an interim playbook for state, Tribal, territorial, and local public health programs and their partners on how to plan and operationalize a vaccination response to COVID-19 within their respective jurisdictions.
The National Indian Health Board has been engaged in tracking the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. On July 30, 2020, NIHB, joined by the National Congress of American Indians and National Council of Urban Indian Health submitted a letter to House and Senate appropriators urging them to ensure a minimum 5% statutory set-aside in funding for COVID-19 vaccine distribution for the Indian Health Service, Tribal Nations, and urban Indian organizations in this next COVID-19 pandemic relief package. Read the full letter here. On Friday, September 4, 2020, the National Indian Health Board submitted comments to the National Academies in response to a public comment period on their draft Framework for Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus. Read NIHB's comment letter here.
Read the full press release from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Download the Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine - PDF*
Download the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Interim Playbook - PDF
Download the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Process Infographic - PDF
Posted September 17, 2020
NIHB Releases 2019 Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan Report
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released the 2019 Public Health in Indian Country Capacity Scan (PHICCS) Report that provides a comprehensive picture of Tribal public health infrastructure and activities, specifically, immunization, screening, and prevention/education activities that are widely occurring across Indian Country.
See the full report. Read NIHB’s full press release.
Posted September 16, 2020
HRSA Tribal Consultation Scheduled During NIHB Virtual Conference - October 13, 2020
The National Indian Health Board is offering a platform during its upcoming virtual conference for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to host its annual Tribal Consultation. The HRSA consultation, which is in support of the agency's ongoing commitment to partner with Tribes, is free and open to the public and will take place on Tuesday, October 13, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EDT). Tribal officials may submit written comments to [email protected] by September 28, 2020.
Read the Dear Tribal Leader Letter.
To participate in this HRSA Tribal Consultation, please dial in at least 10 minutes before the appointed time to:
Conference number: 800-779-7169;
Participant passcode: 6122629
Adobe Connect: https://hrsaseminar.adobeconnect.com/atcmeeting
Posted September 14, 2020
NIHB sends Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership for extension of SDPI and other health provisions
On Friday September 11, NIHB submitted a letter to Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader McConnell, House Minority Leader McCarthy, and Senate Minority Leader Schumer, urging immediate action in support of a 5-year extension of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) and other expiring health extenders. These include the National Health Service Corps, Community Health Center Fund, and Teaching Health Centers Graduate Medical Education. NIHB was joined by seventeen signatories including but not limited to JDRF, Endocrine Society, National Association of Community Health Centers, American Diabetes Association, Families USA, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Read the full letter.
Posted September 11, 2020
NIHB sends letter urging IHS to retract and correct its TA to Congress regarding funding methods for SDPI
Earlier today, the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) sent a letter to the Indian Health Service (IHS) regarding the Technical Assistance it provided to Congress on the funding mechanisms for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) in July.
The letter urges IHS to retract its misleading TA, and instead work with Tribes to advance the proven method of self-determination and self-governance in furtherance of federal Treaty obligations to Tribal Nations and AI/AN Peoples.
Read the full letter.
Posted September 10, 2020
HRSA Requests Nominations for Tribal Advisory Council - Deadline is September 30
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) plans to create a Tribal Advisory Council and seeks nominations for membership from the Indian Health Service geographic areas of Alaska, Albuquerque, Billings, Navajo, Phoenix, and Tucson. Nominations for members must be received on or before September 30, 2020.
View the Dear Tribal Leader Letter
View the Federal Register Notice
For questions, please contact Dr. Elijah K. Martin, Jr., Tribal Health Affairs, HRSA Office of Health Equity at [email protected].
Posted September 9, 2020
NIHB Leads Efforts for a Joint Letter to Congressional Leadership on Pandemic Relief Funding
On September 8, NIHB submitted a letter to congressional leadership alongside the National Congress of American Indians and National Council of Urban Indian Health urging immediate action on critical Tribal health priorities in response to COVID-19. In particular, the inter-organizational letter led by NIHB calls on Congress to immediately pass:
- Minimum $2 billion in emergency funds to IHS for immediate distribution to the I/T/U system
- Minimum $1 billion to replenish lost 3rd party reimbursements across the I/T/U system
- Prioritize equitable distribution of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine across Indian Country, including a minimum 5% set-aside in vaccine funds for the I/T/U system
- Minimum $1 billion for water and sanitation systems across IHS and Tribal communities
- Passage of the bipartisan S.3937 – Special Diabetes Program for Indians Reauthorization Act of 2020
Read the full letter
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