Rural Health & Human Services News by Topic: Tribal communities - Rural Health Information Hub

HHS Awards More Than $380 Million to Strengthen America's Behavioral Health System on 988 Day

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for a variety of behavioral health treatment, prevention, and crisis response programs across over 20 funding opportunities. Includes funding for suicide prevention and response in tribal communities, community-based systems of care for tribal youth, emergency medical services for behavioral health crises in rural areas, and training and technical assistance for rural opioid and stimulant use.

HHS Awards More Than $11 Million to Expand Medical Residencies in Rural and Tribal Communities

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces new funding awarded to support the development of 15 physician rural and tribal residency programs in 14 states through the Rural Residency Planning and Development Program. Since being established in 2019, the program has created 66 new rural residency programs and trained over 850 physicians.

HUD: Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee Request for Member Nominations

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is seeking nominations of candidates to be considered for appointment as members of the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (TIAC). TIAC facilitates intergovernmental communication between HUD and leaders of federally recognized tribes on all HUD programs and provides advice on the development of HUD's American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) housing priorities. Nominations are due by November 2, 2026.

Lumbee Tribal Chairman Announces Plan for Autonomous Health System

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces plans for the Lumbee River Health System, a new system aiming to join the Indian Health Service (IHS) in North Carolina. Describes how the system will work with partners for payment and identify areas of need to be addressed within the Lumbee Tribe.

ODMHSAS Launches "You Good?" 988 Campaign Ahead of Suicide Prevention Month

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces a new suicide prevention campaign in Oklahoma designed to reach certain groups with high rates of suicide including rural residents, tribal residents, older adults, veterans, and middle-aged men.

Researchers Work to Address Alzheimer's and Dementia in Rural Communities

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Discusses the work of 3 Minnesota-based researchers to address Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) in rural communities. Highlighted projects focus on tribal communities, overcoming barriers to exercise, and identifying innovative work in the ADRD space already happening in rural communities.

U of A and Gila River Health Care (an Entity of the Gila River Indian Community) Launch Nation's First MD-Granting Medical School Branch Within a Tribal Nation

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces a partnership between the University of Arizona and Gila River Health Care, a tribally operated healthcare system, to establish the first medical school branch on sovereign tribal lands. The goal of the partnership is to train future physicians in tribal communities while expanding access to care for tribal residents. It's an accelerated 3-year program and includes a full scholarship. Discusses rural and tribal physician workforce shortages.

ACF: Tribal Consultation Meeting

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Notice from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announcing a Tribal Consultation session between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ACF Office of Head Start (OHS) and the leadership of tribal governments operating Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The purpose of this consultation session is to discuss ways to better meet the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) children and their families, taking into consideration funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations. The meeting will be held on September 16, 2026, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

Agreement Between State and Navajo IHS Will Support Rural Health Through Data Sharing

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The New Mexico Department of Health has signed a data sharing agreement with the Navajo Area Indian Health Services with the goal of improving public health initiatives.

Indian Health Service Announces $15.3 Million Investment in Staff Quarters Projects

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces awarded funding for staff quarters project to support the healthcare workforce in tribal communities. Notes that living facilities can improve healthcare workforce recruiting and retaining efforts for the benefit of tribal communities.

Chickasaw Nation to Open One of the Largest First American Hospitals in the Country

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Highlights a new medical center opening between Oklahoma City and a tribal reservation. The medical center is intended to bring healthcare services closer to Chickasaw Nation. The facility will include inpatient care, surgical services, labor and delivery, dental care, a pharmacy, research space, and more.

ACF: Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Family Assistance Programs

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Notice of final rule from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) amending the following to eliminate unnecessary or obsolete regulations: 1) Grants to States for Public Assistance Programs, 2) General Administration—State Plans and Grant Appeals, 3) General Administration—Public Assistance Programs, 4) Training and Use of Subprofessionals and Volunteers, 5) Coverage and Conditions of Eligibility in Financial Assistance Programs, 6) Financial Assistance to Individuals, 7) Administration of Financial Assistance Programs, 8) Fiscal Administration of Financial Assistance Programs, 9) General Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Provisions, 10) Ensuring That Recipients Work, 11) the Accountability Provisions—General, 12) Expenditures of State and Federal TANF Funds, 13) Other Accountability Provisions, 14) Data Collection and Reporting Requirements, 15) High Performance Bonus Awards, 16) the Implementation of Section 403(a)(2) of the Social Security Act Bonus to Reward Decrease in Illegitimacy Ratio, 17) Methodology for Determining Whether an Increase in a State or Territory's Child Poverty Rate Is the Result of the TANF Program, 18) Tribal TANF Provisions, and 19) The Native Employment Works (NEW) Program. This rule is effective September 29, 2026.

HRSA Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) Call for Nominations Across Four Areas: Great Plains, Nashville, Oklahoma, & Phoenix

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Request for nominations for the Health Resources & Services Administration's Tribal Advisory Council (TAC). TAC advises HRSA staff on public health issues and collaborative approaches to addressing the needs of American Indian and Alaska Natives. Eligible nominees are elected tribal officials from Great Plains, Oklahoma, Nashville, and Phoenix. Nominations should be emailed to tribalaffairs@hrsa.gov by September 30, 2026.

Rural at Heart: Making Golden Years Brighter

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Describes the American Heart Association's Rural at Heart Initiative, a cardiovascular health rural community education program aiming to reach older adults in senior centers. Discusses the culture of rural and tribal communities and how the program helps older adults who want to age in place.

Building Pathways to Medicine in Utah's Rural and Tribal Communities

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Describes an outreach tour in rural and tribal Utah to engage with high school students to promote healthcare careers and expose current University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine students to rural and tribal communities and their health needs.

Arizona Advances Tribal Health Data Sovereignty with New Policy

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announces the new Indigenous Data Sovereignty Policy, believed to be the first in the nation to formalize how tribal health data is managed between the government and tribal nations. Describes how the policy will be rolled out in phases as well as how the policy was created collaboratively between the state and tribal nations.

BIA: FY 2026 Job Placement and Training-Native American Technology and Manufacturing Grant Pilot Program (IGNITE: Indigenous Growth in New & Innovative Trade Employment); Solicitation of Proposals

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Announcement from the Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of forthcoming funding and grant application information for the Native American Technology and Manufacturing Grant Pilot Program—(IGNITE: Indigenous Growth in New & Innovative Trade Employment) program. Funding will support tribal workforce development strategies in construction and infrastructure trades as well as emerging technology sectors. Projects may include housing, roads, utilities, and community infrastructure projects such as structural steel, rebar, bridges, buildings, and infrastructure projects. A notice of funding opportunity will be released on the BIA-OIS website.