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Rural Tribal Health – News

News stories from the past 60 days.

Sep 20, 2023 - Notice from the Indian Health Service (IHS) seeking comment on an information collection titled "IHS Forms to Implement the Privacy Rule." IHS will use the data collected from these forms to meet the requirements of the Privacy Rule, which creates national standards to protect an individual's personal health information and gives patients increased access to their medical records. Comments are due by October 20, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Sep 14, 2023 - The suicide rate in the U.S. grew 30% between 2000 and 2020. Includes a significant spike for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Discusses historical inequities, lack of mental healthcare in tribal areas, and healthcare use trends by people at risk of suicide.
Source: Wyoming Public Media
Sep 6, 2023 - Highlights efforts by the Veterans Administration to decrease cancer outcome disparities for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Veterans. Discusses rural specific challenges such as access to care as well as lack of culturally responsive care. Offers data for cancer screening and outcomes for AI/AN Veterans.
Source: VA News
Aug 28, 2023 - Overview of discussions among Midwest Tribal leaders at the Kansas Tribal Health Summit. Tribes are working to incorporate traditional medicines into treatment plans utilizing prescribed drugs. Also discussed was the impact of social determinants of health on health outcomes, mental health healthcare worker recruitment issues, and the potential for telemedicine to increase access to health services.
Source: Kansas Reflector
Aug 15, 2023 - Notice from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) seeking comments on how the FTA Tribal Transit competitive program and technical assistance to tribes is administered. Comments are due by December 13, 2023. In addition, an in-person consultation will be held with the National Transportation in Indian Country Conference (NTICC) in Anchorage, Alaska, on September 25, 2023, from 1:30–3:00 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (ADT). A virtual consultation will be held on November 2, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 14, 2023 - Describes the role of community health representatives (CHR) in a Nevada tribe. The role is functionally the same as a community health worker (CHW), but typically not covered by Medicaid. Nevada recently changed this policy which should allow the tribe to hire more CHRs. Describes the improved health outcomes that CHRs and CHWs can contribute to by providing their services including transportation to medical appointments, grocery delivery, medication delivery, and more.
Source: Source NM
Aug 11, 2023 - The Oklahoma City VA, Muskogee VA, Indian Health Services, and others have partnered to bring healthcare and benefits for Tribal Veterans exposed to burn pits and more. Notes that distance between VA services and tribal areas is a barrier to healthcare access.
Aug 4, 2023 - Notice that the August 29, 2023, virtual SAMHSA Tribal Consultation meeting will now be a Tribal Listening Session. SAMHSA will host American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Federally Recognized Tribes for a virtual Tribal listening session on the Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans Program.
Source: Federal Register
Aug 1, 2023 - Notice from the Indian Health Service (IHS) proposing to view the seven Mid-Atlantic tribes in the Commonwealth of Virginia collectively and to expand the geographic boundaries of their current Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Areas (PRCDA). The IHS previously designated a PRCDA for each of the seven tribes and is now proposing to expand those individual PRCDAs by creating a collective PRCDA for the seven tribes. The collective PRCDA will include all the counties and independent cities in each of the current PRCDAs, plus additional contiguous counties and independent cities in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina. Comments are due by August 31, 2023.
Source: Federal Register
Jul 31, 2023 - The Indian Health Service has awarded $2.5 million to 5 tribes and tribal organizations to reduce food insecurity and improve healthcare through produce prescription programs. Reports that American Indian and Alaska Native people are more likely to have low or no access to fresh food.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Last Updated: 9/20/2023