HHS Operating Division Announcements

ACF Releases Updated Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Action Plan: Entitled, Culture is Prevention: A Strength Based, Culturally Grounded Journey Toward Prevention, Intervention, And Healing, the updated action plan advances the whole of government commitment to addressing the MMIP crisis through a multipronged approach that includes preventing violence and promoting healing from historical trauma. Most importantly, it adopts responsive administrative processes such as self-governance and Indigenous knowledge, as well as ways to leverage ACF’s grant funding, community engagement, and rulemaking authority. Please visit the ANA website for more resources and information on MMIP, along with the CDC’s Violence Against Native Peoples Fact Sheet.

CMS Resources for Elder Abuse Awareness: Next month is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Mistreatment of elders tends to be underreported due to complex reasons and can be difficult to address. CMS Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) has resources available to raise awareness on this important topic, including an archived webinar for elder program staff, warning signs of mistreatment, a Tribal elder protection toolkit, and a social media guide.

HRSA Launches Newly Redesigned Tribal Affairs Website: HRSA is excited to announce the launch of its newly redesigned Tribal Affairs website. The redesign aims to improve user experience, accessibility, and transparency for Tribes and Tribal serving organizations. The revamped website features dedicated sections including how to find HRSA funding including scholarships and loan repayments, relevant activities, and hot topics of interest to Indian country, how to engage with HRSA through Tribal consultations and listening sessions, and information on the HRSA Tribal Advisory Council that provides advice about healthcare priorities in Indian Country. Please visit www.hrsa.gov/tribal-affairs to explore this new interface.

IHS Update on Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) Expansion Activities: IHS Director Roselyn Tso and CHAP Tribal Advisory Group (TAG) Co-Chair Brook Bender issued a joint update to Tribal leaders on collaborative efforts to support and expand CHAP in Indian country. The letter affirms that the “collective aim is to ensure the CHAP’s expansion into the lower 48 states and its continuing development in Alaska[.]” Further updates and links to the CHAP website and IHS’s dedicated email for this work is in this Dear Tribal Leader Letter.

IHS Update on Expanded Harm Reduction Efforts: IHS  released a Dear Tribal Leader Letter providing additional information on expanded harm reduction efforts to support the agency’s ongoing response to the opioid crisis impacting Tribal communities. The letter builds on the updates shared previously regarding the IHS’s National Response Plan to address the fentanyl and xylazine threat. Harm reduction-specific resources and tools are available in the new Dear Tribal Leader Letter, as well as online at www.ihs.gov/opioids/harmreduction.