OMB Creates a Tribal Policy Advisor Position After NCUIH and Tribal Leader Advocacy

NCUIH and Tribal leaders have advocated for a direct position between Indian Country and OMB to better coordinate communication of AI/AN needs.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NCUIH Contact: Meredith Raimondi, Vice President of Public Policy, mraimondi@ncuih.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 12, 2022) – After recommendations from the National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) and Tribal leaders, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has created a permanent position of a Tribal Policy Advisor within their Office to communicate the needs of Indian Country and American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). NCUIH and urban Indian leaders have a long-standing history of working with Elizabeth Carr, member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Senior Advisor to the Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS), and we look forward to lifting up urban Indian voices through her work in this position.

“The President has shown a strong commitment to addressing the needs of Indian Country and urban Indians and we fully support OMB’s creation of a Tribal Liaison role within their Office. We applaud the Administration for this initiative and we look forward to creating equity and parity in American Indian and Alaska Native health. NCUIH looks forward to collaborating with OMB on longstanding issues impacting access to health care for urban Native communities including providing continuity of funding during continuing resolutions and shutdowns, which have needlessly cost Native lives,” – Francys Crevier (Algonquin), CEO of NCUIH.

Background

NCUIH and Tribal leaders have advocated for a permanent position within OMB dedicated to AI/AN health care, a liaison between Indian Country and OMB, and/or an Office of Tribal Affairs within OMB through Tribal consultation and written comments. NCUIH has stressed the importance of urban Indian organization (UIO) consultation and involvement in the establishment of any new position or office within the OMB that directly relates to AI/AN healthcare, and we hope that UIOs who have been negatively impacted by budgetary disputes and historically excluded from exception apportionment will be included in the conversation. With the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, it is imperative that OMB fully engage with Indian Country to finally honor federal trust obligations that have long been ignored.

• NCUIH’s Comments to OMB on President’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget
• The National Indian Health Board’s Letter on the OMB Tribal Consultation Policy

About NCUIH

The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is the national non-profit organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally competent health and public health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) living in urban areas. NCUIH is the only national representative of the 41 Title V Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) under the Indian Health Service (IHS) in the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). NCUIH strives to improve the health of the over 70% of the AI/AN population that lives in urban areas, supported by quality, accessible health care centers.

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