National Council of Urban Indian Health
1 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Suite 800-D
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202.544.0344
To achieve our mission and vision, NCUIH works to ensure that federal legislators and policymakers fulfill the federal government’s trust obligation to provide healthcare services to American Indians and Alaska Natives no matter where they live. Our goal is to advocate for positive change by increasing federal law and policymakers’ awareness and understanding of the health and healthcare challenges experienced by American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban areas.
NCUIH establishes legislative priorities, tracks development and implementation of federal legislation and regulations, and works to protect the interests of urban Indian populations. NCUIH also educates other audiences such as research institutes, foundations, and federal and local agencies on the impact of federal policy decisions.
Policy Implementation Support
- Coordination of the Board of Directors to establish yearly National Policy Priorities
- Drafting policy and legislation proposals that are supportive of the Urban Indian Health System
Conferring Policy Work
NCUIH strives to engage IHS, other federal agencies and NCUIH members on the conferring policy that was included in the Re-Authorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA, 2010), officially effective on November 2014. Outreach efforts include conferring policy basics, dissemination of information, and other technical assistance and coordination. Recent work includes conferring sessions and official correspondence with the Indian Health Services on Data Report & Standards, the Meth and Suicide Prevention Initiative, and the Distribution of Funding for IHCIA Title V Programs through the Indian Health Service’s Office Urban Indian Health Programs.
Representation at National Events Organized by National Partners, Federal Agencies, and Native and Non-Native Organizations
NCUIH represents the interests of Urban Indian communities across the nation and educates other audiences—such as research institutes, foundations, federal and local agencies, etc.- on the specific legislative and policy circumstances of Urban Indian Health Programs and the community they serve throughout the United States.
Information Dissemination
NCUIH provides ongoing policy updates and legislative alerts on topics pertaining to the Urban Indian Health and Urban Indian Communities through a variety of platforms, including the policy blog, newsletters, website posts, and social media. Likewise, its Policy and Legislation Center provides a policy update at NCUIH’s Annual Leadership Conference.
Background on Indian Health Care
What is the federal government’s trust responsibility for Indian health care?
Under law, tribal governments are treated as “domestic dependent nations”—similar to states in terms of sovereignty but with a trust obligation from the federal government. The federal government is considered to be the trustee with responsibility for the 567 federally recognized tribes.
The trust responsibility means that the government has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of Tribes and American Indians / Native Alaskans (AI/AN). That responsibility is not restricted to the borders of reservations, and it includes issues related to health care.