PRESS RELEASE: NCUIH and Native American Lifelines Announce DMV Vaccines for Natives

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Policy Contact: Meredith Raimondi, mraimondi@NCUIH.org

Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

National Council of Urban Indian Health and Native American Lifelines Announce DMV Vaccines for Natives

After months of barriers, urban Indians in the DMV will finally be able to get vaccinated.

 Washington, D.C. (April 13, 2021) – The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) and Native American Lifelines (NAL) are pleased to announce the availability of COVID-19 vaccinations for urban Indians in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan area. In partnership with the Indian Health Service and University of Maryland – Baltimore, registration is now available for appointments in Baltimore beginning on Wednesday, April 14.

“For months, we have fought tooth and nail to get vaccines for urban Indians in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. The pandemic has wrought many challenges on urban Indians but getting a vaccine shouldn’t have been one of them. Any member of the hardest hit population shouldn’t have had to wait months for this lifesaving opportunity. This is also not what the trust responsibility for healthcare is supposed to be. As we are also serving record patients to address increased needs in behavioral health and domestic violence, we are glad to finally be able to vaccinate our community. We are grateful for partners like NCUIH, IHS, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, who helped make this happen,” said Kerry Hawk-Lessard, Executive Director.

“As the only national organization focused on the health of urban Indians, we are pleased to finally announce that vaccines for Natives in the DMV are now available. It is disappointing that the population dying at the highest rates of COVID-19 worldwide is only just gaining access to vaccines in the DMV five days before the entire country will be eligible. This experience has highlighted a long-standing inequity faced by urban Indians and forced countless Natives to risk additional exposure when flying to reservations to receive a vaccine. As we’ve buried far too many relatives in the past year, we hope that this Administration and Congress will realize that it is now time to fully fund Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) and Indian Health Service as we fight our way to the end of this horrific pandemic,” said NCUIH CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin).

Vaccine Distribution to Urban Indians

Since last fall, NCUIH and NAL have pushed for inclusion of the 65,000 Natives in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia Metropolitan Area. As Natives are dying from COVID-19 at the highest rates worldwide, NCUIH has advocated to the federal government to prioritize this population for vaccines.

UIOs across the country have highly successful vaccine rollouts that have been touted in the national and local media. After a recent study in January from the Urban Indian Health Institute showed that nearly 75% of Natives would get vaccinated, UIOs are seeing record patients and regularly hosting mass vaccination clinics with hundreds of participants. Because of the success of vaccine administration by UIOs, local and other non-profit organizations have partnered with UIOs. While there is much talk of vaccine equity on a national scale, no state nor the District of Columbia, has prioritized Natives or any other race for vaccines, so UIOs have filled a vital role. For example, one UIO in Montana vaccinated 180 teachers who work with Native students, while many others are sharing their vaccines with the NAACP and LatinX organizations to reach other highly vulnerable groups.

NCUIH created an online petition to urge HHS to provide vaccines to DMV Natives and sent a letter to Administration officials to request vaccines. The Indian Health Service has also assisted the past several months, trying to coordinate vaccines for urban Indians in the area. Several Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) in other states even offered to fly their staff to the DMV to administer vaccines. Finally, urban Indians in the area will have access to vaccines through Native American Lifelines due to the hard work of NAL’s staff and the advocacy of NCUIH.

Vaccine Clinic Information

In partnership with the University of Maryland, Baltimore the clinic will be open to anyone 16 years of age and older who is eligible. Appointments will be available starting Wednesday, April 14. They will be scheduled on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in the coming weeks. Because this will be an IHS-sponsored clinic, the following groups are deemed eligible as per Native American Lifelines vaccine plan: tribal citizens and descendants, non-Native family members, partners, or caregivers of tribal citizens and descendants, non-Native individuals working in Native-serving organizations (e.g., NCUIH, NCAI, NACA, NARF, NIGA, NIHB, BIA, BIE, IHS, HHS, Interior, etc.)

If you are unable to schedule your appointment online, in need of transportation assistance, please call Jessica or Bri at Native (410) 837 – 2258 (x102 for Jessica and x106 for Bri).

UMB Vaccine Clinic:
Address: 601 W. Lombard St., Baltimore, Md. 21201
Parking: Pratt and Penn Garages

  • Pratt Garage: 646 W. Pratt St.
  • Penn Garage: 120 S. Penn St.
  • Handicap or Mobility Assistance Parking:
    • Pratt Garage, 3rd floor

Hours of Operations: Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST

If you have already received one dose of Pfizer and need a second dose, please call the number above to schedule a second dose if you do not see the time available online.

About NCUIH and NAL

Native American Lifelines (NAL) is one of 41 Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) funded by the Indian Health Service. Native Americans Lifelines operates two outreach and referral clinics in two states but is recognized as only one facility by the Indian Health Service. NAL receives less than $1 million to serve all urban Indians in Baltimore (including Washington, DC) and Boston. The mission of Native American Lifelines is to promote health and social resiliency within Urban American Indian communities. Native American Lifelines applies principles of trauma informed care to provide culturally centered behavioral health, dental, outreach and referral services.

The National Council of Urban Indian Health 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 living in urban areas. NCUIH strives to improve the health of all AI/ANs, including the over 70% of the AI/AN population that lives in urban areas, supported by quality, accessible health care centers.
NCUIH was recently named a founding member of the President’s COVID-19 Community Corps. 

To Schedule Your Appointment and Learn More Visit NCUIH.org/Vaccine

  • Schedule an appointment
  • Volunteer at a clinic
  • Learn more about NCUIH’s advocacy efforts

PRESS RELEASE: IHS Announces Medical Malpractice Coverage for Urban Indian Health Workers Following Enactment of NCUIH Legislation

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Washington, D.C. (March 26, 2021) – On Monday, March 22, the Indian Health Service (IHS) announced the successful implementation of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) to Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) and their employees to the same extent and in the same manner as to Tribes and Tribal Organizations. The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) has advocated for over 20 years for medical malpractice coverage for urban Indian health workers. With this essential change, a single organization can redirect up to $200,000 annually to patient care.

 

Congressional champions Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), along with Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Tom Udall (D-NM), James Lankford (R-OK), and Martha McSally (R-AZ), worked tirelessly to ensure this important fix to expand resources for UIOs. NCUIH legislation to provide coverage for urban Indian health workers passed late last year as a standalone bill with broad bipartisan support.

 

“During the pandemic, every dollar makes a difference for these critical organizations providing care to urban Indians,” said NCUIH CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin). “We applaud our Congressional advocates in helping stretch our limited resources to serve urban Indians at such a critical time. As Natives continue to have the highest death rates in the world, the federal government must uphold its trust responsibility and continue to provide every possible opportunity to increase access to care.” 

 

“Federal tort law currently omits coverage for UIOs, and especially during the coronavirus pandemic, UIOs, like other already covered Tribal health facilities, need to have the peace of mind that they can utilize their funds for care, not court cases,” said Senator Lankford.

 

“Oklahoma City Indian Clinic has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on liability insurance for our providers,” said NCUIH Vice-President and CEO of Oklahoma City Indian Clinic Robyn Sunday-Allen. “With this parity, we can now put every cent back into services. We applaud the leadership of Senator Lankford on helping redirect our limited resources back to patients and families who rely on our services now more than ever.”

PRESS RELEASE: NCUIH Testified Before House on COVID-19 Impacts in Indian Country

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Policy Contact: Meredith Raimondi, mraimondi@NCUIH.org

Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

Washington, D.C. (March 23, 2021) – National Council of Urban Indian Health CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin) testified before the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, led by Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM). The hearing is addressed the “Emerging Coronavirus Impacts in Indian Country.”

“Urban Indian Organizations have continuously provided services in the hardest hit urban areas during the entire pandemic,” said Crevier. “There have been vast improvements from where we were a year ago with regards to the availability of supplies, tests, and vaccines, but that will never make up for the sheer number of Native lives lost. Unfortunately, despite improvements, the situation facing Natives has not relented. The bottom line is that what little data exists for Natives shows a stark reality: COVID-19 is killing Native Americans at a faster rate than any other community.”

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), an urban Indian health champion, requested additional information about why Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) cannot make any facilities-related upgrades using federal funds. Ms. Crevier explained that the Indian Health Care Improvement Act contains unnecessary limitations on UIOs and urged for a legislative fix to allow UIOs to use federal funds for facilities. Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-IL) discussed the long-standing inequities experienced by UIOs due to lack of full funding.

“Structural deficiencies led to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on Native American communities,” Said Rep. Leger Fernandez. “We must also identify ways to address the root causes of the impacts. I heard over and over in today’s testimony about the need for full funding as is required by the trust responsibility.”

House Natural Resources Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) asked Francys Crevier about the importance of an urban confer process. She identified why it is critical for federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to have policies that address communicating with UIOs. Ranking Member Don Young (R-AK) discussed the re-introduction of the Rep. Betty McCollum advance appropriations bill for all of the Indian Health Service, including UIOs.

The hearing also included testimony from Chief William Smith, Chairperson and Alaska Area Representative, National Indian Health Board. In his testimony, Chief Smith highlighted the importance of extending permanent 100% Federal Medical Assistance Percentages to UIOs and the need for mandatory appropriations for the Indian Health Service, Tribal organizations, and UIOs.

Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR) acknowledged the disproportionality of the effect of COVID-19 on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and that the current funding provided in the American Rescue Plan Act is commendable. Still, it is not sustainable for the needs and efficacy of combatting the historical health issues that plague AI/AN people. To reiterate Rep. Westerman’s request for increased funding, Rep. Young called for the subcommittee to introduce a historical “Native people only” bill to address funding and all the needs that impact AI/AN populations and Native people.

Watch Testimony Read Full Testimony

Small Native American Health Centers Face Vaccine Barriers

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This article was originally published on Law360 by Emma Whitford.

Law360 (March 12, 2021, 6:12 PM EST) — The Indian Health Service has reported administering more than 684,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses so far and delivering them to locations as remote as the bottom of the Grand Canyon, but some urban health centers say they’re not part of this early success.

IHS-funded clinics in cities like Phoenix have vaccinated thousands, expanding their eligibility requirements to administer doses to younger Native Americans in addition to elders and essential workers.

But a small organization that contracts with the IHS to serve Native Americans in Boston and Baltimore told Law360 it lacked the storage and staffing required to receive direct vaccine shipments from the IHS back in December. Staff say they have hundreds of potential vaccine patients in their regions but have yet to administer a single dose.

About 70% of Native Americans live in cities, but urban health centers don’t receive a proportional amount of IHS funding. All three IHS-funded urban centers on the East Coast — the third is in New York City — lack on-site medical services, focusing instead on referrals.

For advocates, this discrepancy shows the need to increase overall IHS funding and build up small urban health centers so that Native Americans can have comparable care options regardless of their ZIP code.

“I don’t have any way to store the vaccine, and I don’t have medical providers on site to administer the vaccine,” said Kerry Lessard, executive director of Native American Lifelines, which has locations in Boston and Baltimore providing services such as mental health care and disease prevention.

“When you leave the reservation or a large Native community, you’re penalized, essentially,” Lessard added. “You don’t have access to the services that are guaranteed to you. That is an abrogation of sovereignty.”

In a February resolution, the National Council of Urban Indian Health called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to create an Emergency COVID-19 Urban Indian Task Force and provide “full resources, technical assistance and support” for vaccine distribution at all IHS-funded facilities, specifically mentioning Native American Lifelines of Baltimore and Boston.

While some of the smallest urban clinics, like the Tucson Indian Center in Arizona, are now close to establishing vaccine partnerships with local tribes and governments, NCUIH director Francys Crevier said it has been a heavy logistical burden on facilities that are stretched thin to begin with.

According to the council, there are 63,000 Native Americans and Alaska Natives living in the D.C. metropolitan area.

“If Congress really wants to make a difference, I think that has to start with full funding of IHS and a plan of service expansion to the areas that our population is [in],” Crevier said.

Lessard said she is currently working around the clock in Baltimore trying to leverage her existing relationships in state government and within the Indian Health Service.

In addition to trying to serve members of state-recognized tribes in Maryland that cannot contract directly with the IHS, like the Accohannock, she is fielding vaccine requests from federal workers in Washington, D.C., who are hearing vaccination success stories from friends and family who live on reservations.

Maryland established a Vaccine Equity Task Force this month. A spokesperson told Law360 that a visit with Lessard’s organization “will be scheduled as soon as possible,” and that the state can potentially provide staffing and space to administer vaccines.

By contrast, larger city-based clinics, like Native Health of Phoenix, are already deep into their vaccination programs after starting appointments in mid-December.

Native Health Phoenix Director Walter Murillo has a staff of more than 180 and three locations across the city. He told Law360 he was able to purchase an ultra-cold freezer last summer in anticipation of the vaccine rollout and already has more than 2,200 vaccines, expanding eligibility to people with underlying conditions like diabetes and hypertension who are not currently eligible under Maricopa County guidelines.

“Going through IHS was actually an absolute plus, a blessing to say that we could get those [doses] directly from distribution points from the federal government,” said Murillo, who is also president of the NCUIH. But he acknowledged that his smaller sister organizations are “starting from five steps back.”

In Boston, according to Lessard, Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office helped broker an introduction between Native American Lifelines and the Massachusetts Department of Health, but so far it hasn’t been fruitful. Organizations like Native American Lifelines are “crucial providers of health care” and “all levels of government should work with them,” a spokesperson for Warren told Law360.

Massachusetts’ health department did not comment on the record to Law360, though the Boston Public Health Commission said by email it “would be happy to work with” Native American Lifelines.

But Zoë Harris, program assistant at Native American Lifelines in Boston, said it’s been a frustrating few months for her client base of about 100 people.

“Our client population was frustrated because they were seeing all their family members back home getting access, and they felt like they were being punished because they are no longer on the reservation,” Harris said.

There are also local state-recognized tribes, like the Herring Pond Wampanoag Tribe and Nipmuc Nation, which Harris said rely on the center.

A new pandemic relief bill passed by President Joe Biden on Thursday has $6.1 billion for IHS including “no less than $84 million for urban Indian health programs,” IHS told Law360, in addition to $160 million set aside for them in earlier relief packages.

“IHS supports expanding access to health care for urban Indians” and will “continue to work closely with [urban Indian organizations] on meeting the health care needs of urban Indian communities,” the agency said.

Meanwhile, Harris and her team in Boston are looking to partner with the National Guard or the state’s two federally recognized tribes, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe on Cape Cod and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head Aquinnah on Martha’s Vineyard.

Both tribes are currently receiving vaccines from IHS, but coordination is challenging, especially with the island-bound Aquinnah.

“For me personally, it sheds the light on needing a fully ambulatory clinic in the Boston area,” Harris said. “We are supposed to be serving the Greater Boston Area … and there are three people in our office. That’s literally a job that’s not possible.”

Advancing health equity for urban American Indian and Alaska Natives: Q&A with Francys Crevier

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This article was originally published on the Kresge Foundation, by Katharine McLaughlin.

Today, most American Indian and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in the United States live in cities, and they have unique health needs. The National Council of Urban Indian Health, a Kresge grantee partner, is the only national organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally competent health services for AI/ANs living in cities.

To learn more about National Council of Urban Indian Health and how its work is critical to support the resiliency of the AI/AN community through meaningful change in the social equity of health care, Kresge recently connected with NCUIH Chief Executive Officer Francys Crevier for a conversation.

Kresge: What is the National Council of Urban Indian Health and what is the organization’s mission?

Crevier: The National Council of Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) living in urban settings. Located in Washington, D.C., NCUIH has a national reach advocating for access to culturally competent healthcare for urban American Indian and Alaska Natives across the country.

As the only national organization advocating for the health of urban AI/AN, NCUIH provides critically-needed technical assistance, training, policy support, and other services to the 41 Urban Indian Organizations that provide health services throughout the U.S.

Kresge: What does “urban American Indian and Alaska Native” mean?

Crevier: From the 1700s and 1800s, the federal government’s policy was to strip Tribal land from American Indian and Alaska Native people. In the 19th century, federal boarding schools governed by the doctrine “Kill the Indian, save the man” were established and AI/AN children were taken from their reservations and families and inserted into foreign environments. As recent as the 1950s and 60s, the federal government’s relocation policies forced AI/AN off Tribal land. The relocation policies caused significant problems, including lack of orientation, scarce employment opportunities, serious health concerns, culture shock, and historical trauma associated with forceful assimilation.

Today, about 70 percent of the AI/AN population live in urban areas, which is about four million people. Although more than 70 percent of AI/AN people live in urban areas, they are frequently left out of national discussions on health and, as a result, don’t receive critical comprehensive healthcare resources.

The AI/AN population’s shift to urban areas has put this group at risk for a host of infectious disease issues, as many have experienced economic instability, homelessness, unemployment, poverty, and a lack of a cultural connectiveness or sense of community. Even before the onset of the novel coronavirus, Native communities across the U.S. faced a crisis in health care, including higher rates of health issues due to isolation from Tribal lands and identity, lack of adequate health care, and distressed economic conditions.

Because of consequences due to multiple traumas, having culturally competent and sensitive healthcare services available to urban AI/AN is a vital part of quality care.

Kresge: What is an Urban Indian Organization?

Crevier: Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) are nonprofit organizations that provide local urban AI/AN with a range of healthcare and social services. UIO services are culturally tailored to combat specific health disparities associated with urban AI/AN populations, which is the key to preventing and treating serious health problems and diseases.

Through NCUIH’s active representation of UIOs’ main needs and gaps, NCUIH raises awareness about issues impacting UIOs and ensures their interests are included in key policy discussions for increased resources to better serve urban AI/AN communities.

Kresge: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Indian Country?

Crevier: The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing imbalances in access to culturally-competent health care for urban AI/AN.

While the pandemic’s impact has been devastating throughout the country, AI/AN are 3.5 times more likely to have serious illness. This pandemic has been deadlier for Native Americans than other groups as 1 in 475 AI/AN have died from COVID-19.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, NCUIH continues to be at the forefront of advocating for Indian health to ensure the stability of UIOs that provide culturally competent healthcare services to AI/AN living in cities. Because of the catastrophic impact of this virus, most recent efforts have focused on increasing availability of and confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine.

NCUIH’s advocacy ensured UIOs had access to COVID-19 vaccines because they did not receive federal resources during the H1N1 pandemic or the recent Zika outbreak. As such, many UIOs received their vaccines through the Indian Health Service (IHS). Those providers have administered 9,000 doses so far and have another 7,000 on hand to distribute shortly. They’re hoping to eventually vaccinate more urban AI/AN across the country. However, some urban Indians will still be left out as several cities don’t have any UIO health providers due to longstanding inadequate funding for urban programs.

Due to historical trauma and mistrust caused by a long record of institutional racism, many AI/AN are less likely to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

To support vaccine confidence among AI/AN, we will be kicking off our #BeAGoodRelative campaign the week of March 15 as an effort to increase vaccine participation among urban AI/AN. NCUIH’s goal through this ongoing campaign is to encourage urban AI/AN to get vaccinated. The #BeAGoodRelative campaign utilizes a toolkit full of fun swag for urban AI/AN that includes masks, stickers, and fliers for UIOs to distribute as community members receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  To find out more and download the toolkit, follow NCUIH on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube.

For more information on NCUIH’s critical work to support the resiliency of the AI/AN community through meaningful change in the social equity of health care, visit www.ncuih.org.

STATEMENT: NCUIH Statement Supporting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

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Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

Stop Asian Hate

Washington, D.C. (March 19, 2021) –  Today, National Council of Urban Indian Health Chief Executive Officer Francys Crevier (Algonquin) released the following statement:

“This week, we once again bore witness to violence led by hate. In a state that has a long history of discrimination against Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), we stand in solidarity with our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) relatives who have been subjected to centuries of violence and oppression. Our hearts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of all eight victims.

According to the Stop AAPI Hate, there have been 3,795 reported incidents of hate against the AAPI community from March 19, 2020, to February 28, 2021. These incidents range from verbal harassment to civil rights violations. The primary site of reported discrimination is at a place of business. These alarming trends have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic.

This violent act, performed on the stolen land of the Muscogee Creek and the Cherokee peoples in the Atlanta metro areas, reminds us of the devastating ruling in Cherokee Nation v. Georgia, where the rights of the Cherokee people were stripped and they were displaced from their land.

We condemn discrimination and violence in all forms and we ask the U.S. government to commit to eliminating the structures of racism that embolden these violent acts.”

Recommended Resources:

Stop AAPI Hate National Report

Resources for Combating Anti-Asian Racism

Anti-Racism Resources for the AAPI Community

Asian American Racial Justice Toolkit

Hearing: Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States – Emerging Coronavirus Impacts in Indian Country Hearing

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March 23, 2021 | 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Watch Live on Facebook   Watch Live on YouTube

The Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, led by Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), will hold a hearing titled A Year in Review: The State of COVID-19 in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Communities—Lessons Learned for Future Action. The event will focus on policy recommendations from tribal health, elder, housing and Native Hawaiian experts on the current state of coronavirus and its impact on Indigenous populations throughout the pandemic.

At the end of 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that among 14 states participating in its analysis, the overall coronavirus mortality rate among American Indian and Alaska Native persons was 3.5 times higher than that of White populations. By the end of 2020, the mortality rate for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals was 3.5 times higher than that of White populations. In Hawaii, Pacific Islanders account for nearly 30 percent of cases even though they make up only 4 percent of the population.

Witnesses include:

Francys Crevier

Chief Executive Officer

National Council of Urban Indian Health

 William Smith

Chairperson and Alaska Area Representative

National Indian Health Board
Larry Curley

Executive Director

National Indian Council on Aging

 Adrian Stevens

Acting Chairman, Board of Directors

National American Indian Housing Council
Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey

Chair

Office of Hawaiian Affairs

 Dr. Charles Grim (minority witness)

Secretary, Department of Health

Chickasaw Nation
Rodney Cawston (minority witness)

Chairman, Colville Business Council

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Who should attend? UIO ED/CEOs, UIO Staff, Stakeholders, Tribal Partners and Tribes, Feds, IPC Champions, IPC Fellows

Objectives: The Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the United States, led by Chair Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.), will hold a hearing titled A Year in Review: The State of COVID-19 in American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Communities—Lessons Learned for Future Action. The event will focus on policy recommendations from tribal health, elder, housing and Native Hawaiian experts on the current state of coronavirus and its impact on Indigenous populations throughout the pandemic.

PRESS RELEASE: NCUIH Applauds the Cancellation of Keystone XL Pipeline Permit

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Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

Washington, D.C. (January 21, 2021) – On his first day in office, President Joe Biden signed a series of Executive Orders including the cancellation of the Keystone XL (KXL) oil pipeline.

“It is exciting to know that the Biden Administration is sincere about its commitment to Indian Country by showing such urgency for Tribal Sovereignty and health,” said National Council of Urban Indian Health CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin). “We encourage the Administration to continue their work and to halt the construction of additional dangerous pipelines on tribal lands, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).”  

The KXL pipeline was set to go through the heart of the Oceti Sakowin territory. This pipeline violated the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 and Lame Bull Treaty of 1855, both in which the United States committed to protecting against future harm to the tribes’ natural resources. The U.S. did not consult with Tribal leaders before proposing the pipeline. The pipeline posed significant adverse health risks as well as damage to traditional and sacred lands.

The revocation of this permit is a good sign that this administration is eager to work with AI/AN populations to build a healthy and more prosperous future.

PRESS RELEASE: Congressional Leaders Request Resources for Urban Indians in Budget Reconciliation

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Policy Contact: Meredith Raimondi, mraimondi@NCUIH.org

Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

Washington, D.C. (February 8, 2021) Today, 26 House Representatives called on Congressional leaders to prioritize expanding resources for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) in the COVID-19 budget reconciliation. At a critical time when AI/ANs are dying at alarming rates from COVID-19, the federal government must do more to fulfill its trust and treaty obligations to serve this population. The letter specifically asks for Congress to include a fix that will provide parity for Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) and provide significant cost savings to cash-strapped states.

“Urban Indian Organizations are serving an at-risk population in some of the hardest-hit urban centers in 117 counties across 24 states and are doing so with limited supplies and resources. Now is the time to ensure these organizations have equal access to federal resources so they can continue to fulfill the federal government’s trust responsibility to Indian country. At a time when states are most strapped for resources, this fix would allow more resources to flow back into our states and provide parity to UIOs,” said Rep. Ruiz and the 26 Members of Congress in their letter.

According to a February 4, 2021, article by The Guardian, “Covid is killing Native Americans at a faster rate than any other community in the United States, shocking new figures reveal. American Indians and Alaskan (sic) Natives are dying at almost twice the rate of white Americans, according to an analysis by APM Research Lab shared exclusively with the Guardian.”

“One in 475 Native Americans has died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. As Congress works with the new Administration to ensure equity in the pandemic response, a good first step would be fixing this long-standing problem that is impeding critical access to health care for our relatives in urban areas. Additional resources for Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs), who have been on the frontlines since day one of this pandemic, also translates to major cost savings for state Medicaid funds that can be immediately redirected to patient care,” said National Council of Urban Indian Health CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin).

There is a trust responsibility to provide healthcare to all AI/ANs that is a duty of the United States government. Section 3 of P.L. 94-437, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, declares that “it is the policy of the Nation, in fulfillment of its special responsibilities and legal obligations to the American Indian people, to ensure the highest possible health status for Indians and urban Indians.”

Next Steps

NCUIH will continue to work with Congressional leaders and the Biden Administration to build a better COVID-19 response for AI/ANs.

PRESS RELEASE: American Rescue Plan Act Passes with Historic Investment in Urban Indian Health

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Policy Contact: Meredith Raimondi, mraimondi@NCUIH.org

Press Contact: Sara Williams, swilliams@NCUIH.org

Washington, D.C. (March 10, 2021) – Today, the House passed H.R.1319 American Rescue Plan Act, the COVID-19 relief package. On March 6, the Senate passed the plan with a 50-49 vote. The bill includes $6.1 billion for Indian health programs with $84 million for urban Indian health and two years of 100% Federal Medical Assistance Percentage coverage (FMAP) to Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) for Medicaid services for IHS-beneficiaries. The bill is set to be signed into law by President Biden no later than March 14.

“We are encouraged by the work of Congress to pass the American Rescue Plan Act with robust funding towards urban Indian health and expanded opportunities for Medicaid-IHS beneficiaries. As our frontline health heroes at urban Indian organizations are leading the way, along with the rest of the Indian health system, in vaccinating our populations, we hope to see better outcomes for our relatives,” said National Council of Urban Indian Health CEO Francys Crevier (Algonquin). “This pandemic is far from over as Native lives are still being lost at twice the rate of non-Hispanic whites, so these critical resources will help honor trust and treaty obligations while improving outcomes for all Native communities.”

The Indian health provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act reflect many recommendations in the tribal inter-organization letter sent on February 2. These investments for Indian health will be critical for shoring up necessary resources to combat COVID-19 as January “was the deadliest so far in the US, with 958 recorded Native deaths – a 35% increase since December, a bigger rise than for any other group.” “Native communities need relief. We listened, and we took action. With more than $31 billion for Tribal governments and Native programs, the American Rescue Plan delivers the largest one-time investment to Native communities in history,” said Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chair of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This historic funding is a down payment on the federal government’s trust responsibility to Native communities and will empower American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians to tackle COVID-19’s impacts on their communities.”

NCUIH has worked closely with Representative Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and key Congressional leaders to push for 100% FMAP for UIOs. Last week, Representative Ruiz introduced H.R. 1373, the Urban Indian Health Parity Act, bipartisan legislation, with 12 original cosponsors to extend the 100% FMAP provision permanently to expand resources for  American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban areas, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage Native communities.

NEXT STEPS

NCUIH is grateful for the inclusion of urban Indians into H.R.1319 and commends those Congressional leaders for their continuous support. NCUIH will continue to push for long-term 100% FMAP for UIOs with H.R. 1373.

Overview of Indian Health Provisions

  • $6.094 billion in funding for Indian health programs
  • $2 billion for lost revenue
  • $500 million for Purchased/Referred Care
  • $140 million for information technologies, telehealth, and electronic health records infrastructure
  • $84 million for urban Indian health programs
  • $600 million for vaccine-related activities
  • $1.5 billion for testing, tracing, and mitigating COVID-19
  • $240 million for public health workforce
  • $420 million for mental and behavioral health prevention and treatment services among Indian tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations
  • $600 million for funding support of tribal health care facilities and infrastructure
  • $10 million for potable water delivery

All funds appropriated in this section will be made available to Tribes through IHS to avoid any further disbursement delays similar to those experienced in previous COVID-19 relief efforts.

Read the Final Bill Text Here