{"id":155430,"date":"2025-06-24T20:53:32","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T01:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/?p=155430"},"modified":"2025-06-24T20:53:32","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T01:53:32","slug":"department-of-health-and-human-services-invites-tribes-to-listening-sessions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2025\/06\/24\/department-of-health-and-human-services-invites-tribes-to-listening-sessions\/","title":{"rendered":"Department of Health and Human Services invites tribes to listening sessions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\n\t\t\tHHS Announces Transformation to Make America Healthy Again\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t
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“We are streamlining HHS to make our agency more efficient and more effective. We will eliminate an entire alphabet soup of departments, while preserving the…<\/p>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

\n\t\t\"YouTube\"\t\tYouTube\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
Department of Health and Human Services: HHS Announces Transformation to Make America Healthy Again<\/a>\r\n<\/figcaption>\r\n
Department of Health and Human Services invites tribes to listening session<\/div>\r\n
Tuesday, June 24, 2025<\/div>\r\n
Indianz.Com<\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> (HHS) is inviting tribes to attend a listening session to discuss a reorganization of the agency.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe listening sessions are taking place virtually, on July 16 and July 17. A Dear Tribal Leader Letter<\/a> was sent out on behalf of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.<\/a> on Monday.\r\n

<\/p>\r\n“The Secretary understands the vital importance of the Indian health system to the well-being of tribes across the United States,” the two-page letter<\/a> from Darcie L. Johnston, the Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affair at HHS, reads. “The current restructuring will help to streamline services, consolidate offices, and better address unmet needs in Indian country. Our Department is committed to prioritizing Indian health and the government-to-government relationship under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership.”\r\n

<\/P>\r\nKennedy announced the reorganization on March 27. Although the press release<\/a> and fact sheet<\/a> did not mention Indian Country or the Indian Health Service<\/a> (IHS), tribes and their advocates have said the changes will impact crucial programs they depend on<\/a> at other agencies within HHS<\/a>, such as the elimination of the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity<\/a> at the Office of Minority Health and the termination of staff from the Healthy Tribes Program<\/a> at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribal organizations, supported by key members of Congress, have called for formal consultation on the reorganization<\/a>. HHS, however, is stopping short of that mandate for now.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n“Tribal Consultation is not optional — it is a legal mandate grounded in the federal trust responsibility,” the National Indian Health Board said<\/a> on May 22.\r\n

\r\n \"Department<\/a>

The headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n

\r\nAccording to the letter, the sessions are taking place from 12-5:30pm Eastern on July 16 and July 17. An agenda has not yet been released.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribes can register for one or both of the sessions at zoomgov.com\/meeting\/register\/6JeZupMwTjmpR3ly2Qz9wA<\/a>.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nWritten comments are also being accepted through July 18, 2025, according to the letter. They can be sent via email at TribalAffairs@hhs.gov with the subject line of “Tribal Listening Session on the HHS Reorganization.\r\n

<\/P>\r\nComments can be sent by mail to:\r\n

<\/p>\r\nDarcie L. Johnston, Principal Deputy Director
\r\nDept. of Health & Human Services
\r\nOffice of the Secretary, IEA
\r\n200 Independence Ave. SW
\r\nMail Stop: 620E.11
\r\nWashington, DC 20201\r\n

<\/P>\r\nSeparately, the IHS has scheduled a series of tribal consultations and urban Indian confer sessions to discuss a proposed realignment of the agency. A Dear Tribal Leader Letter dated June 13<\/a> indicates an expansive and broad initiative centered on delivery of patient care, enterprise and operational management and self-determination.\r\n

<\/P>\r\n“As we look at the future of the Agency over the next 70 years, we must examine what works well and identify where and how the IHS must improve,” the three-page letter<\/a> from Benjamin Smith, the acting director of the IHS, reads. “We must be bold in examining ourselves to\r\ntransform to a more patient-centered, self-governance-driven, operationally efficient, and fiscally sustainable health care system.”\r\n

<\/P>\r\nFour in-person sessions are taking place next month. The schedule follows:\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribal Consultation \u2013 Seattle, Washington<\/strong>
\r\nDate: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
\r\nTime: 10:00 AM- 2:00 PM PDT
\r\nRegistration Link: surveymonkey.com\/r\/WWX62MH<\/a>
\r\nAddress: Seattle Airport Marriott
\r\n3201 South 176th Street
\r\nSeattle, Washington 98188\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribal Consultation \u2013 Phoenix, Arizona<\/strong>
\r\nDate: Thursday, July 10, 2025
\r\nTime: 10:00 AM \u2013 2:00 PM MST
\r\nRegistration Link: surveymonkey.com\/r\/J8TZHRR<\/a>
\r\nAddress: Marriott Phoenix Chandler
\r\n1600 South Price Road
\r\nChandler, Arizona 85286\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribal Consultation \u2013 Minneapolis, Minnesota<\/strong>
\r\nDate: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
\r\nTime: 10:00 AM \u2013 2:00 PM CST
\r\nRegistration Link: surveymonkey.com\/r\/J836SMF<\/a>
\r\nAddress: Hyatt Regency Bloomington \u2013 Minneapolis
\r\n3200 East 81st Street
\r\nBloomington, MN 55425\r\n

<\/P>\r\nTribal Consultation \u2013 Washington, District of Columbia<\/strong>
\r\nDate: Wednesday, July 23, 2025
\r\nTime: 10:00 AM \u2013 2:00 PM EST
\r\nRegistration Link: surveymonkey.com\/r\/J86FNWS<\/a>
\r\nAddress: Hubert H. Humphrey Building \u2013 Hall of Tribal Nations
\r\n200 Independence Ave SW
\r\nWashington, DC 20201\r\n

<\/P>\r\nThe confer with urban Indian organization is taking place virtually. Only one session has been scheduled:\r\n

<\/P>\r\nUrban Confer \u2013 Virtual<\/strong>
\r\nDate: Monday, July 28, 2025
\r\nTime: 1:00 PM \u2013 3:00 PM EST
\r\nRegistration Link: ihs-gov.zoomgov.com\/meeting\/register\/q6joL7ncQgS1z5tf0xl9vw<\/a>\r\n

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