{"id":17437,"date":"2021-10-27T11:51:34","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T15:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianz.com\/News\/?p=17437"},"modified":"2021-10-27T11:51:35","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T15:51:35","slug":"ben-smith-indian-health-service-renews-partnership-for-native-veterans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indianz.com\/News\/2021\/10\/27\/ben-smith-indian-health-service-renews-partnership-for-native-veterans\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Smith: Indian Health Service renews partnership for Native veterans"},"content":{"rendered":" \"Native<\/a>
Honor guards from the Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe salute flags during a ceremony honoring Native veterans on September 19, 2021, at Camp Ripley, a training facility operated by the Minnesota National Guard. Photo by Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh \/ Minnesota National Guard<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n
IHS and VA renew partnership to improve health of Native veterans<\/div>\r\n
Wednesday, October 27, 2021<\/div>\r\n
By Ben Smith<\/div>\r\n
Deputy Director for Intergovernmental Affairs, Indian Health Service<\/div>\r\n
ihs.gov<\/a><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nFor nearly two decades, the Indian Health Service<\/a> and the Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a> have partnered to improve the health status of American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. This is critical to the population we serve, as American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the U.S. military at higher rates than other groups.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nAs we continue to build our partnership<\/a> and adapt to changes and new approaches to health care, the Veterans Health Administration and IHS have signed a new memorandum of understanding [PDF<\/a>] aimed at improving the health status of American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe agreement establishes a framework for coordination and partnering between the VA and the IHS to leverage and share resources and investments<\/a> in support of each organization\u2019s mutual goals. The agencies first signed an agreement in February 2003 to improve access and health outcomes for Native veterans, and subsequently updated it in October 2010. This newly signed agreement builds on that experience and will continue to support our objective to improve access and health care outcomes for Native veterans. \r\n

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Indian Health Service and Department of Veterans Affairs: Memorandum of Understanding (2021)<\/div>\r\n
\r\nihsva102121<\/a>\r\n
PDF: Dear Tribal Leader Letter: October 21, 2021<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div>
\r\nvaihsmou2021<\/a>\r\n
PDF: IHS VA MOU 2021<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe new agreement was developed with input from tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations<\/a> through six technical assistance and listening sessions provided during a 90-day tribal consultation and urban confer. I want to thank everyone who provided input and guidance as we worked to improve the agreement and enhance the care provided to our Native veterans.\r\n

<\/p>\r\nUnder the new agreement, the VA and IHS will work together to create an operational plan each fiscal year. The plan will include goals and objectives, as well as the tactics to achieve them, and specify targets and metrics to evaluate processes and assess outcomes. We will continue to seek input through annual tribal consultation and urban confer on this operational plan\r\n

<\/p>\r\nThe partnership enables Native veterans to access care closer to their homes, promotes cultural competence and quality health care, and focuses on increasing collaboration and resource-sharing between the agencies. We have already achieved remarkable results. A reimbursement agreement that was established in 2012 allows the VA to pay IHS for services provided to eligible veterans. \r\n

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