Rex Lee Jim Vice-President, Navajo Nation Representative, Direct Service Tribes Advisory Committee NIHB Board of Directors Meeting January 23-24, 2012  Washington, DC

 Direct Service Tribes (DST) are those tribes that elect, in whole or in part, to receive primary health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS)  DST believe this decision is an expression of self-determination and acknowledges the Federal Government’s legal and moral obligation to tribes as defined in treaties, statutes and Executive Orders

 Established in 2005 to provide leadership, advocacy, and policy guidance on health related matters and programs affecting DST  Membership from the 10 DST Areas include: ◦ Two tribally-elected officials ◦ One federal staff

Aroostook Band of Micmacs Caddo Nation Catawba Indian Nation Colorado River Indian Tribes Colville Tribe Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Hualapai Tribe Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Jicarilla Apache Nation Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Mescalero Apache Tribe Navajo Nation Northern Cheyenne Tribe Oglala Sioux Tribe Pawnee Nation Pueblo of Zia Tohono O‘odham Nation Warm Springs Tribe White Earth Tribe

 Quarterly Meetings ◦ Tucson Area, November 2011 ◦ Navajo Area, February 2012 ◦ Nashville Area, June 2012  Direct Service Site Visits  Budget Formulation Activities  Resolution Adoption

 Health ◦ Increase Funding ◦ Improve Health Status  Function ◦ Advocacy ◦ Education and Outreach ◦ Partnerships

 Federal Agencies ◦ Indian Health Service ◦ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ◦ Office of Minority Health  Tribal Organizations ◦ Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee ◦ Northwest Portland Indian Health Board ◦ National Indian Health Board

 Joint Conferences  Advocacy Efforts ◦ Budget ◦ Resolutions  Special Initiatives ◦ Health Care Reform ◦ Indian Health Care Improvement Act

 Everyone Welcome  No Registration Fees  Focus on Today’s Top Health Care Issues  DSTAC Recognition and Appreciation Awards

Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 220 Rockville, MD (301) (301) fax

As long as the grass grows and the rivers flow…