[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 218 (Thursday, November 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67390-67393]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28695]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


Statement of Mission, Organization, Functions and Delegation of 
Authority

    Part G, of the statement of Organization, Functions, and 
Delegations of Authority of the Department of Health and Human 
Services, as amended at 60 FR 56606, November 9, 1995, and most 
recently amended at 61 FR 67048, December 19, 1996, is amended to 
reflect a reorganization of the Office of Public Health (GAB), Indian 
Health Service (IHS).
    The changes are as follows:
    Delete the functional statements for the Office of Public Health in 
their entirety and replace with the following:
    Section GAB-00, Office of Public Health, IHS--Mission. The Office 
of Public Health, IHS defines its mission as a commitment to the well-
being and cultural integrity of Indian people through a participatory 
and consultative process. The goal of the Office of Public Health is to 
elevate the health status of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) 
people to the highest possible level by (1) providing and/or assuring 
availability; (2) providing increasing opportunities for Indians to 
manage and operate their own health programs; and (3) serving as an 
advocate for Indian people.
    Section GAB-10, Functions Office of Public Health (OOH) (GAB). (1) 
Advises and supports the Director, Indian Health Service (IHS), on 
policy, budget formulation, resource allocation regarding the operation 
and management of IHS direct, tribal, and urban public health programs, 
risk management, quality assurance, facilities programs, and self-
determination; (2) provides agency-wide leadership and consultation to 
IHS direct, tribal, and urban public health programs on IHS goals, 
objectives, policies, standards, and priorities; (3) represents the IHS 
within the HHS and external organizations for purposes of liaison, 
professional collaboration, cooperative ventures, and advocacy; (4) 
manages and provides national leadership and consultation for IHS and 
Area offices on strategic and tactical planning, program evaluation and 
assessment, public health and medical services, research agendas, and 
special public health initiatives for the agency; (5) manages the 
design, development, and assessment for implementation of resource 
requirements and resource allocation methodology models for the agency; 
(6) manages demographic and program databases and performs statistical 
and epidemiological analyses and consultation; (7) carries out IHS 
responsibilities as required by the United States Federal Response Plan 
under Emergency Support Function No. 8; (8) assures agency compliance 
with the Code of Federal Regulations 45, Part 46, Protection of Human 
Subjects; and (9) manages and administers the functions related to 
business office services, contract health care, clinical and community 
services, preventive services, managed care, hospitals and ambulatory 
care centers, general public health practices and advocacy, 
environmental health, realty, facilities construction, facilities 
operation and

[[Page 67391]]

management, and environmental engineering.
    Office of Executive Management (GAB-1). (1) Provides leadership and 
advice to the Director and public health programs on policy, budget, 
personnel, business office and the health care financing administration 
issues, and general administration; (2) represents the Director, Office 
of Public Health (OPH), in meetings with IHS employees and high-level 
management officials within the IHS, HHS, or other Federal agencies, 
tribes, and other organizations on administrative/management and policy 
issues. (3) participates with the National Council of Executive 
Officers, and meets with HHS/IHS leadership to provide agency advice on 
management and administrative matters; (4) administers, monitors, and 
assists in the development of office and program budgets and budget 
formulation; (5) manages and oversees the IHS third-party revenue 
generation activity; (6) participates in self-determination issues and 
processes pertaining to budget and tribal shares computation (7) 
functions as operational manager for administrative policies and 
activities within the OPH; and (8) provides guidance and carries out 
OPH responsibilities regarding Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO), 
labor relations, and other employee relations activities.
    Administrative Management Team. (1) Provides program budget 
execution, analysis, and oversight; (2) provides guidance and 
coordinates the development and review of the OPH sections of the 
Department and Congressional budgets and presentation materials; (3) 
coordinates and assists in review of responses to budget inquiries and 
budgets materials for Congressional hearings and meetings; (4) 
coordinates, develops, promulgates, and maintains administrative 
policies, procedures, and manual issuances for the OPH; (5) monitors 
and administers existing agency administrative policies for OPH; (6) 
provides the OPH executive secretariat function; (7) serves as the 
review and coordinating point for OPH managed intra and interagency 
agreements; (8) serves as the principal resource for OPH personnel 
management and training issues consultation; (9) serves as the 
principal resource for OPH office space, property and supply 
activities; (10) serves as a general administrative resource for 
special activities/initiatives; and (11) provides direction and 
oversight on daily operations for the OPH.
    Business Office Services Team. (1) Serves as the primary focal 
point for Business Office Services (BOS) program operations and policy 
issues and represents BOS in national forums; (2) ensures improvement 
of the effectiveness and efficiency of the revenue generation activity, 
and provides support for local capacity building. (3) develops, 
disseminates, and maintains BOS policy and procedures manual (4) 
develops and promulgates standards and conducts BOS program reviews on 
a recurring, scheduled basis; (5) provides national leadership for 
Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance reimbursement policy and 
procedures; (6) serves as the primary liaison with the Health Care 
Financing Administration for rate setting negotiations (7) serves as 
the focal point regarding Medicare and Medicaid managed care 
activities, including the review, evaluation, and monitoring of 
Sections 1115 and 1915(b) Medicaid waiver proposals and other State and 
Federal health care reform activities; (8) provides programmatic 
management of information systems for patient registration and billing 
and collections systems (9) assures training on various regulatory 
issues and negotiated managed care provider agreements; and (10) 
develops third-party budget materials and responds to congressional 
departmental inquiries regulating to third-party issues.
    Office of Program Support (GAB-2). (1) Serves as a coordinating 
point for public health advocacy and as a source of technical support, 
development, and dissemination of policy advice for IHS Headquarters, 
OPH, Area offices, and facilities programs on the full scope of the 
public health and health data issues and activities; (2) serves as a 
resource and provides coordination and consultation to the IHS direct, 
tribal, and urban health programs (I/T/U) on public health issues; (3) 
provides and directs public health surveillance, intervention, research 
and evaluation programs, and the information systems to support them; 
(4) develops and coordinates agency strategic planning and performance 
measurement efforts with budgeting and requirements in consultation 
with OPH program staff; (5) provides consultation and coordination on 
the IHS budget formulation activity for planing and data purposes; (6) 
maintains, analyzes, makes accessible, and publishes results from 
national demographic and program databases; and (7) performs 
statistical and epidemiological consultation and coordination for the 
IHS in response to special conditions and communicable disease 
outbreaks of public health significance.
    Office of Clinical and Preventive Service (GAB1). (1) Serves as the 
primary source of technical and policy advice, and supports local 
capacity building for clinical and public health infrastructure for the 
IHS, Area offices, and I/T/U programs, on the full scope of clinical 
health care programs, including their quality assurance and preventive 
aspects, and tort claims; (2) provides leadership in articulating the 
clinical needs of the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population 
and competing health care needs; (3) advocates the resource needs of 
specialized health care delivery providers of clinical services 
disciplines; (4) provides leadership, consultation and technical 
support to I/T/U public health programs; (5) develops, manages, and 
administers the program functions that includes, but are not limited 
to, behavioral health, chronic disease such as diabetes and cancer, 
dental services, emergency medial services, health records, maternal 
and child health, social services, pharmacy services, nursing services, 
nutrition and dietetics, laboratory, disabilities, and contract health 
care services; (6) investigates evidence-based and best practice models 
of service delivery for dissemination to community service locations; 
and (7) coordinates development of staffing requirements for new or 
replacement health care facilities and approves Congressional budget 
requests for staffing.
    Division of Behavioral Health (GAB11). (1) Identifies industry 
program standards and monitors and evaluates community and Area-wide 
services provided through grants or contracts with Indian tribes, 
Indian organizations, and direct IHS operations in the area or mental 
health, social services, alcohol/substance abuse, and health education; 
(2) coordinates the Indian community behavioral health programs, such 
as alcoholism/substance abuse, mental health, social work, and health 
education with tribal program directors, division staff, Area line 
staff, and other agencies and institutions; (3) coordinates contracts 
and grants for behavioral health services and monitors services 
provides; (4) makes program and policy changes using data analysis, 
recommendations from operations levels, and research results. 
Coordinates resources allocation from program policies; (5) plans, 
develops, and coordinates a comprehensive mental health, social 
service, substance abuse and health education program and programs for 
children with special needs; (6) provides behavioral health program 
consultation to tribal groups and IHS staff; (7) provides leadership in

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the identification of behavioral change interventions and supports 
implementations at the community level; (8) coordinates with State, 
Federal, professional, private, and community organizations on 
alternate health care resource; (9) provides leadership in measuring 
and evaluating the quality of behavioral health care services; and (10) 
prepares information on behavioral health for budgetary hearings, and 
program evaluation results for the IHS Director, the Congress, and the 
American people.
    Division of Clinical and Community Services (GAB12). (1) Manages, 
develops, coordinates, and evaluates a comprehensive clinical and 
community program focusing on diabetes, maternal/child health, Indian 
children services, nutrition, AIDS, pharmacy, laboratory, health 
records, and health promotion and disease prevention; (2) develops and 
establishes standards for clinical and community services and special 
initiatives; (3) develops objectives, priorities, and methodologies for 
the conduct and evaluation of clinical and community health-based 
program; (4) provides, develops, and implements IHS guidelines, 
policies, and procedures on clinical and community based programs and 
initiatives; (5) monitors, evaluates, and provides consultation to 
clinical and community programs and new initiatives; (6) plans jointly 
with other agencies on research and coordinated services; (7) 
coordinates training needs and staff recruitment, assignment and 
development to meet service unit, area, and tribal needs; (8) provides 
increased awareness for health promotion and disease prevention and the 
maintenance of health; (9) coordinates and monitors contracts and 
grants with I/T/Us and other entities; (10) coordinates model diabetes 
program sites and provides support and direction to I/T/Us on diabetes 
related issues; (11) develops and disseminates information and 
materials to IHS facilities and (I/T/U); and (12) develops program 
budget materials and responds to congressional and department 
inquiries.
    Division of Nursing Services (GAB13). (1) Manages the IHS Nursing 
Services, Women's Health, and Community Health Representative programs 
and advocates for program needs; (2) plans, develops, coordinates, and 
evaluates nursing and the community health representative program; (3) 
identifies and establishes standards for nursing services and the 
community health representative program; (4) provides leadership, 
professional guidance, and staff development; (5) plans, develops, 
coordinates, manages, and evaluates nursing education; (6) coordinates 
the assignment and development of professional staff, including nursing 
recruitment staff, and scholarship recipients, to meet Service Unit, 
Area, and tribal needs in accordance with IHS policies and procedures; 
(7) provides guidance in planning, developing, and maintaining 
management information systems; and (8) prepares budgetary data, 
analysis and program evaluations and prepares information for program 
and budget presentations and congressional hearings.
    Division of Oral Health (GAB14). (1) Plans, develops, coordinates, 
and evaluates dental health programs; (2) establishes staffing, 
procedural, facility, and dental contract standards; (3) coordinates 
professional recruitment, assignment, and staff development; (4) 
improves effectiveness and efficiency of dental programs; (5) develops 
resource opportunities and monitors utilization of resources for dental 
health programs; (6) formulates and allocates dental program budget; 
(7) advocates for oral health needs of AI/AN population; (8) 
coordinates health promotion and disease prevention activities for the 
dental program; and (9) monitors oral health status and treatment needs 
of the AI/AN population.
    Division Contract Care and Risk Management (GAB15). (1) Plans, 
develops, and coordinates the Contract Health Service (CHS) program; 
(2) serves as the primary focal point for Contract Health Support (CHS) 
program operations and policy issues, and represents CHS in national 
forums; (3) develops, disseminates, and maintains CHS policy and 
procedures manual; (4) conducts CHS program reviews on a recurring, 
scheduled basis; (5) monitors the implementation of the IHS payment 
policy and reports the status to the Director, OPH; (6) administers the 
Catastrophic Health Emergency Fund; (7) administers the CHS Quality 
Assurance Fund; (8) administers the CHS claims adjudication activity 
for the IHS Headquarters; (9) administers the IHS fiscal intermediary 
contract and conducts data analysis; (10) coordinates the development 
of the CHS budget and the allocation of resources; (11) provides 
consultation to Headquarters and Area offices, and responds to 
inquiries from the Congress, tribes, and other Federal agencies; (12) 
serves as the primary source of technical and policy advice and 
consultation for IHS Headquarters and the OPH on risk management, 
quality assurance, and workers compensation; (13) manages the clinical 
features of tort claims against the IHS; (14) develops and disseminates 
clinical and personal risk management recommendations; (15) manages the 
IHS workman's compensation claims; and (16) oversees IHS efforts in a 
variety of quality assurance and improvement activities.
    Office of Environmental Health and Engineering (GAB2). (1) Serves 
as the primary source of technical and policy advice for IHS 
Headquarters and Area offices, tribal, and urban public health programs 
on the full scope of health care facilities, sanitation facilities 
construction (SFC) and management, environmental health, environmental 
engineering, clinical engineering, and realty services management; (2) 
develops objectives, priorities, standards, and methodologies for the 
conduct and evaluation of environmental health, environmental 
engineering, and facilities engineering and management activities; (3) 
coordinates the formulation of the IHS Facilities budget request and 
responds to all inquiries about the budget request and programs funded 
by the IHS Facilities appropriation; (4) maintains needs-based and 
workload-based methodologies for equitable resource distribution for 
all funds appropriated under the IHS Facilities appropriation; (5) 
provides leadership, consultation, and staff development to assure 
functional, safe, and well-maintained health care facilities, a 
comprehensive environmental health program, and the availability of 
water, sewer, and solid waste facilities for Indian homes and 
communities; and (6) coordinates the IHS responses to disasters and 
other emergency situations.
    Division of Sanitation Facilities Construction (GAB21). (1) 
Develops, implements, and manages the environmental engineering 
programs including the SFC program, and compliance activities 
associated with environmental protection and historic preservation 
legislation; (2) provides agency-wide management assistance and special 
support/consultation to address special environmental public health 
problems, environmental engineering/construction activities and 
compliance with environmental legislation; (3) works closely with other 
Federal agencies to resolve environmental issues and maximize benefits 
to tribes by coordinating program efforts; (4) develops, implements, 
and evaluates agency program activities, objectives, policies, plans, 
guidelines, and standardized data systems for SFC activities; (5) 
consults with tribal groups/organizations in the development and 
implementation of SFC policies and initiatives, and in the 
identification of sanitation needs; (6) maintains a national inventory 
of current tribal sanitation facilities needs,

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and past and present projects to address those needs; and (7) allocates 
financial resources nationwide based on need and workload using the 
national data inventories.
    Division of Environmental Health Services (GAB22). (1) Develops, 
implements, and manages IHS Environmental Health Services programs 
including the Injury Prevention and Institutional Environmental Health 
programs, and serves as the primary source of technical and policy 
advice for IHS Headquarters and Area offices on the full scope of 
environmental health issues and activities; (2) maintains interagency 
relationships with other Federal agencies and tribes to maximize 
interagency and intertribal responses to environmental health issues 
and maximize benefits to tribes by coordinating program efforts; (3) 
provides leadership in identifying and articulating environmental 
health needs of AI/AN populations and support efforts to build tribal 
capacity; (4) provides personnel support services and advocates for 
environmental health providers; (5) maintains, analyzes, makes 
accessible, and publishes results from national data bases; (6) manages 
resource allocation activities in accordance with established criteria 
based on workload; (7) develops and evaluates standards and guidelines 
for environmental health programs and activities; and (8) performs 
functions related to environmental health programs such as injury 
prevention, emergency response, water quality, food sanitation, 
occupational health and safety, solid and hazardous waste management, 
environmental health issues in health care and non-health care 
institutions, and vector control.
    Division of Facilities Operations (GAB23). (1) Develops, 
implements, and manages the programs affecting health care facilities 
operations, including routine maintenance and improvement (M&I), 
quarters, realty, and clinical engineering programs; (2) develops, 
implements, monitors, and evaluates agency program activities, 
objectives, policies, plans, guidelines, and standardized data systems 
for health care facilities operations; (3) serves as principal resource 
for coordination of facilities operations and provides consultation to 
IHS and the tribes on health care facilities operations; (4) maintains 
realty and quarters management systems; (5) maintains clinical 
engineering management systems; (6) formulates financial resources 
allocation methodologies nation-wide based on need and workload data; 
(7) maintains nation-wide data on Federal and tribal facilities for 
program budget justification; and (8) develops and evaluates technical 
standards and guidelines for health care facilities operations.
    Division of Facilities Planning and Construction (GAB24). (1) 
Develops, implements, and manages IHS Health Care Facilities Planning 
and Construction program, including the facilities planning process, 
facilities design process, facilities acquisition, and construction 
project management; (2) develops, implements, monitors, and evaluates 
agency program activities, objectives, policies, plans, guidelines, and 
standardized data systems for health care facilities planning and 
construction; (3) develops and maintains construction priority systems 
and develops project budget documents for the health care facilities 
construction program; (4) serves as the principal resource in providing 
leadership, guidance, and coordination of health care facilities 
engineering activities for the IHS Headquarters, Area offices, and I/T/
Us; (5) monitors construction activities and the improvement, 
alteration, and repair of health care facilities; and (6) develops and 
evaluates technical standards and guidelines for health care facilities 
construction.
    Division of Engineering Services (Dallas, Seattle) (GAB25). (1) 
Administers health care facilities engineering and construction 
projects for specified Area offices and administers the engineering and 
construction of certain projects for other Federal agencies through 
interagency agreements; (2) carries out management activities relating 
to IHS-owned and utilized health care facilities, including 
construction, contracting, realty, and leasing services; (3) serves as 
the source of engineering and contracting expertise for assigned 
programs/projects and other technical programmatic areas affecting the 
planning, design, alteration, leasing, and construction of IHS health 
care and sanitation facilities for Indian homes and communities; (4) 
assists in the development of Area office annual work plans, and in 
studies, investigations, surveys, audits, facilities planning, and 
technical standards development, related to IHS tribal health care 
facilities.
    Section GAB-20, Office of Public Health--Delegations of Authority. 
All delegations and redelegations made to officials in the Office of 
Public Health that were in effect immediately prior to this 
reorganization, and that are consistent with this reorganization, shall 
continue in effect pending further redelegation.
    This reorganization shall be effective on the date of signature.

    Dated: October 13, 2000.
Michael H. Trujillo,
Director, Assistant Surgeon General.
[FR Doc. 00-28695 Filed 11-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-16-M