[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 192 (Wednesday, October 3, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50442-50443]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-24769]


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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 Bemidji Area Indian Health Service 
(GFE). The changes are as follows:
    Delete the functional statements for the Bemidji Area in their 
entirety and replace with the following:
    Section GFE-00, Bemidji Area Indian Health Service-Mission. The 
Bemidji Area 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 Bemidji Area IHS 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 GFE-10, Functions. Office of the Director (GFE1). (1) 
Plans, develops and directs the Area program within the framework of 
IHS policy in pursuit of the IHS mission; (2) coordinates the IHS 
activities and resources internally and externally with those of other 
governmental and non-governmental programs; (3) ensures the full 
application of the principles of Indian Preference and Equal Employment 
Opportunity; (4) provides Indian Tribes and other Indian community 
groups with ways of participating in the development of Indian health 
programs through the use of communications with the Tribal Health Board 
that develop the goals and objectives of the Bemidji Area IHS; and (5) 
promotes optimum utilization of health care services through 
development of networking strategies between State Health Offices and 
IHS Tribal participation.
    Office of Self-Determination (GFE1-1). (1) Plans, coordinates, 
evaluates, directs, and implements Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self 
Determination and Education Assistance Act program; (2) plans, 
coordinates, evaluates, directs and implements Public Law 106-260, 
Section 513, the Tribal Self-Governance Amendments of 2000; (3) 
develops, coordinates, and monitors the program aspects of Tribal 
contracts and grants; (4) provides technical assistance to Tribal 
organizations and urban groups; (5) coordinates and stimulates 
consultant activities designed to promote Indian participation in IHS 
health programs; (6) serves as liaison with State and Tribal 
governments as well as with other agencies and organizations; (7) 
provides a bi-annual report to Tribes and Federal Service Units on the 
state of public health in the Bemidji Area; (8) interprets policy and 
provides direction in the conduct of Self-Determination, contracting,

[[Page 50443]]

compacting and grants activities; and (9) plans, develops, and provides 
analyses of resource allocation methodologies for distribution of funds 
to Tribes and Service Units.
    Division of Contracting (GFE1-2). (1) Interprets policy and 
provides direction in the conduct of the Bemidji Area procurement and 
grants activities; (2) administers contracts awarded to health care 
organizations for urban health and substance abuse services in the 
Bemidji Area; and (3) manages contract activities for sanitation 
processes and Self-Determination contract procedures.
    Office of Program Support (GFE2). (1) Plans, directs, and evaluates 
on all matters related to Area management and administrative support 
activities in the area of financial management, personnel management, 
area procurement, and Service Unit operations; (2) interprets policy 
and provides direction in the conduct of the Area business office 
functions; (3) maintains necessary liaison with various components of 
the IHS and the PHS in furtherance of Area management activities; (4) 
advises the Area Director on all matters related to the administrative 
operations of the Area office and Service Unit operations; (5) 
coordinates and stimulates activities designed to promote Indian 
participation in IHS health programs; (6) plans, evaluates, coordinates 
and implements the Area environmental health service programs, the 
Facilities Management Branch, and Biomedical Engineering Branch; (7) 
provides direction in constructing, improving and extending essential 
sanitation facilities in Indian homes and communities; and (8) provides 
direction in constructing, maintaining and improving IHS health 
facilities.
    Environmental Health & Engineering Branch (GFE2-1). (1) Coordinates 
activities designed to identify problems and effect improvement in 
Indian homes, communities, and work and institutional environments; (2) 
provides advisory and consultative services regarding sanitation 
practices, hazardous conditions and those physical, social and 
behavioral factors which affect the environment; and (3) provides 
management of owned and leased real property, including quarters.
    Finance Staff (GFE2-2). (1) Provides guidance to the Area on 
financial management activities including program policy interpretation 
in budget formulation and execution; (2) provides financial management 
of grants and contracts; and (3) monitors Area funds, controls, and 
provides status reports to Area management.
    Personnel Staff (GFE2-3). (1) Plans, coordinates, implements, 
develops the hiring/staffing program to ensure the placement of 
qualified staff in the Bemidji Area.
    Management Analysis Staff (GFE2-4). (1) Plans, coordinates, 
implements, develops the administrative programs in the Bemidji Area in 
directives, delegation control program, record management and all 
office services functions.
    Office of Clinical Support (GFE3). (1) Plans, coordinates, 
implements, develops and evaluates a national recruitment/retention 
program to ensure a cadre of qualified health professionals are 
available in the Bemidji Area; (2) identifies program resources in 
collaboration with State, private and other Federal agencies for public 
health focuses and ensures that all health care services delivered in 
the Bemidji Area are of the highest quality compatible with available 
resources; (3) plans, coordinates, implements, directs and evaluates 
the Area clinical elements as identified by Tribal and congressional 
mandates; (4) provides for the evaluation and assessment of health data 
collection activities for the Bemidji Area; (5) coordinates specific 
health related data collection activities by Tribes and IHS; (6) 
interprets policy and provides direction in the conduct of the Area 
contract health program; (7) provides guidance and direction regarding 
the Area's information resources management; and (8) advises the Area 
Director on all matters related to health care programs.
    Management Information Systems Branch (GFE3-1). (1) Provides 
guidance and direction regarding the Area's information resources 
management; (2) develops, coordinates and maintains Area policy and 
standards concerning information resources management; and (3) 
installs, maintains and troubleshoots Resource and Patients Management 
System (RPMS) computer equipment.
    Behavioral Health Staff (GFE3-2). (1) Plans, coordinates, 
implements Area activities related to mental health and substance 
abuse, including state liaison, development of quality improvement 
efforts, collaboration on software training for case management and 
data collection.
    Health Resource Management Staff (GFE3-3). (1) Works with Tribal 
Service Unit programs through the provision of technical assistance on 
all aspects of the contract health service program, including 
development of equitable allocation methods and policy formulation.
    Health Professions Recruitment Staff (GFE3-4). (1) Provides 
assistance to Federal Service Units and Tribal programs in the 
recruitment of physicians, dentists, mid-level provider staff and 
allied health staff.
    Health Information Staff (GFE3-5). (1) Serves as software program 
manager for all health service data collection; (2) coordinates Health 
Promotion/Disease Prevention initiatives; (3) develops surveillance 
process for Government Performance and Results Act; (4) provides 
training on RPMS software program; and (5) provides technical 
assistance for accreditation of quality improvement, privacy act, and 
information coordination.
    Section GFE-20, Bemidji Area, IHS--Delegation of Authority. All 
delegations and redelegations of authority made to officials in the 
Bemidji Area, IHS 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: September 27, 2001.
Michael H. Trujillo,
Assistant Surgeon General, Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 01-24769 Filed 10-2-01; 8:45 am]
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