[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59601-59602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-22333]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


National Indian Health Board

AGENCY: Indian Health Services, HHS.

ACTION: Notice to supplement the single-source cooperative agreement 
with the National Indian Health Board.

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SUMMARY: The Indian Health Service (IHS) announces a supplement to the 
single-source cooperative agreement award to the National Indian Health 
Board (NIHB) for costs in providing advice and technical assistance to 
federally recognized Tribes in the area of health care policy analysis 
and program development. Under the original cooperative agreement 
published in the Federal Register, 69 FR 11447, on March 10, 2004, the 
NIHB provides advice, consultation, and health care advocacy to the IHS 
based on Tribal input through a broad-based consumer network involving 
the Area Health Boards or Health Board representatives from each of the 
12 IHS Areas. In addition, the NIHB communicates with Tribes and Tribal 
organizations concerning health issues, disseminates health care 
information, improves and expands access for American Indians and 
Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribal Governments to all available programs in 
the Department of Health and Human services (HHS), and coordinates the 
Tribal consultation activities associated with formulating the IHS 
annual budget request. The program supplement to the single-source 
cooperative agreement is for $622,730 of one time funding for use 
during the current budget period in effect from 03/15/2004 to 12/31/
2004. The annual funding levels of this single-source cooperative 
agreement is approximately $230,000, subject to the availability of 
appropriations.

Justification for Program Expansion Supplement

    The program expansion supplement is issued under the authority of 
the Public Health Service Act, Section 301(a), and is included under 
the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 93.933. This 
supplemental funding is related to the original goals of the 
cooperative agreement and does represent an expansion of activities 
within the present scope of work. The Federal Register notice for the 
sole-source cooperative agreement award can be found in 69 FR 11447, 
published on March 10, 2004. The specific objectives and justifications 
for this program supplement are as follows:
    1. Assistance to States, Tribal Governments, and the HHS Policy 
Academy to address the needs of young AI/AN adults with disabilities.
    Assistance on this joint initiative of the Office of Disability, 
HHS and the IHS will result in the development of an action plan to 
address the needs of young AI/AN adults with disabilities who are 
between 16-30 years of age. It is necessary that the HHS Office of 
Disabilities and the States have access to the expertise and experience 
of the NIHB in order to meet the culturally diverse needs if AI/AN 
youth with disabilities. The involvement of NIHB in the Policy Academy 
will ensure that the HHS Office of Disabilities and the States are kept 
informed of the AI/AN consumer perspective throughout all activities. 
This task is consistent with the NIHB goal of improving access for AI/
AN people to the programs of HHS.
    2. Assistance to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
(CMS) for outreach and education within the AI/AN community.
    Funding has been transferred through an Intra-Agency agreement 
between CMS and the IHS to supplement the NIHB cooperative agreement. 
The NIHB will be tasked with implementing outreach and education 
activities specific to AI/AN beneficiaries regarding the Medicare-
approved drug discount card and the transitional assistance program, 
both of which are authorized under the provisions of the Medicare 
Modernization Act. The CMS support for this initiative is in 
recognition of NIHB's capability to systematically disseminate 
pertinent and timely health care information to AI/AN Tribal 
Governments and Health Boards. The NIHB's dissemination activity is 
funded within the organization's present scope of work. This effort is 
also consistent with the NIHB goal of expanding access by AI/ANs to 
other programs of the HHS.
    3. Assistance to the CMS in the development of a strategic plan for 
AI/ANs.
    In recognition of the NIHB's status as the only national Indian 
organization that is representative of Tribal Governments and has 
expertise in AI/AN health issues, the CMS has transferred funds through 
a second Intra-Agency Agreement between CMS

[[Page 59602]]

and the IHS. The purpose of the agreement is to support NIHB assistance 
to the Agency in developing a strategic plan to improve CMS' services 
to eligible AI/AN beneficiaries. This is consistent with goals in the 
scope of work in which NIHB seeks to establish relationships with 
Federal agencies to service as a health advocate for AI/AN people and 
expand services to them from other HHS agencies.
    4. Assistance in the implementation of the IHS Director's Health 
Promotion/Disease Prevention (HP/DP) Initiative.
    The Director, IHS, has announced this initiative in conjunction 
with President Bush's ``Healthier U.S. Initiative'' and HHS Secretary 
Thompson's ``Steps to a Healthier U.S.'' to reduce health disparities 
among AI/AN people. This initiative is a strategic approach to 
strengthening prevention efforts to improve the health and wellness of 
AI/AN families through expanded collaboration with Federal and non-
Federal partners. The IHS will support this prevention effort, in part, 
through a partnership with NIHB in promoting physical activity in AI/AN 
communities under a program called ``Just Move it.'' The NIHB will 
assist the IHS in managing this particular HP/DP Initiative by hosting 
a Web site for Tribal communities to become ``Just Move It'' partners, 
marketing this effort to Tribes, etc. These activities are consistent 
with the NIHB goals of systematically disseminating pertinent and 
timely health care information to AI/AN communities and establishing 
relationships with other organizations to serve as advocates for 
improved Indian health.
    5. Assistance to the IHS in the evaluation of the current 
relationships between schools of public health and AI/AN communities.
    In order to determine the current relationships between schools of 
public health and AI/AN communities, the NIHB will assist the IHS in 
developing a baseline report of research activities and existing 
partnerships. The NIHB will serve in an advisory capacity to the IHS 
and the Association of Schools of Public Health on this initiative. The 
organization has the expertise and experience to provide technical 
assistance on issues related to working in Indian Country such as 
infrastructure, Tribal Government protocols, cultural and legal aspects 
of sovereignty, and the appropriateness of products and deliverables. 
The objective of this effort will result in recommendations on 
improving the public health infrastructure in AI/AN communities. The 
purpose of this report is consistent with the NIHB goals of developing 
relationships with other organizations and professional groups in order 
to serve as an advocate for improved AI/AN health care.

Justification for Single Source

    This project has been awarded on a non-competitive, single-source 
basis. The NIHB is the only national AI/AN organization with health 
expertise that represents the interest of all federally recognized 
Tribes.

Use of Cooperative Agreement

    The program supplement to the original cooperative agreement has 
been awarded because of anticipated substantial programmatic 
involvement by IHS staff in the project. The substantial programmatic 
involvement includes the following:
    (1) The IHS staff will have approval over the hiring of key 
personnel as defined by regulation or provision in the cooperative 
agreement.
    (2) The IHS will provide technical assistance to the NIHB as 
requested and attend and participate in all NIHB board meetings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Douglas Black, Director, Office of 
Tribal Programs, Office of the Director, Indian Health Service, 801 
Thompson Avenue, Reyes Building, Suite 220 Rockville, Maryland 20852, 
(301) 443-1104. For grants information, contact Ms. Sylvia Ryan, Grants 
Management Specialist, Division of Grants Policy, 12300 Twinbrook 
Parkway, Suite 100, Rockville, Maryland 20852, (301) 443-5204.

    Dated: September 28, 2004.
Charles W. Grim,
Assistant Surgeon General, Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 04-22333 Filed 10-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-16-M