- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country last week.
HHS Tribal Consultation and Engagement Updates
HHS Announces Tribal Consultation on New Strategy for Tribes to Access the Strategic National Stockpile: On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order 14001 on a Sustainable Public Health Supply Chain, which directs actions to secure supplies necessary for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as future public health emergencies. In response, a working group led by the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) reviewed recommendations received during Tribal Consultation in the fall of 2021 to develop the attached draft plan (Link EO 14001 pdf). As part of this new round of Tribal consultation (link DTLL), Tribal leaders are invited to a virtual consultation on March 20, 2023, at 2:00pm – 4:00pm ET. You can register HERE. Written comments can be submitted to [email protected] by April 24, 2023.
Save the Date – HHS Annual Tribal Budget Consultation Coming on April 18-19, 2023: The Annual Tribal Budget Consultation provides a forum for Tribes to collectively share their views and priorities with HHS officials on national health and human services funding priorities and make recommendations on HHS's FY 2025 budget request. This year's consultation will take place in-person at the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C. As in the past, HHS will work with Tribal leaders to improve the consultation process through biweekly planning calls. Tribal leaders are asked to register for one of three calls: March 1, March 15, and March 29, all taking place at 3:00pm ET (register HERE ). Tribal leaders can meet one-on-one with HHS agencies during the consultation (available in-person only). We note that registration for the one-on-one sessions is separate from the main consultation. Please see this Dear Tribal Leader Letter for more.
Save the Date – HHS Annual Regional Tribal Consultations this Summer 2023: Each of the ten HHS regions will again be hosting consultations with regional Tribes to discuss programmatic issues and Tribal priorities. Each session will include one-on-one opportunities with regional leadership. The sessions will largely take place in-person, with two regions offering virtual. The save the dates are noted in the same Dear Tribal Leader Letter as the Annual Tribal Budget Consultation. More details will be coming directly from each region to the Tribes in that region.
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Tribal Consultation on Child Support Issues: The ACF Office of Child Support Enforcement will consult with Tribes on April 6, 2023, from 9:00am to 4:00pm ET on programmatic, regulatory, and legislative priorities. To facilitate the discussion, ACF invites input on discussion questions posed in the Dear Tribal Leader Letter . Tribes have the option of attending in-person in Atlantic City, New Jersey, or virtually. Written comments are requested by May 6 to [email protected].
Indian Health Service (IHS) Webinar on Medicaid Unwinding: IHS, in collaboration with the National Indian Health Board, is conducting an informational webinar on implications of the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency on the Medicaid program. The session will take place on March 1 from 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET (register HERE ). Topics covered will include unwinding updates and best practices for Tribal enrollment assisters, including healthcare provider communication and education strategies with patients.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Tribal gaming revenues hit record $43.9B as growth streak continues
Senate Committee Advances Bipartisan Shadow Wolves Improvement Act to Boost Tribal Border Security and Law Enforcement Careers
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
