The Indian Health Service (IHS) has announced that the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) has been reauthorized by Congress at $200 million for fiscal year 2026, marking a $41 million increase over the previous fiscal year’s funding level.
In a May 21, 2026, Dear Tribal Leader and Urban Indian Organization Leader Letter, IHS confirmed the funding increase and outlined plans to distribute administrative supplemental awards to the program’s current 310 grant recipients.
According to the agency, the one-time administrative supplements will be funded through unobligated SDPI funds and provided to existing grantees for calendar year 2026. Because SDPI operates on a calendar-year funding cycle, recipients are expected to receive the remainder of their annual funding on or before June 30, 2026.
In addition to announcing the supplemental awards, IHS said it plans to initiate Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer sessions to gather input on how the additional funding authorized through the FY 2026 reauthorization should be used. The agency said further details about the consultation and confer process will be released at a later date.
The reauthorization, supplemental funding announcement, and planned consultation process underscore continued federal recognition of SDPI’s success in improving diabetes prevention and treatment outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
The developments also reflect years of advocacy by the Tribal Leaders Diabetes Committee, which has worked to secure sustained funding and support for the program and its efforts to address disproportionately high rates of diabetes in Tribal communities.
