Indian Health Service (IHS) Funding and Resources

Provides funding for loan repayment for healthcare professionals in exchange for 2-year service obligations at Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Helps recruit and retain qualified practitioners in facilities with the greatest staffing needs in specific health profession disciplines, including primary care and behavioral health.

Supports efforts to address the opioid crisis in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities through locally designed prevention, treatment, recovery, and aftercare services for mental health and substance use disorder (SUD). Aims to raise awareness and education of opioid interventions that are family-centered and culturally appropriate, create comprehensive community opioid support teams, and increase the use of medication-assisted treatment (MAT)/medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to meet treatment needs and reduce opioid overdose in AI/AN communities. COIPP is an initiative of IHS's Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Expands access to social detoxification services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/NA) populations impacted by alcohol use disorder (AUD) or substance use disorder (SUD) in McKinley County, New Mexico. Supports programs that include the 3 critical components of community-based social detoxification: evaluation, stabilization, and fostering patient readiness for and entry into treatment. PARD is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Supports American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in successfully transitioning back into the community after completing treatment at an Indian Health Services (IHS) Youth Regional Treatment Center (YRTC). Provides culturally adapted aftercare and case management services focused on whole-person wellness and community engagement to help youth achieve and sustain safety and sobriety, with an emphasis on employability as a means of achieving program goals. YRTC is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Supports community-driven efforts to deliver evidence-based, culturally appropriate substance use prevention, treatment, and aftercare services for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Works to expand access to behavioral health services; improve care coordination and cross-system collaboration; and engage family, youth, and community resources to reduce substance use disorder (SUD) and overall substance misuse in tribal communities. SASP is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Collaborates with tribal stakeholders across the U.S. to address issues related to the treatment of chronic pain and the use of heroin and prescription opioids among tribal populations. Works to promote appropriate and effective pain management, reduce opioid overdose deaths, and improve access to culturally appropriate substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Workgroup focus areas include prescriber support, treatment and recovery, harm reduction, program effectiveness metrics, technical assistance, and communications.

Operates 13 tribally and federally operated residential treatment facilities located across the U.S. to address substance use disorder (SUD) and/or co-occurring mental health disorders (COD) among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and their families at no cost. Provides a range of education and culture-based prevention initiatives, evidence-based and practice-based models of treatment, family strengthening and recreational activities designed to help AI/AN youth overcome challenges related to mental health and substance use. Promotes holistic, culturally responsive care that integrates clinical services with traditional healing, spiritual values, and cultural identification in a substance-free residential environment to support AI/AN youth in achieving their treatment goals and leading healthy, resilient lives.

Provides an overview of how Indian Health Service (IHS) is working to address behavioral health in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Describes behavioral issues affecting individuals and families, such as alcohol and substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, suicide, domestic violence, and behavior-related chronic disease.

Provides comprehensive mental health services for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals and families. Offers community and clinical-based treatments and services, including mental health treatment and support for substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD).

Manages the Indian Health Service (IHS) wide area network, which enables the effective use of electronic health records (EHR) and ensures the secure exchange of electronic health information (EHI) between healthcare providers in order to improve healthcare quality and efficiency. Provides internet access and network connectivity to over 400 federal, tribal, and urban healthcare facilities in the IHS Wide Area Network that serve American Indian and Alaska Native people across 35 states, as well as to healthcare partners, such as insurance providers, laboratory services, and pharmacies.

Provides an overview of Indian Health Service's (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive Services (OCPS) which is responsible for developing and managing clinical, preventive, and public health programs for IHS that cover a wide range of services, including alcohol and substance use and other behavioral health programs. Serves as an advocate for Native American health issues at the national level. Sets policy and budget priorities for IHS Area Offices and health facilities. Offers technical support to local clinical and preventive health programs.

Offers comprehensive information and resources on the use of prescription opioids, managing chronic pain, and opioid use disorder (OUD) for patients and providers, specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and Indian Health Service (IHS) providers. Includes online tools, technical assistance resources, guides, and training for patients and providers on topics such as opioid crisis data, opioid prevention, proper pain management, opioid prescribing/stewardship, culturally appropriate practices, maternal health, harm reduction, naloxone use, drug checking, child health and wellness, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), tele-MAT, trauma-informed care, best practices, supportive services, wellness courts, and training opportunities. Resource is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).