On February 28, 2023, APA Services advocacy staff joined representatives from the American Academy of Pediatrics to talk with the staff of Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) about the unique health disparities faced by Native American children, the need for advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS), and recruitment and workforce retention at the IHS.
The association expressed the need for funding for programs that specifically address the health and mental health needs of Native American children, who are at high risk for suicide and other health conditions like diabetes. The delegation also emphasized the importance of advance appropriations for IHS, as this would ensure ample time for the agency to plan how to spend its resources, thus increasing access to mental health services for Native children. Without advance appropriations, if Congress is not able to meet its appropriations deadlines and pass appropriations bills on time, agencies are not able to dispense funding to various programs on time.
Finally, the delegation highlighted that the IHS has a 29% vacancy rate for healthcare professionals, and discussed supporting bills that would improve recruitment and retention at the agency to improve health outcomes for Native American youth.
APA Services will continue to advocate for programs that support the mental health of Native children and their families.
For more information, contact Serena Dávila.