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Tribal health leaders urge full IHS funding, maternal‑infant care investments
Summary
Witnesses at the Senate Indian Affairs priorities hearing urged Congress to move toward full Indian Health Service funding, expand behavioral health resources, and prioritize maternal and infant health improvements after reports of elevated mortality rates and chronic underfunding.
At a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing focused on tribal priorities, William “Chief Bill” Smith, chair of the National Indian Health Board, told senators that the Indian Health System is “dramatically underfunded” and urged Congress to provide full and mandatory funding to honor federal trust and treaty responsibilities.
Why it matters: Witnesses said current funding shortfalls limit services for behavioral health, maternal and infant care, and workforce recruitment and retention.…
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