1. Behavioral Health Initiative Funding Update

2. Timeline of NTAC and Behavioral Health Initiative recommendations
May-August 2018 Consult and Confer period
NTAC discussed at meetings in Oct 2018, Dec 2018 and March 2019
March 14, 2019 NTAC sends letter with recommendations to RADM Weahkee
June 17, 2019 Face-to-Face meeting with NTAC and IHS senior leadership

3. Current status of NTAC Recommendations
At June meeting RADM Weahkee verbally requested broader input on the NTAC recommendations
IHS is preparing a letter to announce additional opportunity for Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer

4. New IHS Opioid Grant Program

5. IHS Opioid Grant Pilot Program
In FY 2019 The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6), provided a $10 million increase in the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program budget line to better combat the opioid epidemic by creating a Special Behavioral Health Pilot Program (SBHPP), modeled after the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.

6. IHS Opioid Grant Pilot Program
The explanatory statement further instructs the IHS that this Special Behavioral Health Pilot Program shall be developed in coordination with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)…
IHS has met with SAMHSA staff to review their Tribal Opioid Response grant in order to avoid duplication and gather lessons learned

7. IHS Opioid Grant Pilot Program
…Grants for supporting the development, documentation, and sharing of locally designed and culturally appropriate prevention, treatment, recovery, and aftercare services for mental health and substance use disorders in American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and
Providing services and technical assistance to grantees to collect and evaluate performance of the program.

8. Open Tribal Consultation & Urban Confer period
Dear Tribal Leader letter issued June 19
Virtual Tribal Consultation held June 25 and July 9.
Virtual Urban Confer held June 27.
Recordings of Virtual Sessions available here:
Face-to-Face Consultation scheduled July 31 at the Direct Services Tribes National Meeting in Albuquerque

9. Open Comments 
Which priorities need to be considered in developing grant program objectives and goals to address opioid prevention, treatment and recovery?
What are the associated national outcomes with each of the priorities identified?
How can the IHS demonstrate effectiveness using data and evaluation methods?
What distribution formula or methodology should be utilized in the selection and award process?

10. Written Comments Encouraged
Written comments will be accepted through the duration of the Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer comment period. The deadline to provide comments is Thursday, August 1, 2019.
Send comments by to: or
Subject Line: IHS FY 2019 Opioid Grant Funds

11. Written Comments Encouraged
Written comments will be accepted through the duration of the Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer comment period. The deadline to provide comments is Thursday, August 1, 2019.
Send comments by postal mail to:
RADM Michael D. Weahkee
Principal Deputy Director
Indian Health Service
5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 08E86
Rockville, MD 20857
Attention: IHS FY 2019 Opioid Grant Funds