2017 Health & Welfare News Stories
For the children: Inter-tirbal Task Force tackles policy solutions (Oklahoma Welcome News) 12/30/17
New Mexico delegation announces disaster declaration to help Pueblo of Acoma recover from October storms (U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce) 12/21/17
MN Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe suing pharmaceutical companies over opioid crisis (KVRR) 12/20/17
Report faults Department of Justice for public safety issues in Indian Country (Indianz) 12/18/17
Chicksaw Nation releases resourceful app specially made for parents (Native News Online) 12/16/17
Indian Child Welfare Act under attack again as conservative group submits appeal to Supreme Court (Indianz) 12/12/17
Navajo Nation signs contract to implement AMBER Alert system on reservation (Indianz) 12/14/17 (See 115th Congress S.772)
Crime data in Native American tribal lands 'virtually useless': watchdog (SRN News) 12/14/17
Native Americans feel invisible in U.S. health care system (NPR) 12/12/17
Legislation introduced to increase high-speed internet access in Indian Country (Native News Online) 12/10/17 (See 115th Congress S.2205)
Senate committee approves bill to fund victim services programs in Indian Country (Indianz) 12/7/17 (See 115th Congress S.1870)
Native Americans are some of the most vulnerable to sex trafficking (Fronteras) 12/7/17
Ponca Tribe prepares for brighter future with plans for $26 million health center (Indianz) 12/6/17
Ho-Chunk's Journey of Hope Conference provides encouragement for diabetes patients (Madison 365) 12/6/17
Senate approves AMBER Alert for Native American reservations (8KPAX) 12/1/17 (See 115th Congress S.772)
ICWA race-based challenge rejected by the Supreme Court (The National Law Review) 11/30/17 (See S.S. v. Stephanie H.)
Tribal First acquires American Indian Health Services (Morning Star) 11/28/17
Udall, Lujan introduce legislation to address health disparities for Native Americans living in ubran areas off reservations (Newswires) 11/23/17 (See 115th Congress H.R. 4443)
Paiute Tribe elders navigate a faltering health care system (High Country News) 11/23/17
As Native Americans face job discrimination, a tribe works to employ its own (NPR) 11/18/17
Leech Lake Wellness Court honored by U of M (The Bemidji Pioneer) 11/15/17
Native American women face high rates of violence, but fear discrimination in courts (Global Citizen) 11/15/17
Winnebago Tribe asserts self-determination in hopes of fixing troubled hospital (Indianz) 11/15/17 (See 115th Congress S.1250, H.R. 2662)
Dakota Access Pipeline opponents aim to hold law enforcement accountable for brutal tactics
(Indianz) 11/14/17
For Native Americans facing sexual assault, justice feels out of reach (KPCC) 11/14/17
UB social work researcher receives major grant to help unify Native American families (University of Buffalo) 11/14/17
Poll finds more than one-third of Native Americans report slurs, violence, harassment, and being discriminated against in the workplace (Havard School of Public Health) 11/14/17
The forgotten minority in police shootings (CNN) 11/13/17
How the Opioid Crisis is affecting Native Americans (NPR) 11/11/17
Three years after attack, urban Indian population remains vulnerable (New Mexico in Depth) 11/8/17
Tribe threatens to ban hospital officials over contract controversy (Rapid City Journal) 11/8/17
Another Indian Health Service hospital placed in 'immediate jeopardy' status (Indianz) 11/6/17 (See 115th Congress S.465, S.1250, H.R.2662)
ACLU explores issues facing tribes in Montana (Char-Koosta News) 11/2/17
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges releases Indian Child Welfare Act Judicial Benchbook (Nevada Business) 11/1/17
Native Americans, among the most harmed by the opioid epidemic, are often left out of conversation (The Washington Post) 10/30/17
Sens. Murray, Merkley, Cantwell, Wyden and Rep. Blumenauer demand answers after Trump administration's decision hatlts work on tribal housing plan along Columbia River (U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley) 10/30/17
Uduall urges enhanced public safety, more resources for crime and victim services in Indian Country (LA Daily Post) 10/26/17 (See 115th Congress S.1870, S.1953, S.1942)
To grow health and economies, some tribes look away from IHS (KUNM) 10/25/17
Sens. Franken, Murkowski make bipartisan push to bring justive to Native survivors of sexual violence (U.S. Senator Al Franken) 10/19/17 (See 115th Congress S.1986)
Alaska and its tribes sign child services compact (Alaska Public Media) 10/19/17 (See Turtle Talk Materials)
Cherokee Nation, grappling with opioid crisis, takes action (CBS News) 10/17/17
Northern California tribes face down massive wildfires (High Country News) 10/13/17
President Trump nominates Quapaw citizen Robert Weaver to lead Indian Health Service (Indianz) 10/9/17
Congress approves yet another short-term extension for Indian diabetes program (Indianz) 10/9/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.3823)
Canada to pay indigenous people taken from their homes (Boston Globe) 10/6/17
Sen. Heitkamp introduces bill to address 'epidemic' of missing and murdered Native women (Indianz) 10/5/17 (See 115th Congress S.1942)
Oklahoma tribes awarded $18 million to tackle policing and criminal justice (NewsOK) 10/5/17
Nebraska court ends beer sales near South Dakota reservation (The Washington Post) 9/29/17
Hawai'i Senators introduce bill to reauthorize Native Hawaiian housing programs (US Senator Brian Schatz)9/29/17 (See 115th Congress S.1895)
Cortez Masto cosponsors bipartisan Survive Act for Tribal Victim Services (U.S. Senator Cortez Masto) 9/28/17 (See 115th Congress S.1870)
Hoeven: Reports highlight need for better data to combat human trafficking in Indian Country (United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs) 9/27/17 (See 115th Congress S.1870)
Cronkite News: Republican health bill collapses as Democrats air concerns about tribes (Indianz) 9/27/17
First Nations releases additional resources for food sovereignty assessment efforts and conservation planning for Native American ranchers (WV Always) 9/26/17
What Equal Pay Day looks like for Native American women (Refinery 29) 9/25/17
Tribal housing reveals inequalities in Indian Country (U.S. News) 9/23/17
Udall: Graham-Cassidy Trumpcare bill disatrous for Indian health care (U.S. Senator Tom Udall) 9/22/17
Hoeven: DOJ awards more then $1 million to support sex offender registries for tribes (U.S. Senator John Hoeven) 9/21/17
How will Medicaid cuts affect health care in Indian Country? (High Country News) 9/20/17
Native Americans are over-represented in Montana's prison system. What can be done? (Independent Record) 9/19/17
Secretary of Health and Human Services continues outreach in Indian Country (Indianz) 9/19/17
Rep. Gallagher seeks to increase awarness of Native American youth suicide (U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher) 9/14/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.3473)
Senator Cantwell applauds funding for housing and ecnomomic opportunity in WA native communities (Senator Maria Cantwell) 9/14/17
First-ever abuse hotline open for New Mexico Native Americans (Public News Service) 9/14/17
Mark Trahant: Sen. Sanders prepares bill to fully fund the Indian Health Service (Indianz) 9/13/17
Indian Health Service finally promises to reduce length wait times for patients (Indianz) 9/12/17
Ponca tribe gets grant to battle elder abuse (Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan) 9/11/17
Ranking Member Pallone, Dr. Ruiz introduce bills to reduce tribal health disparities (
Congressman Raul Ruiz) 9/8/17 (See
115th Congress H.R. 3706 and H.R. 3704)
Muckleshoot Indian Tribe recipients of Native Elder Abuse Innovation Award (Auburn Reporter) 9/7/17
States, Tribes implement sex offender registry and notification (South Dakota Ag Connection) 9/7/17
Mark Trahan: Alaska tribes solved their dental healh crisis with unique program (Indianz) 9/6/17
Woman's murder brings new urgency to issue for Native communities (Rewire) 9/6/17
Indigenous nation in western New York works to combat opioid epidemic (The Daily Orange) 9/6/17
Lakota Nation forms International Indigenous Human Rights Office (Public Opinion) 8/31/17
IHS awards grants to three tribes and tribal organizations for self-governance planning and negotiation activities (Indian Health Service) 8/29/17
Tribes face evacuation and floods as Harvey lingers in Texas and hits Louisiana (Indianz) 8/29/17
Chumash's Tribal Health Clinic to offer free dental care to uninsured individuals (Santa Maria Times) 8/28/17
Tester secures more than $1 million to defend Native women and children (U.S. Senator Jon Tester) 8/25/17
Identity: Native health care: it is complicated (Anchorage Press) 8/23/17
Navajo delegates seek to partner in implementation of emergency responder program (Navajo-Hopi) 8/22/17
U.S. probe of Navajo Housing Authority finds no violations (HJ News) 8/22/17
Obesity in Indian Country is mostly the same; why thats incremental progress (Indian Country Today) 8/19/17 (See 115th Congress S.747)
Development group in Billings looks to connect urban American Indians with health care (Billings Gazette) 8/18/17
Cherokee Nation sets blueprint for elimination of Hepatitis C (Pharmacy Times) 8/18/17
Fighting for indigenous inmates and religious rights (Indian Country Today) 8/17/17
New lawsuits say Mormon church failed to protect American Indian children (The Salt Lake Tribune) 8/16/17
Investing in Native youth and their communities (HuffPost) 8/16/17
Tribes hire Oregon's first dental therapist (The PEW Chartitable Trusts) 8/15/17
Federal Indian housing money not going as far as it used to (Indian Country Today) 8/10/17 (See 114th Congress H.R.360)
Winnebago clinic patients may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis (Sioux City Journal) 8/3/17
Grijalava introduces bipartisan legislation to address suicide prevention in Indian country (Congressman Raul M. Grijalva) 7/28/17 (See 115th Congress H.R. 3743)
Housing program puts tribal members on the road to homes (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) 7/31/17
Report confrims Native women suffer from high rate of homicide in United States (Indianz) 7/24/17
U.S. Supreme Court asked to weigh Havasu lawyer's case (Havasu News) 7/20/17
Heitkamp fights to protect Indian Country against devastating cuts in Republican Health Care Bill (U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp) 7/19/17
Medicaid cuts could hurt Oklahoma's Native community (Tulsa Public Radio) 7/17/17
Health care debate should also focus on the thousands of jobs in Indian country (Truthout) 7/13/17
Blackfeet researcher leads her Tribe back to traditional foods (Indian Country Today) 7/13/17
Lawmakers grill Indian Health Service leader on failing care (Fox Business) 7/12/17
Reforming the Indian Health Service (Friends Committe on National Legislation) 7/6/17 (See 115th Congress S.1250, H.R. 2662, H.R. 2689)
Senate proposes 'devastating' health care bill (Indian Country Today) 6/25/17
U.S. Senate committee advances bill to make Native tribes eligible for Amber Alert grants (KTOO Public Media) 6/15/17 (See 115th Congress S.722)
Hawaii leaders say state is under 'attack' with loss of federal funds (Honolulu Civil Beat) 6/13/17 (See 115th Congress S.1275)
Panels examine bills to improve critical tribal health care and housing programs (U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs) 6/13/17 (See 115th Congress S.1250, S.1275, S.1333)
Senators team up to combat Native American veteran homelessness (BBS News) 6/13/17 (See 115th Congress S.1333)
Senate holds hearing on Barrasso's Indian Health Service Accountability Act (Senator John Barrasso) 6/13/17 (See 115th Congress S.1250)
Wal-Mart, other companies ask court to toss Cherokee Nation drug lawsuit (Times Record) 6/9/17
Reichert, Kilmer, Cole, Delbene introduced Tribal Social Security Fairness Act (U.S. Representative Dave Reichert) 6/9/17 (See 115th Congress H.R. 2860)
Obamacare repeal's latest obstacle involves Native Americans (Bloomberg) 6/5/17
Rise in hate crimes alarms Native American communities (VOA) 6/5/17
Senator Heitkamp: We must do more to protect childern in Indian country (Native News Online) 6/2/17 (See 115th Congress S.772)
Congressman Biggs introduces the Amber Alert in Indian Country Act of 2017 (Congressman Andy Biggs) 6/1/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.2666)
Hoeven introduces bill to address tribal housing needs (Foreign Affairs) 5/31/17 (See 115th CongressS.1275)
Hoeven introduces bill to address tribal housing needs (U.S. Senate Comittee on Indian Affairs) 5/26/17 (See 115th Congress S.1275)
Barrasso, Thune, Hoeven introduce bill to increase accountability and transparency in the Indian Health Service (Senator John Barrasso) 5/25/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.2662)
Native American's health threatened by denial of Medicaid expansion (STAT) 5/25/17
O'Halleran, Jones introduce bill to build Veteran nursing homes on tribal lands (U.S. Congressman Tom O'Halleran) 5/25/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.2716)
Trump budget calls for cuts to Native American health care, housing (VOA News) 5/25/17
Pay rule could discourage providers from seeing Native American patients (Modern Healthcare) 5/22/17
Police shootings of Native Americans spark a movement (High Country News) 5/22/17
Tester announces $1.3 million to support Montana Tribal Youth Program. (U.S. Senator Jon Tester) 5/19/17
Lawmakers push to renew Special Diabetes Program for Indians (Indianz) 5/18/17
Udall, Heinrich, Luján announce funding for substance abuse treatment at IHS and partner facilities, including NCI in Gallup (Sen. Tom Udall Press Release) 5/17/17
Funding bill directs Department of Justice to 'support' commission on Native youth (Indianz) 5/3/17 (See 114th Congress S.246 and 115th Congress H.R.244)
UNC researchers create community safety program for Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota (Greeley Tribune) 5/3/17
Wyoming hopes to save $2 million on referrals to non-IHS providers, official tells SD coalition (Public Opinion) 5/3/17
Funding secured for federal Native American children commission (Bismarck Tribune) 5/1/17
Senate panel takes up bill to bring AMBER Alert funding to tribes (Indianz) 4/28/17 (See 115th Congress S.772)
Hoeven examines implementation of the Native American Children's Safety Act of 2016 (Foreign Affairs NZ) 4/26/17 (See 114th Congress S.184)
Cherokee Nation sues drug firms, retailers for flooding communities with opioids (Washington Post) 4/20/17
Indian community attorneys argue before AZ Supreme Court to protect Indian children (Sonoran News) 4/17/17
Adoption fairness bill: Bipartisan legislation for tribal special needs children (Indian Country Today) 4/16/17 (See 115th Congress H.R.2035)
Native American tribes fear end of federal heating help (Fortune) 4/15/17
Senecas to pay $160,000 to HUD for non-Native residents (Olean Times Herald) 4/8/17
Judge rejects motion to throw out Indian hospital lawsuit (U.S. News) 3/31/17 (See Rosebud Sioux Tribe v. United States)
American Indians and Alaska Natives tackle HIV stigma, talk cure (Fred Hutch) 3/23/17
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs schedules hearing on diabetes (Indianz) 3/21/17
Subcommittee examines federal nutrition programs (House Committee on Agriculture) 3/21/17 (Statement by Jerry Tonubbee, Choctaw Nation PDF)
Indian Child Welfare Act survives attack from conservative groups (Indianz) 3/21/17 (Turtle Talk material)
ICWA: Goldwater case thrown out of federal court (Indian Country Today) 3/21/17
Trump budget takes an axe to Native housing allocations (Indian Country Today) 3/21/17
Someone to turn to: Coalition holds listening session about sexual assault at LLTC (Bemidji Pioneer) 3/20/17
Tribes say VA not doing enough for homeless Indian veterans (Indian Country Today) 3/20/17
New domestic violence hotline [StrongHearts Native Helpline] starts service (Farmington Daily Times) 3/19/17
Access to dental care in Indian Country is about to change (Indian Country Today) 3/16/17
Skirting the Indian Child Welfare Act is a lucrative business (Indian Country Today) 3/10/17
House Natural Resources Dems call for committee hearings on GOP health care repeal plan's consequences for Indian Country (Rep. Jared Huffman) 3/8/17
House panel looks at Indian Health Service infrastructure needs (Indianz) 3/6/17
Bill seeks comprehensive audit of Indian Health Service amid debate on Obamacare (Indianz) 3/1/17
Tribal court selected to participate in project to improve outcomes for abused and neglected children (Sit News) 2/26/17
Washington tribes leading the way to better oral health care (W.K. Kellogg Foundation) 2/22/17
Native women host Capitol Hill briefing on missing and murdered sisters (Indianz) 2/15/17
Tribal leaders hear dueling messages on Indian health in the new Donald Trump era (Indianz) 2/14/17
Obamacare brought jobs to Indian Country that could vanish with repeal (NPR) 2/9/17
Tribes get high marks on housing sovereignty (Indian Country Today) 2/9/17 (Report PDF)
Rep. O'Halleran sends bipartisan letter seeking to address Indian health care (Insurance News) 1/27/17
Obamacare repeal could put Native American health care at risk (USA Today) 1/24/17
United Tribes president appointed to commission on Native children (Bismarck Tribune) 1/22/17
HUD secretary-designate Ben Carson endorses Indian housing sovereignty (Indian Country Today) 1/18/17
President Barack Obama names first members of Native youth commission (Indianz) 1/17/17
Sen. Udall offers amendment to protect health care for Indian Country (Native News Online) 1/12/17
Indian Health Service takes steps to expand community health aide program (Indianz) 1/09/17
