The purpose of this Indian Health Service (IHS) program is to increase the awareness, visibility, advocacy, and education for behavioral health issues on a national scale and in the interest of improving urban Indian health care.

This program is in alignment with the 2019-2023 IHS Strategic

credit:

Plan Goal 1:
To ensure that comprehensive, culturally appropriate personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people, Objective 1. 2:
Build, strengthen, and sustain collaborative relationships; and Goal 2:
To promote excellence and quality through innovation of the Indian health system into an optimally performing organization, Objective 2. 2:
Provide care to better meet the health care needs of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Urban Indian Organizations are defined by 25 U.S.C.

1603(29) as a nonprofit corporate body situated in an urban center, governed by an urban Indian controlled board of directors, and providing for the maximum participation of all interested Indian groups and individuals, which body is capable of legally cooperating with other public and private entities for the purpose of performing the activities describes in 25 U.S.C.

1653(a).

The awardee’s activities funded under this cooperative agreement must be intended to support all organizations that meet the statutory definition of Urban Indian Organization.