Indigenous Peoples, Traditional Medicine & Healthcare

At 200 years old, the Bureau of Indian Affairs is the oldest bureau in the Department of the Interior. In keeping with the authorities and responsibilities under the Snyder Act of 1921 and other federal laws, regulations, and treaties, BIA employees across the country work with tribal governments and tribal members in the administration of employment and job training assistance; law enforcement and justice; agricultural and economic development; tribal governance; and natural resources management programs to enhance the quality of life in tribal communities.

Founded in 2011, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) at the Aspen Institute is a national education and advocacy organization that works alongside Native youth — ages 24 and under — on reservations, in rural villages and urban spaces across the country to improve their health, safety and overall well-being. All Native youth deserve to lead full and healthy lives, have equal access to opportunity, draw strength from their culture and inspire one another. At CNAY, they uplift youth through cross-sector, culturally-immersive programming that incorporates Indigenous knowledge systems, leadership training, and youth-led policy agenda and narratives.

The Indian Health Service, an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The provision of health services to members of federally-recognized tribes grew out of the special government-to-government relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes.

The Indigenous Health, Education, and Resources Taskforce (IHEART), is a national collaborative, formed in 2021 to address the scarcity of American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities in the health professions. IHEART is an AIAN led collaborative consisting of a national coordinating committee and regional networks to amplify, herald, and sustain systems level solutions by uniting allies, organizations, institutions, and communities dedicated to improving AIAN educational and health outcomes. It includes about 350 health professions educators, learners, organizational leaders, and community members who are committed to AIAN communities and workforce diversity.

NCUIH is a national 501(c)(3) organization devoted to the support and development of quality, accessible, and culturally-competent health services for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban settings. NCUIH envisions a nation where comprehensive, culturally competent personal and public health services are available and accessible to American Indians and Alaska Natives living in urban communities throughout the United States.

The National Indian Council on Aging, Inc. (NICOA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 by members of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association who called for a national organization focused on the needs of aging American Indian and Alaska Native elders. The mission of NICOA is to advocate for improved comprehensive health, social services and economic well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native elders. In addition to providing service through the Administration for Community Living within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NICOA operates as a national sponsor for the Senior Community Service Employment Program authorized under Title V of the Older Americans Act.

The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) represents Tribal governments—both those that operate their own health care delivery systems through contracting and compacting, and those receiving health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS). Located in Washington DC on Capitol Hill, the NIHB, a non-profit organization, provides a variety of services to tribes, Area Health Boards, Tribal organizations, federal agencies, and private foundations, including: advocacy, policy formation and analysis, legislative and regulatory tracking, research on Indian health issues, and training and technical assistance programs.