2022-00218. Extension of the Deadline for Nomination of Delegates; Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee; Solicitation of Nominations for Delegates

AGENCY:

Office of Minority Health, Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION:

Deadline extension for notice of solicitation of nominations for delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee.

SUMMARY:

On October 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) published a notice in the Federal Register inviting nominations of qualified candidates to serve as delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee (Center TAC, previously referred to as CIIHE TAC), including a submission deadline of October 29, 2021. An extension for the submission deadline of nominations to January 7, 2022, was published on November 19, 2021. This notice extends the deadline date for submission of nominations to March 11, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

DATES:

Nomination letters for the Center TAC must be sent to the address noted below no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on March 11, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

All nominations should be emailed to: Violet Woo, Designated Federal Officer for the Center TAC, at [e-mail] . Please use the subject line “OMH Center Tribal Advisory Committee.”

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information and guidance about the nomination process for Center TAC delegates, please contact Violet Woo, Designated Federal Officer at [e-mail] . Center TAC nomination guidance and sample nomination letters also are available on the OMH website's Tribal Leader Letters section: https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/​omh/​browse.aspx?​lvl=​3&​lvlid=​62#tribal-leader-letters .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On October 1, 2021, the notice of solicitation of nominations for delegates for the Center TAC was published in the Federal Register (86 FR 54462: available at https://www.federalregister.gov/​documents/​2021/​10/​01/​2021-21253/​center-for-indigenous-innovation-and-health-equity-tribal-advisory-committee-solicitation-of) . The deadline for submission of nomination letters is being extended to March 11, 2022.

Note: All information in the notice of solicitation of nominations for delegates for the Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee remains the same, except for the deadline for the submission of nominations and the date the nominees will be notified of the status of delegate selection.

Authorized under Section 1707 of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 300u-6, as amended, the mission of OMH is to improve the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that help eliminate health disparities. OMH awards and other activities are intended to support the identification of effective policies, programs, and practices for improving health outcomes and to promote the sustainability and dissemination of these approaches.

Under the authority of Public Law 116-260 (2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act), Congress directed OMH to create a Center to support research, education, service, and policy development advancing Indigenous solutions that ultimately address health disparities in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations. OMH is establishing the Center TAC to ensure that Tribal Leaders have meaningful and timely input in the development of the priorities and activities established to address the focus areas of the Center. The Center TAC shall support, but not supplant, government-to-government consultation activities that OMH undertakes.

TAC Membership: The Center TAC will consist of 16 delegate positions: One from each of the 12 geographic areas served by the Indian Health Service and four National At-Large Member positions.

Alaska Area

Albuquerque Area

Bemidji Area

Billings Area

California Area

Great Plains Area

Nashville Area

Navajo Area

Oklahoma Area

Phoenix Area

Portland Area

Tucson Area

National At-Large Members (4)

OMH recommends a term of two (2) years term for each delegate, but delegates' term length will be established by the TAC's charter.

Eligibility: The Center TAC delegates must be: (1) Elected tribal officials from a federally recognized tribe acting in their official capacity as elected officials of their tribe, with authority to act on behalf of the tribe; or (2) individuals designated by an elected tribal official. Designees must have the authority to act on behalf of the tribal official and the tribe and be qualified to represent the views of the AI/AN tribes in the area from which they are nominated. No delegate of the Center TAC may be an employee of the federal government.

Nomination Procedures: Center TAC candidates must be nominated by an elected tribal leader. The nomination letter must be on tribal letterhead and signed by an elected tribal leader, and must include the following information:

• Name of the nominee
• Nominee's official title
• Name of the nominee's tribe
• Date of nominee's election to official tribal position and term length
• Nominee's contact information (mailing address, phone, and email)
• Nominee's expertise that is relevant to the Center TAC
• Name of tribal leader submitting the nomination
• Official title of tribal leader submitting the nomination
• Contact information for tribal leader submitting the nomination and/or administrative office for tribal government

Center TAC nomination guidance and sample nomination letters are available on the OMH website's Tribal Leader Letters section: https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/​omh/​browse.aspx?​lvl=​3&​lvlid=​62#tribal-leader-letters .

Selection Process: OMH is responsible for selecting and finalizing Center TAC members. Eligible nominees will be considered in the following priority order:

1. Tribal President/Chairperson/Governor

2. Tribal Vice-President/Vice-Chairperson/Lt. Governor

3. Elected or Appointed Tribal Official

4. Designated Tribal Official with authority to act on behalf of Tribal leader

In the event that there is more than one nomination for a given IHS area, OMH will make a determination of representation based on submitted nomination materials.

Nominees will be notified of the status of delegate selection in April 2022.

Dated: January 5, 2022.

Violet Woo,

Designated Federal Officer, Center for Indigenous Innovation and Health Equity Tribal Advisory Committee.