Tribal Self Goverance

The Indian Health Service is the main partner to a Tribe considering a new or expanded level of Self-Governace.

Tribes begin by contacting their IHS Area Office to begin the planning process.  Funding may be secured by applying for a Tribal Self-Governance Planning Cooperative Agreement or a Tribal Management Grant.

Tribes are not required to utilize IHS funds for planning and can use other sources.

One reason Tribes became reluctant to compact was the lack of full funding of their contract support costs.  Court decisions and action by Congress has greatly improved the funding for CSC.  This is the reason for a renewed interest in compacting.

The Office of Self-Governance web pages contain most of the information needed to understand and begin the process.

IHS statement:

To be eligible for the TSGP, a Tribe must (1) successfully complete a planning phase, (2) request participation in the TSGP byTribal resolution or other official action by the governing body of the Tribe, and (3) demonstrate financial stability and financial management capability by providing evidence that, for the three years prior to participation in the TSGP, the Tribe has had no uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions in the required annual audit of the Tribe’s Self-Determination Contracts or Self-Governance Funding Agreements with any Federal agency.

This is a very active Tribal Organization that supports self determination.  It is very supportive of Tribes considering compacting and provides opportunities to meet other Tribes who have already made the decision to compact.  The IHS and SGETC maintain the current list of self-governance tribes.

SGETC maintains a website with valuable information on self-governance compacts qnd contracts.

It also provides online training and in-person training at its conferences.

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