Tribal Self-Governance Gets $1 Billion Federal Commitment — IHS Staffing Expands Across Indian Country

Federal investment in Native health infrastructure just hit a historic milestone.

RFK Jr. Delivers Keynote to 1,500 Native Leaders in Chandler, Arizona

On April 8, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. delivered the keynote address at the 2026 Tribal Self-Governance Conference in Chandler, Arizona, before more than 1,500 Native American leaders. Secretary Kennedy announced a $1 billion investment to eliminate the Indian Health Service’s 30-year infrastructure backlog, pledging to expand IHS staffing, incorporate traditional Indigenous foods into federal dietary policy, and accelerate facility transfers to tribal management under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. Per HHS, Kennedy stated plainly: “Tribal nations know how to care for their people.”

P.L. 638 Transfers Represent the Largest Program Transfer in Federal Government History

Secretary Kennedy called the ongoing Section 638 compact transitions the single largest transfer of federally managed programs in U.S. government history. Anthony Hillaire, Chairman of the Lummi Nation — one of the first self-governance tribes in the country — captured the weight of that responsibility: “We have responsibility to our people, a responsibility to our home.” Tyson Johnston, Councilmember of the Quinault Nation, expressed gratitude for an HHS Secretary willing to show up in person, crediting Kennedy for “taking the time to go into the field and meet with our people on the ground” — a level of engagement Johnston said has not been seen since the opening of the self-governance era. HHS also announced $135 million in new HRSA funding for 350 health centers and 15 rural residency grants covering psychiatry, family medicine, and OB-GYN.

Native Practitioners and IHS Facilities Need Qualified Clinical Staffing Now

Infrastructure investment without qualified clinical personnel leaves communities underserved. As federal authority expands under tribal self-governance, ISBEE-certified, 100% Native-owned staffing partners become essential to filling the clinical workforce gap in IHS facilities, tribal health programs, and rural Indian Country hospitals!

Ellsworth stands ready to place credentialed, culturally competent clinicians — physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals — where Our Relatives need them most. Contact Ellsworth today (info@ellsworth.solutions) to build a staffing solution aligned with your tribe’s sovereignty and your community’s health goals.