IHS announces plans to expand use of community health aides
January 13, 2017
This week, the Indian Health Service (IHS) announced its plans to begin a process to expand the use of community health aides at IHS-operated and Tribally managed facilities across the U.S. This announcement follows a Tribal consultation period announced in June 2016.
In the Alaska Tribal Health System, we have seen the success of the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP), Dental Health Aide Therapists, Behavioral Health Aides and their role in increasing access to quality care at our Tribally managed hospitals and clinics. According to the IHS report on the Tribal consultation, comments in favor of the CHAP expansion are also in favor of protecting existing programs and recognize the need for flexibility to meet the health needs of the Tribal areas we serve.
More information is available from a press release issued by IHS: Indian Health Service Plans to Expand Community Health Aide Program.
The Alaska CHAP was also featured in a recent story from the Alaska Dispatch News: In rural Alaska, community health aides connect neighbors to medical care.