The Organiational Analysis of the Indian Health Service

Running head : Indian Health Service

Indian Health Service

Client 's Name

University Affiliation

Indian Health Service

Background

The Indian Health Service (IHS ) is an agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS , therefore , it is a governmental organization . It prides itself for contributing to efforts at carrying out Emergency Support Functions , Public Health and Medical Care especially for members of tribes recognized by the federal government (Indian Health Service . Such support is based on the relationship established since 1787 between government-to-government involving the federal government

and the Indian tribes (USA .gov , 2006

As far back as 1787 the Constitution of the United States of America provided in its Article I , Section 8 provided for this kind of relationship to continue . This constitutional mandate had been continuously given effect through various laws , treaties , executive s , and Supreme Court rulings (USA .gov , 2006 Bergman , Grossman Erdrich , Todd Forquera , 1999 . These laws include , among others , the United States Constitution , the Snyder Act of 1921 , the Transfer Act of 1954 , the Indian Sanitation Facilities Services Act of 1959 , the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975 , the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976 , the Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse prevention and Treatment Act 0f 1986 , and the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act of 1990 (Indian Health Service

Function and Responsibilities

Until the present time , the IHS remains as the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for Indian people (Indian Health Service ' Pursuant to this role , the IHS provides a comprehensive health services delivery system for American Indians and Alaska Natives with opportunity for maximum tribal involvement in developing and managing programs to meet their health needs Furthermore , the IHS works hard to achieve its goal of raising the health status of American Indians and Alaska natives to the highest possible level (USA .gov , 2006 . The IHS currently provides health services to approximately 1 .5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to more than 557 federally recognized tribes in 35 states (Indian Health Service

Being a government agency , the IHS receives its budget through proper appropriations from the United States Congress . Since the Snyder Act of 1921 , federal funds had been continually provided for the IHS in to help with the provision of health services to Native American tribes In 1976 , this mandate was reaffirmed , through the passing of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act of 1976 . Thus , the nation consistently provides for about 60 of the health care needs of eligible Alaska Native and American Indian people (Indian Health Service

To help the IHS accomplish its goals , the IHS needed facilities particularly hospitals (National Library of Medicine , 1998 . Thus , over the years , the IHS was able to establish over 600 IHS and tribal health care facilities that are to be found scattered in thirty-five states which could be found usually in rural and isolated areas . These facilities reach about 1 .6 million sq . meters , with 62 of them owned by the...