Intergovernmental
Affairs (IGA)
Program Overview:
Organizationally located in the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP),
the mission of the Health Resources and Services Administration’s
(HRSA) Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) is to facilitate and coordinate
HRSA’s programmatic interaction with organizations that represent
units of State and local government.
A Federal
Register Notice (Volume 71, Number 220) was released on November
15, 2006 officially outlining ORHP’s role in coordinating
HRSA’s intergovernmental affairs initiatives.
The purpose of HRSA’s Intergovernmental Affairs is to:
- Provide the HRSA Administrator with a single point of contact
on all activities related to important State and local governmental,
stakeholder association and interest group activities.
- Coordinate Agency cross-Bureau cooperative agreements and activities
with organizations representing units of State and local governments,
including but not limited to the National Governors Association
(NGA), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Association
of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), National Association
of Counties (NACo), National Association of County and City Health
Officials (NACCHO), and National Association of Local Boards of
Health (NALBOH).
- Interact with health-focused Federal Commissions such as the
Delta Regional Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission, Denali
Commission and United States-Mexico Border Health Commission.
- Serve as primary liaison to the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services’ Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
HRSA IGA is also tasked with facilitating and staffing the HHS
Rural Task Force established in 2001 under Secretary Tommy Thompson.
Its charge is to conduct a department-wide examination of how HHS
programs can be strengthened to better serve rural communities.
Representatives from each Agency and Office of the Secretary Staff
Divisions participate in this effort. In fulfilling this goal, the
Task Force identified five goals to improve the provision of health
and human services in rural communities:
- To improve rural communities’ access to health and social
services
- To strengthen rural families
- To strengthen rural communities and support economic development
- To improve coordination with local, State and Tribal governments
- To improve decision-making and consultation
The HHS Rural Task Force continues to conduct department-wide quarterly
meetings to encourage collaboration and partnership among HHS agencies
on topics that affect rural communities. In the past year the HHS
Rural Task Force meetings have focused on a number of issues critical
to rural communities and the services we provide. Topics have included
health information technology, value driven health care and human
services.
For additional information please contact:
Kathryn Umali, MPH, CHES
Public Health Analyst
HRSA, Office of Rural Health Policy
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9A-42
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: (301) 443-7444
Fax: (301) 443-2803
LCDR Karen Beckham, M.A.
Senior Public Health Analyst
HRSA, Office of Rural Health Policy
5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9A-42
Rockville, MD 20857
301.443.0502 Phone
Fax: (301) 443-2803
|
