News Release

Statement by Mike Leavitt Secretary of Health and Human Services Regarding the 50th Anniversary of the Indian Health Service

For 50 years, the men and women of the Indian Health Service (IHS), with other caregivers in this department, have been proud to be a source of healing for American Indian and Alaska Native people. As we mark this half-century, our goal is to build on the progress that the department and the people it serves have made together, creating a system that is responsive to their needs and their cultures.

In July of 1955, federal law transferred Indian health programs from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the U.S. Public Health Service, effectively establishing the IHS. That law, the Transfer Act, heralded the beginning of recovery from many years of physical and spiritual wounds, the building of a health infrastructure to address the health disparities facing American Indian and Alaska Native people, and the launching of a new era in health care.

This was accomplished through a unique partnership effort that included the Department of Health and Human Services, the IHS, Tribes and Tribal organizations, and most importantly the American Indian and Alaska Native people themselves. By listening to the voices of those most aware of the needs of their communities, the IHS has built a health care system that is responsive to those needs and that is culturally acceptable in the provision of its services.

More work lies ahead, but already the IHS health model and the participation of Indian people in decisions affecting their health have produced significant health improvements. Some examples: Indian life expectancy has increased by more than 9 years since about 1973. And mortality rates have decreased by approximately 82 percent for tuberculosis, 65 percent for infant deaths, 53 percent for maternal deaths, and 60 percent for unintentional injuries and accidents.

And more is yet to come. By coordinating programs with partnerships among the IHS, other HHS agencies, tribal governments, and American Indian and Alaska Native people, we can achieve new accomplishments and make sure the next 50 years will be as successful as the last.