Local station to broadcast field hearing on Indian Health Service


Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) speaks at a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on November 18, 2015. Photo from SCIA via Flickr

A television station in Rapid City, South Dakota, will broadcast a field hearing on the Indian Health Service on Friday.

Black Hills Fox will live stream the event at blackhillsfox.com/livestream. A Flash plug-in is required to view the webcast.

The hearing starts at 10:30am Mountain time. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs is taking testimony on S.2953, the Indian Health Service Accountability Act. The bill seeks to improve accountability, transparency and patient care at the IHS.

Lawmakers also will hear concerns about other IHS issues. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), the chairman of the committee, will lead the hearing and South Dakota's entire Congressional delegation -- Sen. John Thune (R), Sen. Mike Rounds (R) and Rep. Kristi Noem (R) -- will take part.

The witness list follows:
Mary Wakefield, PhD., R.N.
Acting Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C.

The Honorable William Bear Shield
Chairman, Rosebud Sioux Tribal Health Board, Rosebud, South Dakota

Ms. Wehnona Stabler
Tribal Health Director, Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, Walthill, Nebraska

Ms. Ardell Blueshield
Tribal Health Director, Spirit Lake Tribal Health, Fort Totten, North Dakota

Ms. Stacy Bohlen
Executive Director, National Indian Health Board, Washington, D.C.

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notices:
Town Hall Meeting "Discussing S. 2953: Improving the Indian Health Service." (June 16, 2016)
Oversight/Legislative FIELD Hearing on "Improving Accountability and Quality of Care at the Indian Health Service though S. 2953." (June 17, 2016)

Federal Register Notice:
Notice of Tribal Consultation and Urban Confer Sessions on the State of the Great Plains Area Indian Health Service (June 3, 2016)

Government Accountability Office Report:
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE: Actions Needed to Improve Oversight of Patient Wait Times (April 29, 2016)

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Report:
In Critical Condition: The urgent need to reform the Indian Health Service’s Aberdeen Area (December 2010)

Join the Conversation

Related Stories
Lakota Country Times: Senate committee lands in South Dakota (6/16)
Lakota Country Times: Lawmakers focus on Indian health care (6/15)
Indian Health Service diverts care again at South Dakota hospital (6/14)
Hearing on Indian Health Service draws South Dakota delegation (6/14)
Indian Health Service diverts care again at South Dakota hospital (6/14)
Kristi Noem: Indian Health Service fails to uphold responsibilities (6/13)
Great Plains tribes call for closure of Indian Health Service office (6/13)
Bill seeks random drug tests for Indian Health Service employees (6/10)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs set for South Dakota hearing (6/10)
Indian Health Service cites progress at hospital in South Dakota (6/9)
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hosts town hall in South Dakota (06/07)
Lakota Country Times: Pine Ridge Hospital sees shakeup in staff (6/7)
North Dakota tribes share frustrations with Indian Health Service (6/3)
Spirit Lake Nation eyes better care at Indian Health Service clinic (6/3)
Indian Health Service considers changes in troubled Great Plains (6/2)
Indian Health Service asks tribes about community health aides (6/1)
Field hearing in South Dakota on Indian Health Service reform bill (5/31)
Indian Health Service reaches first tribal compact in Great Plains (5/31)
Native Sun News: Longtime Indian Health Service staff reassigned (5/31)
Indian Health Service reform efforts gaining steam on Capitol Hill (5/25)
Indian Health Service announces more hires at troubled hospital (5/25)
Indian Health Service facility cited for treatment of 6-month-old (5/24)
Another Indian Health Service facility in Great Plains threatened (5/23)
Roger Birdbear: Obamacare can help address shortfalls at IHS (5/23)
Indian Health Service hires contractor to run emergency rooms (05/18)
Indian Health Service questioned over efforts in troubled region (5/16)
Sen. Rounds seeking support for audit into Indian Health Service (5/12)
Mike Myers: Indian Health Service carries out cultural colonization (05/09)
Lakota Country Times: Rosebud Sioux Tribe sues IHS over shutdown (05/06)
Sen. Rounds to seek system-wide review of Indian Health Service (05/05)
Indian Health Service reaches agreements for troubled facilities (05/02)
Indian Health Service faulted for lengthy waits in patient care (04/29)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe sues Indian Health Service over 'crisis' in care (04/28)
John Thune: Tribal citizens suffer at hands of Indian Health Service (04/27)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe kept in dark about IHS emergency room contract (04/25)
Bill aims to restore some 'RESPECT' in dealings with Native people (04/20)
Indian Health Service seeks new contracts for emergency rooms (04/20)
Lakota Country Times: Oglala leader demands closure of IHS office (04/18)
President of Oglala Sioux Tribe welcomes scrutiny of IHS hospital (04/12)
Indian Health Service sued for patient death in Great Plains Area (04/11)
Mike Rounds: Indian Health Service creates crisis in Great Plains (04/11)
Indian Health Service failing to make progress in troubled region (04/11)
New leader of Indian Health Service promises fixes in Great Plains (04/07)
Indian Health Service recommended hospital executive for DC job (04/07)
New leader of Indian Health Service plans big trip to Great Plains (03/23)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe left 'high and dry' by IHS hospital executive (03/21)
Indian Health Service extends comment period on emergency fund (03/11)
Indian Health Service aims to save certification for troubled facility (03/09)
Mary Smith: Bringing more accountability to Indian Health Service (03/09)
New leader of Indian Health Service to testify about budget request (03/08)
IHS facility on Rosebud Sioux Reservation loses key certification (03/03)
Cherokee Nation citizen Mary Smith to helm Indian Health Service (03/01)
Editorial: Quality of Indian Health Service is a scandal in Montana (02/29)
Mike Myers: Exposing problems at the Indian Homicide Service (02/25)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe frustrated by treatment from HHS agencies (02/17)
Another IHS hospital threatened with loss of Medicare funding (02/16)
Brandon Ecoffey: Treaties guaranteed health care for our people (02/11)
Six of 12 Indian Health Service area directors in 'acting' capacity (02/10)
President Obama seeks another increase for Indian Health Service budget (02/10)
Kristi Noem: Indian Health Service remains in a state of emergency (02/10)
Tribal leaders question management changes at IHS in Great Plains (02/04)
IHS chief medical officer apologizes for comments about newborns (02/04)
Indian Health Service makes changes ahead of big Senate hearing (02/03)
Witness list for Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing into IHS (02/01)
Inspections of IHS facilities in Great Plains turn up big problems (1/28)
Senate committee reschedules IHS hearing and listening session (01/25)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee expands look at substandard IHS (1/22)
Senate Indian Affairs Committee to look at 'substandard' care at IHS in Great Plains (01/12)
Mary Annette Pember: Native women affected by cutbacks at IHS (12/29)
Lakota Country Times: IHS restricts care at Rosebud hospital (12/24)
Nebraska tribes recognized for efforts to hold IHS accountable (09/24)
Tribes in Nebraska demand resignations of senior IHS officials (08/12)
Winnebago Tribe upset with IHS over loss of funds at hospital (8/6)
Winnebago Tribe looking to address deficiencies at IHS hospital (08/05)
Winnebago Tribe hopes to prevent Medicare cutoff at hospital (5/28)