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Tribal Healers and Leaders Gather in Washington, DC for the HHS Traditional Healing Summit

The Department of Health and Human Services presented the Culture is Medicine Traditional Healing Summit from November 18-19, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Summit, which was held in coordination with the White House Council on Native American Affairs, brought together Tribal leaders, traditional healers, federal officials, and other key figures from Indian Country for a series of panels on traditional healing topics ranging from Food is Medicine to Holistic Support for Maternal Health. NIHB was honored to be part of the Summit and provide support to the Department to carry out the event.

Day one kicked off with an opening prayer and song offered by Chis Tall Bear (Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma) and Lance Fisher (Northern Cheyenne Nation). Tall Bear also shared reflections on the 2019 Traditional Healing Summit, which was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control. Referring to the significance of hosting these Summits, Tall Bear recounted violent historical events his Tribe has survived and the importance of affirming that “We are still here.”

Executive Director of Southcentral Foundation, Ileen Sylvester, moderated a morning panel entitled Traditional Healing and Medicaid, which featured Director Roselyn Tso of the Indian Health Service and Jacey Cooper of the Director of the State Demonstrations Group at the Centers for Medicaid. The panel discussed Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage of traditional healing practices received through Indian healthcare facilities. This coverage was made possible by CMS’ October 2024 approvals of Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Oregon’s 1115 demonstrations with traditional healing components. During the panel, Director Tso shared her insights that Tribes must drive the implementation of these programs and emphasized the importance of honoring the guidance of traditional healers moving forward.

National Indian Health Board (NIHB) Chairperson William Smith (Valdez Native Tribe) moderated the panel, Traditional Practices and Native Veteran Healing. Ivan Sam, a Cultural Ambassador with The Veterans Art Project, shared how traditional healing helped him treat struggles he faced after returning home, explaining that this experience inspired him to learn traditional ceremonies and become an advocate for veterans. Sam shares, “[T]raditional healing has brought me back to this place of healing and, also, giving back that generosity to our community.” The panel underscored the need for VA support for these practices to address the unique challenges faced by Native veterans.

The Seattle Indian Health Board (SIHB) presented a showcase of its community health center’s programs and services for urban American Indians and Alaska Natives. SIHB’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Esther Lucero (Diné), said of the organization’s philosophy, “We want to take a strengths-based approach […] We want to build health that is unapologetically Indigenous.” Layla Yamabe (Quinault/Quileute/Squaxin), SIHB’s Traditional Indian Medicine Director, shared how all care teams at their facility have a traditional healing apprentice who spends time with patients and can make referrals to specific practitioners that may be helpful.

“Your way of life is healing and deserving of recognition.” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra provided these opening remarks for the second and final day of the Summit. Secretary Becerra also acknowledged the leadership across Indian Country, including the HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory Committee, that advocated for the approval of the 1115 demonstrations permitting Medicaid and CHIP reimbursement of traditional healing services, saying, “To all of you who worked hard for that, we want to recognize you for all you have done.”

Overall, the Traditional Healing Summit was a powerful event that affirmed HHS’ support for traditional healing and its integral place in the health of Native communities. If you would like to view a recording of the Summit, you can visit the HHS YouTube Channel. For any questions related to NIHB’s advocacy and work on traditional healing, please reach out to Alanna Cronk, Government Relations Coordinator, at acronk@nihb.org.