Tribal Foundational Public Health Services Funding

We are Resilient. Our Ways are Resilient.

The Washington State Legislature has been making investments into Tribal Public Health through Foundational Public Health Services. The Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) Act of 2019 names Tribes and Tribal Health Programs part of the governmental public health system in Washington State along with the Department of Health, Local Health Jurisdictions, and the State Board of Health. Tribal FPHS funding supports innovation in Tribal public health and begins to build a more equitable public health system across the state. Moreover, this investment creates a public health system that is not just designed for crisis, but one that guarantees resources for foundational prevention-oriented programs.

The Commission continues advocating for equitable public health funding opportunities for Tribes and urban Indian health programs, supporting Tribal FPHS by serving on the Steering Committee, providing technical assistance, and facilitating a monthly Tribal FPHS Workgroup where Tribes and urban Indian health organizations can share ideas and resources with one another. The Commission also works on several FPHS-funded projects including creating model Tribal public health codes, developing a Tribal public health training curriculum, working to get Tribal representation on local boards of health, and facilitating emergency response meetings across the state’s emergency response regions.