Good afternoon, Beacon readers. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that officials will be sending over 70 Public Health Service officers to Indian Health Service (IHS) facilities around the country, including sites in the Blackfeet Nation and the Crow Agency.

Health professionals will come from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the country’s eight uniformed services, including those in leadership and frontline roles, assigned to IHS facilities based on staffing needs.

“Mobilizing Public Health Service officers to IHS facilities allows us to better meet the health needs of our tribal communities,” said Benjamin Smith, who has served as acting director at IHS since Roselyn Tso left the position in January. “By complementing our existing teams, we will work together to expand access to preventive care, improve chronic disease management, and advance overall wellness across Indian Country.”

The IHS provides support for 21 hospitals, 53 health centers and 25 health stations. In all, it provides care for around 2.8 million of the nation’s estimated 3.7 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The department has been underfunded for years, leaning upon Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers to help fund some of its facilities.

Monday’s release framed the staff mobilization as a delivery on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promise to strengthen Native American healthcare services, words that had begun to receive critique from tribal leaders without a detailed plan of how they would materialize.

Two of Montana’s congressional members – U.S. Sen. Steve Daines and U.S. Rep. Troy Downing – worked with HHS on the initiative.

“Montana is home to 12 federally recognized tribes, and supporting our tribal communities is a top priority for the Treasure State,” Daines said in a prepared statement. “I applaud this action by President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to support IHS facilities in Crow Agency and Browning, so that Montanans living on our reservations have access to high-quality medical care and services they deserve.”

Whether the additional staffing is the full delivery on Kennedy’s promises or just the beginning remains to be seen.

“For too long, tribal communities have gone without the care they deserve,” according to Kennedy. “With vacancy rates above 30%, this mobilization takes bold action to close gaps and deliver timely, quality care to Native families. By working hand-in-hand with Tribal leaders, providers, and families, we are restoring trust and driving the mission to Make America Healthy Again — starting in Indian Country.”

I’m Zoë Buhrmaster. Let’s see what else is going on in the valley with today’s Daily Roundup.