TITLE: Support for Reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, AI/AN adults are 2.3 times more likely to have diagnosed diabetes compared with non-Hispanic whites; and
WHEREAS, the death rate due to diabetes for AI/ANs is 1.6 times higher than the general U.S. population; and
WHEREAS, the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) for “the prevention and treatment of diabetes in American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) for five years; and
WHEREAS, Congress reauthorized SDPI for one to three year periods from 2002 to 2015; and
WHEREAS, the current renewal of SDPI expires in September, 2017; and
WHEREAS, SDPI provides grants for diabetes treatment and prevention services to over 330 IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian health programs in 35 states and funds Community Directed Grant Programs; and
WHEREAS, SDPI has had positive clinical and community outcomes, including: the average blood sugar level (A1c) decreased from 9.0% in 1996 to 8.1% in 2010; the average LDL (“bad” cholesterol) declined from 118 mg/dL in 1998 to 95 mg/dL in 2010; and more than 80% of SDPI grant programs now use recommended public health strategies to provide diabetes prevention activities and serves for AI/AN children and youth; and
WHEREAS, Tribes have successful SDPI programs with consistent positive clinical and community outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Tribes’ support permanent reauthorization of SDPI at $200 million per year with medical inflation rate increases annually or, in the alternative, reauthorization of SDPI for 2018 to 2024 at $150 million in 2018 with medical inflation rate increases annually thereafter.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) supports permanent reauthorization of SDPI at $200 million per year with medical inflation rate increases annually or, in the alternative, reauthorization of SDPI for 2018 to 2024 at $150 million per year in 2018 with medical inflation rate increases annually thereafter; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2017 Midyear Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Mohegan Sun Convention Center, June 12 to June 15, 2017, with a quorum present.