The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1961-12-07

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understood by them. We may
have to raise the pay of such
people, and we shall try to find
ways of keeping such people in
job they are doing well, in
stead of rewarding them by NOV
ing them to another agency
where salaries are bigger be-
cause it has more employees and
spends more money. The super
intendent at a small agency. with
inadequate staff and meager In
dian resources may be facing a
tougher job than the man at the
big agency, with more money and
bigger staff.
The Task Force observed the
need for water and sewage dis
posal systems, hospitals, and elm
les, and in some areas, health
educators and medical social
workers. The lack of water and
sewage disposal systems is es-
pecially serious and the T ask
Force emphatically favorS an in
crease in the annual appropria-
tions of the Indian Health Divi-
sion for the purpose of improv-
ing this situation. 1t also favors
increased consultation between
the Bureau, the Division of In
dian Health, and the various tri-
bal governments with respect TO
the development of a training
program to prepare Indian COM
munities for assuming the re-
sponsibility of maintaining water
and sewage disposal systems once
| they have been installed.
The Task Force believes that
some payment for health serV-
ices should be made by those In
dams who can afford to contrib
ute to the cost of their own med
ical care. Furthermore, it feels
that the Division of Indian Health
and the Bureau of Indian Affairs
should work together to urge
cities, counties, and States to &C
cept their responsibility for sup
plying health services to off-res-
ervation Indians on the same
basis they provide them for other
residents. Relocatees and migra-
tory laborers are especially vul-
nerable on the latter as they are
often unable to secure locally ad-
ministered services and are re-
strained from using those pro-
vided by the Federal Govern
ment.
Members of the Task Force
have been aware of some sent-
ment in favor of returning the
medical work to the Bureau of
Indian Affairs. Although they
recognize that there have been
administrative gaps and differ
ences of opinion between the
Bureau and the Public Health
Service, they believe that closer
coordination and clearer enunci-
alton of policies, especially in
determining Indian eligibility,
will further improve the services
rendered to Indians. They are
fearful, If the unit were sent
back to the Bureau, that the Bu-
reau would have the same diff
culties il had earlier in recruit
ing competent professional per
sonnet and in obtaining adequate
appropriations. The Task Force
recommends, therefore, that the
medical work be left, at least
for the time being, with the Pub
lie Health Service.
/ NOTE: Next month we will
AIRY additional portions of the
Task Force report for your in
formation and study. We were
,leased to receive a copy of the
following speech by Secretary of
the Interior, Stuart Udall, which
places considerable emphasis on
the Task Force recommendations.
We are printing the speech for
your information.
In the past three months we
rave given you portions of the
Report to the Secretary of the
interior by the Task Force on In
Ian Affairs, July 10, 1861" in
our Newsletter. The following is
the conclusion of that report:
III. ORGANIZATION
Inferdeparfmenfal Relations
Having set forth the detectives
OF the Federal Government with
respect to Indian affairs and hav-
ing outlined improved programs
o reach, the Task Force now
.urns to organizational arrange
ments of the Department and its
relationship to other departments
In the Federal Government, to
Indians, to the tribal govern.
ments, and to the internal struc-
ture of the Bureau of Indian Az
fairs.
over the years Indian affairs
nave been spread among Federal
departments to a greater extent