Revised Indian Nation agreements and scope of work

New Indian Nation Agreement documents

The HCA completed Consultation on the draft agreements on March 24, 2021 to reflect the new Schedule 1 (Scope of Work for Behavioral Health Services) and Indian Nation Agreement monitoring tools for SFY 2019-SFY2021 biennial monitoring. The final schedule and monitoring tool, which was agreed upon during Consultation is posted below. HCA is preparing to update these Indian Nation Agreements effectively July 1, 2021.

Updated Schedule 1

• Scope of Work for Behavioral Health Services: This document serves as the new contract between HCA and the Tribe for SFY 2022 - SFY 2024.
• Biennial monitoring desk review checklist: This form serves as the monitoring tools for the INA biennial desk monitoring review for SFY 2019 – SFY 2021.

Indian Nation Agreement

This serves as an umbrella general terms and conditions contract between HCA and the Tribe.

• Download the Indian Nation Agreement - final version 
• Download the Indian Nation Agreement - redline version 
  • This version shows the changes made by HCA as well as provides explanation for those changes. 

Indian Nation Program Agreement for Behavioral Health Services

This will cover DBHR-funded programs under the Indian Nation Agreement. We anticipate having other program agreements for certain other HCA programs in the future, but the Indian Nation Agreement and Program Agreement framework will not replace any of the existing contracts that HCA has with Tribes.

In response to some tribes’ interest in receiving these DBHR-funds on a reimbursement basis, HCA has prepared the Indian Nation Agreement for Behavioral Health Services so that each Tribe will select one of two options on how to receive funding:

• Advance funding with quarterly expenditure reports – This option will follow the existing DSHS consolidated contract model, where the Tribe receives funds for each state fiscal biennium in advance and then submits quarterly expenditure reports on how the funds have been expended. Due to the requirements to close out a fiscal year before releasing funds for the next fiscal year, this option often results in delayed funding to Tribes at the start of each state fiscal year.
• Quarterly or monthly reimbursement – This option will follow the typical reimbursement model, where the Tribe receives funds after submitting reimbursement requests every quarter, every two months, or every month. With this option, the Tribe spends the funds on the program and is then reimbursed.

In addition, HCA has prepared the Indian Nation Program Agreement for Behavioral Health Services so that the Tribe will prepare a single Tribal plan for all DBHR-funded programs covered by the agreement, although there may be some DBHR-funded programs that will fall under a different program agreement in certain circumstances. 

Except for these differences, HCA has tried to keep the Indian Nation Agreements and the Indian Nation Program Agreements for Behavioral Health Services substantively similar to the DSHS consolidated contracts.

• Download the Indian Nation Program Agreement for Behavioral Health Services - final version
• Download the Indian Nation Program Agreement for Behavioral Health Services - redline version
  • This version shows the changes made by HCA as well as provides explanation for those changes. 

How to submit your comments or advice

To comments and advice, please contact the Office of Tribal Affairs at TribalAffairs@hca.wa.gov​