Bureau of Indian Affairs and Public Health Service Conference Denver, May 16-20

This joint meeting of officials of the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Educations and Welfare will begin at 9:30 A.M., May 16, at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel. The conference was called for the purpose of advancing the orderly transfer of the Indian Health Program from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Public Health Service in accordance with Public Law 568, 83rd Congress. This transfer of responsibility becomes effective July 1, 1955.

Due to the fact that the conference will be concerned solely with administrative and technical problems and procedures relating to the transfer, attendance at all sessions will be limited to personnel of the agencies concerned and consultants.

From the Bureau of Indian Affairs: Miss Selene Gifford, Assistant Commissioner for Community Services, and John P. Kelly, Special Assistant to the Assistant Commissioner for Administration (both from Washington); representatives of the Branch of Health, Headquarters Office; Area Directors; Assistant Area Directors; Assistant , Area Directors of Community Services; Area Medical Directors; and selected Agency Superintendents from each area.

Dr. James R. Shaw, Chief Branch of Health, Bureau of Indian Affairs, will orient the conferees with respect to problems involved in the transfer and will coordinate the planning. A Medical Director of the Public Health Service on detail to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Dr. Shaw has headed the Indian Health Program for the past two years. He will continue as head of this program as Chief of the Division of Indian Health Services, which will be activated as a division of the Bureau of Medical Services in the Public Health Service on July 1. Dr. Shaw is stationed in Washington.

From the Public Health Service (Washington): Dr. David E. Price, Assistant Surgeon General; Paul A, Caulk, Executive Officer; Dr. Vane M. Hoge, Associate Chief of the Bureau of Medical Services; and Dr. Mayhew Derryberry, Chief, Public Health Education Services. Dr. Derryberry will serve as conference chairman.

Fordyce Luikart, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare‘s Office of Administration, is expected to attend. Kenneth R. Miller, Budget Examiner in this Office, will participate in the conference.

The conferees number approximately 700

The Indian Health Program is responsible for the provision of medical and public health services to approximately 350,000 Indians. Fifty-nine hospitals are operated for the Indians, and there are about 3,600 employees of the program in the United States and Alaska. Assurances have been given to the employees of this program that its transfer to the Public Health Service will not adversely affect their employment.