DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES Pune Hea Series Indian Heats Sanice FEB 01 2016, Fock MD 20352 ‘Dear Great Plains Area Tribal Leader: | am writing to update you en leadership changes within the Great Plains Area (GPA) Indian Health Service (THS) and inform yeu of related developments ‘A team of four Commissioned Corps Officers will be deployed tothe GPA to asist as medical ‘and quality assurance persoanel. Specifically, the deployed team is made up of an Officer in ‘Charge, a Nurs, and a Medial Officer, with a fourth postion forthcoming, to focus initially on the Rosebud Hospital. In addltion, I will be sending a team of agency senior staff the GPA to provide management ‘support throughout the entire GPA, with focused support to the hospital-based service units. ‘This team will be led by a seasoned Area Director, Hospital and Clinic Specialist, AdministrativelOperational Officer and Quality Assurance Consultant. The effective date for ‘this action will be February 8, | have temporarily assigned Rear Admiral Kevin Mecks to serve asthe Acting Area Director of the GPA. The former Director, Mr. Ron Comelius, has been temporarily detailed to serve a the Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Field Operation (DDFO), RADM Kevin Meeks is a member ofthe Chickasaw Nation and began his IHS career as a ‘Commissioned Corps Ofer in 1987. He isa graduate of East Central University in Ada, ‘Oklahoma, andthe Oklahoma University Health Services Center. He is lso a Registered Professional Sanitarian with the Oklahoma State Department of Health ‘As the Oklahoma City Area Director, his positon of record, RADM Meeks brings wealth of leadership and experience ttat will benefit the GPA. He consistently achieves outstanding results in camying out the responsibilty forthe provision of comprehensive health care services to one ofthe largest and mos diverse IHS service populations. He has extensive expertise in ‘working with complex health systems which are IIS owned and operated facilities, urban health programs, and tribally-manzged programs assumed under the authority ofthe Indian Self- Determination and Education Assistance Act (Public Law 93-638, as amended). ‘Recruitment for the permanent GPA Director will occur expeditiously. We intend to include GPA ‘Tribal Leaders inthe interview process, which we estimate will begin this spring. [look forward to ‘working drcetly with the GPA Tribal leadership in completing the process for selecting the most highly qualified candidate asthe GPA Director.