Accessibility

The Indian Health Service is committed to providing access to our web pages for individuals with disabilities, both members of the public and Federal employees. To meet this commitment, we will comply with the requirements of Section 508 Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  of the Rehabilitation Act.

For Alternative Access to Web Documents for Individuals with Disabilities

All information contained within the ihs.gov web site is available in English only. You can find a number of free translation utilities and software packages by searching for "free translation'" on your favorite Internet search engine.

Portable Document Format (PDF) is a common file format used to post information on this site.

If you are having difficulty viewing any information or file on the IHS site due to difficulties with adaptive technologies, use the "Contact Us" link to request an alternate format of the web site version. You can also contact the IHS Web Services Team at ihswebadmin@ihs.gov, which is staffed during business hours (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mountain Time), and they will assist you.

To enable us to respond in a manner most helpful to you, please indicate the nature of your accessibility problem, the preferred format in which to receive the material, the web address or hyperlink of the requested material, and your contact information.

Plug-ins and File Viewers

As part of IHS's approach to making content accessible, and in compliance with Sec. 1194.22 (m) of the final rule, this page fulfills the requirement that "When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet... ."

All applets, plug-ins, or other applications required by IHS.gov websites can be located on the IHS Plugins Website which is linked to at the bottom of every webpage.

Video

If you are having difficulty playing any of the embedded YouTube videos on this website, please either use Internet Explorer to access the video or change your YouTube player from Flash to HTML5 and refresh your browser window. The Flash based YouTube player is currently not accessible to screen readers. Visit the YouTube HTML5 page Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  to switch your player if you are having trouble playing this video.

Synopsis of Section 508 Accessibility Requirements

Section 508 Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology (EIT), Federal employees with disabilities have comparable access to and use of information and data as Federal employees who have no disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. Section 508 also requires that individuals with disabilities, who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal agency, have comparable access to and use of information and data as the public without disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Although Federal agencies have an explicit statutory obligation to make all EIT that they develop, maintain or use compliant with Section 508, the current emphasis is on newly procured EIT because it is the category that is explicitly enforceable by legal action. Procurement awards made on or after June 25, 2001, are subject to Section 508 (see FAR Final Rule Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov ).

It should be noted, however, that other Federal regulations and guidelines (e.g., Section 501 Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  and Section 504 Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  of the Rehabilitation Act) require equal access for individuals with disabilities. Therefore, Federal agencies are required, upon request, to provide information and data to individuals with disabilities through an alternative means of access that can be used by the individuals.