§ 2413 — Departmental Responsibility

(a) The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Indian Health Service, shall bear equal responsibility for the implementation of this chapter in cooperation with Indian tribes. (A) To improve coordination among the Federal agencies and departments carrying out this chapter, there is established within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration an office, to be known as the “Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse” (referred to in this section as the “Office”). (B) The director of the Office shall be appointed by the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration— (i) on a permanent basis; and (ii) at a grade of not less than GS–15 of the General Schedule. (2) In addition to other responsibilities which may be assigned to such Office, it shall be responsible for— (A) coordinating with other agencies to monitor the performance and compliance of the relevant Federal programs in achieving the goals and purposes of this chapter and the Memorandum of Agreement entered into under section 2411 of this title; (B) serving as a point of contact for Indian tribes and the Tribal Coordinating Committees regarding the implementation of this chapter, the Memorandum of Agreement, and any Tribal Action Plan established under section 2412 of this title; and (C) not later than 1 year after July 29, 2010, developing, in coordination and consultation with tribal governments, a framework for interagency and tribal coordination that— (i) the goals and other desired outcomes of this Act; (ii) prioritizes outcomes that are aligned with the purposes of affected agencies; (iii) provides guidelines for resource and information sharing; (iv) provides technical assistance to the affected agencies to establish effective and permanent interagency communication and coordination; and (v) determines whether collaboration is feasible, cost-effective, and within agency capability. (3) The Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shall appoint such employees to work in the Office, and shall provide such funding, services, and equipment, as may be necessary to enable the Office to carry out the responsibilities under this subsection. (1) There is established in the Office the position to be known as the Indian Youth Programs Officer. The Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shall appoint the Indian Youth Programs Officer. (2) The position of Indian Youth Programs Officer shall be established on a permanent basis at no less than the grade of GS–14 of the General Schedule. (3) In addition to other responsibilities which may be assigned to the Indian Youth Programs Officer relating to Indian youth such Officer shall be responsible for— (A) monitoring the performance and compliance of the applicable Federal programs in meeting the goals and purposes of this chapter and the Memorandum of Agreement entered into under section 2411 of this title as they relate to Indian youth efforts, and (B) providing advice and recommendations, including recommendations submitted by Indian tribes and Tribal Coordinating Committees, to the Director of the Office as they relate to Indian youth.