---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1616"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "1616"
heading: "Community Health Representative Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1616"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Indian Health Care"
  - "Subchapter I — Indian Health Professional Personnel"
---

# §1616. Community Health Representative Program

- (a) Under the authority of [section 13 of this title](/usc/25/13.md), the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) shall maintain a Community Health Representative Program under which the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18)—
  - (1) provides for the training of [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) as health paraprofessionals, and
  - (2) uses such paraprofessionals in the provision of health care, [health promotion](/usc/25/1603.md?p=11), and [disease prevention](/usc/25/1603.md?p=7-A) [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) to [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) communities.
- (b) The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17), acting through the Community Health Representative Program of the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), shall—
  - (1) provide a high standard of training for paraprofessionals to Community Health Representatives to ensure that the Community Health Representatives provide quality health care, [health promotion](/usc/25/1603.md?p=11), and [disease prevention](/usc/25/1603.md?p=7-A) [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) to the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) communities served by such Program,
  - (2) in order to provide such training, develop and maintain a curriculum that—
    - (A) combines education in the theory of health care with supervised practical experience in the provision of health care, and
    - (B) provides instruction and practical experience in [health promotion](/usc/25/1603.md?p=11) and [disease prevention](/usc/25/1603.md?p=7-A) activities, with appropriate consideration given to lifestyle factors that have an impact on [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) health status, such as alcoholism, family dysfunction, and poverty,
  - (3) maintain a system which identifies the needs of Community Health Representatives for continuing education in health care, [health promotion](/usc/25/1603.md?p=11), and [disease prevention](/usc/25/1603.md?p=7-A) and maintain programs that meet the needs for such continuing education,
  - (4) maintain a system that provides close supervision of Community Health Representatives,
  - (5) maintain a system under which the work of Community Health Representatives is reviewed and evaluated, and
  - (6) promote traditional health care practices of the [Indian tribes](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14) served consistent with the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) standards for the provision of health care, [health promotion](/usc/25/1603.md?p=11), and [disease prevention](/usc/25/1603.md?p=7-A).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–437, title I, § 107, as added Pub. L. 100–713, title I, § 107, Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4788; amended Pub. L. 102–573, title I, § 105, Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4535.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1992—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 102–573, § 105(1), inserted “and maintain” in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 102–573, § 105(2), inserted at end “with appropriate consideration given to lifestyle factors that have an impact on Indian health status, such as alcoholism, family dysfunction, and poverty,”.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 102–573, § 105(3), substituted “maintain” for “develop” in two places.

Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 102–573, § 105(4), struck out “develop and” before “maintain”.

Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 102–573, § 105(3), substituted “maintain” for “develop”.