Indian Health Service — the federal entity responsible for providing health care services to Native Americans — this week announced the opening of three employee housing complexes on the Crow, Fort Belknap and Blackfeet reservations.

IHS leaders said they hope the housing developments will improve employee recruitment and retention. Rural communities nationwide face housing crises, and the problem is severe in Indian Country , where developers face bureaucratic challenges and federal housing funds don’t come close to meeting community needs. And while IHS recruits health care professionals from around the country, tribal health leaders say the lack of places to live often stands in the way of hiring. The job vacancy rate at IHS facilities nationwide is 30%, and the vacancy rate at the

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