The Ak-Chin Indian Community has been chosen as Arizona’s sole participant in the Indian Health Service’s Joint Venture Construction Program (JVCP) for Fiscal Year 2025—an award that tribal leaders and elected officials say will fundamentally reshape healthcare access for the community and surrounding rural areas.
The JVCP, created in 1991 under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, is a unique federal partnership model that allows tribes to finance and construct healthcare facilities built to IHS standards. Once completed, the Indian Health Service commits to staffing, operating, and maintaining the facility for 20 years through a no-cost lease agreement. The program is highly competitive, with only a limited number of tribes selected in each cycle.
According to Congressman Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), whose district includes the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the tribe’s successful application reflects years of planning, tribal leadership, and advocacy for improved access to care. Crane celebrated the news, calling it “a historic investment in rural healthcare” and emphasizing that the expanded services will “help close longstanding gaps in Arizona’s Second District.”
The Indian Health Service confirmed the tribe’s participation through an official letter to tribal leaders, stating that JVCP participants “acquire, construct, or renovate a health care facility” that IHS then operates throughout the lease term. The document also affirmed Ak-Chin’s selection among the Fiscal Year 2025 projects, joining over 30 health centers and hospitals already completed nationwide under this program.
For the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the award represents a long-awaited opportunity to replace its outdated and undersized health clinic. Tribal Chairman Gabriel Lopez said the decision “will enable us to replace our current aged and inadequate health clinic to meet the needs of our growing population,” noting that accessible healthcare is especially critical for elders and individuals managing chronic conditions.
Lopez emphasized the long-term impact of the partnership, stating, “Going forward, this new health center with comprehensive services will ensure high-quality care is available right here and will make a real difference in the quality of life for the Ak-Chin people.” While specific services will be finalized during project planning, the community expects expanded primary care, dental, radiology, and other essential medical offerings.
The tribe also credited Arizona’s congressional delegation for its role in supporting the application. Lopez added, “This healthcare facility would not be possible without our Arizona delegation members, including Congressman Crane. We thank Congressman Crane for his support, which was essential in the success of our application and reflects his steadfast advocacy for the Ak-Chin Indian Community and each of the Tribes within his district.”
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Tribal leaders met this week with U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Scottsdale to formally announce the award. Kennedy, after touring the existing urgent care facility, described the current building as “essentially a double-wide trailer,” underscoring the need for a modern, properly equipped healthcare space.
A post from the Department of Health and Human Services on X further detailed the forthcoming project, stating the federal partnership will “build an approximately 60,000-square-foot health facility to expand access to primary, dental, and radiology care for the Ak-Chin community and neighboring tribes, improving access to care in rural Arizona.”
Chairman Lopez expressed gratitude to the Trump administration and Secretary Kennedy for their support, saying, “This is a tremendous honor, and it’s a tremendous surprise and a blessing for our community. Again, thank you to the Administration, thank you, Secretary.”
With this selection, the Ak-Chin Indian Community joins a distinguished list of tribes that have used JVCP partnerships to expand healthcare infrastructure, improve local medical services, and reduce the need for long-distance travel for essential care. The new health center is expected to serve not only Ak-Chin members but also neighboring tribal populations and rural residents across Pinal County.
As planning moves forward, tribal leaders say the partnership provides not just a new building, but a generational investment in health, stability, and community well-being.
Originally reported by Matthew Holloway in AZ Free News.
