SRMT Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR)

A disproportionate number of American Indians and Alaska Natives have a disability, which creates an extraordinary need for tribes to support their disabled citizens in becoming self-sufficient.

NCAI is committed to ensuring that the rights of Native peoples with disabilities are enforced, strengthened, and honored by Native communities and the larger society.

According to the US Census, 24 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have a disability, compared to 19 percent of the general population. However, many American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities are either unserved or underserved. Some barriers to limiting access to services are inadequate funding, personnel shortages, lack of coordination among agencies, lack of consultation with tribes, and problems identifying persons eligible for services.

NCAI strongly recommends that tribes receive direct and adequate funding to provide culturally appropriate services that empower their disabled citizens to lead independent lives in their own communities. One program that increases tribes’ capacity to serve their disabled citizens, the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects for American Indians with Disabilities, has experienced particular success in assisting Native people with disabilities to become self-sufficient, as highlighted in this article. By granting funds directly to tribes, the program enables Native nations to target specific needs in their communities in a culturally sensitive manner. The need far outstrips available resources, however, and appropriations should be increased to put tribal governments’ funding for disability services on par with that of state governments.

RESOLUTIONS

Support Expansion of Employment Services to American Indians/Alaska Natives with Disabilities

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, there are nearly 1 million American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) who live with disabilities and nearly 600,000 of this population are of working age and that represents the highest rate of disability among any other demographic group; and

WHEREAS, the NCAI recognizes that AI/ANs with disabilities were not being well served by the states’ Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and that this is mainly due to the lack of culturally-centered services, because much like with the Veteran population, tribal people find it difficult to seek services in the traditional VR setting; and

WHEREAS, tribal governments asserted their sovereignty and called for the establishment of tribal vocational rehabilitation programs called American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) work by using culturally-centered services to assist AI/ANs with disabilities find and obtain meaningful employment and consistently have a nearly 60% placement rate; and

WHEREAS, while progress has been made to increase the number of AIVRS programs serving Indian Country, there remains a significant gap in available programs versus the number of AI/ANs with disabilities needing culturally-centered services and of the 600,000 working age AI/ANs with a disability, AIVRS programs are currently serving less than 10,000; and

WHEREAS, this vulnerable part of our people are literally in crises and are crying out for the hope and the dignity of being able to care for themselves and their families by attaining meaningful employment and loss of hope for those with disabilities who cannot find employment contributes to the alarming suicide rates in Indian Country, finding ways to instill hope in them is paramount.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI supports that the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services programs continue providing culturally-centered services to their people and increase the number served and that the programs have demonstrated that culture and language are the keys in providing quality services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCAI urges Congress and federal agencies to support direct permanent funding for AIVRS programs in addition to legislation and federal policies that increases the tribal set-aside for AIVRS programs to 5%; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCAI supports legislation and federal policies that establish Tribally-Controlled Satellite Services to meet the needs of Indian Country; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCAI urges Congress and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, to ensure that programs serving AI/ANs with a disability are administered and operated by tribally-controlled organizations that provide services in a culturally-centered manner, so as to improve the opportunities and resources for those living with disabilities, and that they may freely strive to realize their full potential; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCAI recognizes and supports the mission of the Consortia of Administrators of Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) to empower American Indians and Alaskan natives with disabilities through education and advocacy, and their work in bringing technical assistance training and capacity building to AIVRS programs; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2015 Midyear Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the St. Paul River Centre, St. Paul, MN, June 28 to July 1, 2015, with a quorum present.

“National Council on Disability (NCD) Study Regarding People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands”

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to

enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people and their way of life, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest rate of disability than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States, with 22% of the total American Indian / Alaska Native population experiencing some type of disability; and

WHEREAS, significant barriers exist for American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities within their own tribal communities, including fragmented services; limited coordination or collaboration among providers; limited enforcement or understanding of federal disability laws; limited budgets for services; inaccessible buildings and facilities; and limited outreach to or understanding of people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the National Council on Disability (NCD) funded a national study, “People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands: Education, Health Care, Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living” which is funded from June 1, 2002 until January 15, 2003; and

WHEREAS, the three objectives of this NCD study are: (1) to identify barriers to effective

federal-tribal government relationships; and (2) to develop recommendations for improvements in government-to-government relationships; and (3) to develop a Tool Kit for tribal communities; and

WHEREAS, this study has been guided by American Indian and Alaska Native people with

disabilities and tribal leaders serving on a “Technical Expert Panel” (TEP) to the NCD contractor;

and

WHEREAS, the draft findings and recommendation of the study, in addition to a draft

prototype of the Tool Kit have been shared with participants of the National Congress of American Indians convention of 2002, including the Subcommittee on Disabilities and the Subcommittee on Health; and

WHEREAS, the products of this NCD study, including the Recommendations and Tool

Kit offer the potential for expanded protections and services for American Indian and Alaska Native people with disabilities.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NCAI does hereby call upon the

National Council on Disability to support the production and dissemination of the Tool Kit

developed through this study, so that every tribe in the U.S. will be provided not less than two (2) copies of the Tool Kit; and each of the fifty states will be provided at least one (1) copy of the Tool Kit; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the NCAI calls upon federal agencies, including the

Indian Health Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Council of Disability, the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, Social Security Administration and the Department of Labor to consider the findings and

recommendations from this study and to work in consultation with American Indian and Alaska

Native tribes to move forward in the implementation of these recommendations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI does hereby call upon the U.S. Congress

through the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the House Resources Committee to hold

hearings on the issues and needs of American Indian and Alaska Native people with disabilities; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is

withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted at the 2002 Annual Session of the National Congress

of American Indians, held at the Town and Country Convention Center, in San Diego, California on November 10-15, 2002 with a quorum present.

Support the Development of a Social Security Administration Ticket-to Work Employment Network in Indian Country

WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and

WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and

WHEREAS, individuals from all backgrounds and cultures including American Indians/Alaska Natives are affected by life impacted disabilities and the need for Rehabilitation services; and

WHEREAS, the NCAI resolves to support opportunities for individuals with disabilities to function independently and productively; and

WHEREAS, these opportunities include the ability to vote, to volunteer, to work, and to engage in fulfilling lives, meaningful relationships, and rewarding careers; and

WHEREAS, NCAI encourages tribal communities and leadership to support critical efforts to help improve the opportunities and resources for those living with disabilities, so that they may freely strive to realize their full potential.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that NCAI acknowledges the Social Security Administration’s commitment to support Ticket-to-Work Employment Networks that serve American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities who want to achieve an employment outcome; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI supports the development of a

Native American Ticket-to-Work Employment Network, where Tribal Programs and

Nations are eligible to become Employment Networks and are able to receive

“milestone/outcome” payments to support tribal members with disabilities achieve

employment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI urges Tribal programs and Tribal Nations to apply for Employment Network status through the Ticket-to-Work Initiative of the Social Security Administration; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.

CERTIFICATION

The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2010 Annual Convention

of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Albuquerque Convention Center in

Albuquerque, NM on November 14-19, 2010, with a quorum present.