Focus Groups Being Held on "People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands: Education, Health Care, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Independent Living"
If you are an American Indian or Alaska Native person with a disability, please consider attending our Focus Group. We want to hear your comments.
The focus group will be held at the:
CANAR Conference
Monday, November 18, 2002
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
West Coast Grand Hotel, Lopez Room
Seattle, WA
(Refreshments Provided)
Focus Groups are part of the "People with Disabilities on Tribal Lands: Education, Health Care, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Independent Living" Project funded by the:
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
(May 30, 2002 - January 15, 2003)
Kauffman and Associates, Inc. (contractor)
Project Background:
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people with disabilities, particularly those living on Tribal lands, face unique circumstances and legal environments that require special outreach and consultation, as well as development of culturally appropriate methods and tools to address their unmet needs for services and support. It is estimated that the rate of disability among AI/AN populations is 22.6%. American Indians with disabilities face major barriers to access services. The National Council on Disability contracted with Kauffman and Associates, Inc., a 100% American Indian owned firm to work with people with disabilities and tribal leaders to examine these issues and develop appropriate recommendations and a Tool Kit.
Purpose of the Focus Group:
As we near the completion of our research, we want to hear from key stakeholders their reaction to our draft recommendations and draft Tool Kit. This project examined the literature, conducted key respondent interviews and facilitated input from AI/AN tribal leaders, people with disabilities and community organizations to obtain insights and recommendations on strategies for improving services for people with disabilities who live on Tribal lands. In addition, the project developed a culturally appropriate toolkit, specifically designed to address the unique political and legal foundations of AI/AN tribal communities. We will hold 2 Focus Groups to get reaction to our work, one at CANAR for Indian people with disabilities and the second at NCAI to hear from tribal leaders.
Research Project Goals:
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Summarize recommendations from relevant research and reports on health, rehabilitation, and education issues that impact independent living and self-determination realities for people with disabilities living on tribal lands.
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Provide scheduled involvement for representatives of AI/AN communities, people with rehabilitation, health, and independent living, as project advisors.
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Identify and recommend basic factors/elements and key processes that have been productive in getting sovereign governments to develop tribal laws to protect and meet the service needs of people with disabilities who live on tribal lands.
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Provide a capacity building toolkit that must be user friendly, incorporate principles of cultural competency and include as examples for consideration what seems to be working and what has been effective in different tribal settings.
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Assess and recommend government-to-government (State to sovereign tribal to U.S. government) improvements in relationships needed for effective coordination across existing federally funded projects/programs.
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Make recommendations for consideration by NCD regarding the agency's subsequent advice to Congress and the Administration through an executive summary and final report.
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Develop a plan to broadly disseminate the project materials among Native people.
Get involved with this important project!!:
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Thirty (30) participants will be involved in two separate Focus Groups of fifteen (15) members each, including people with disabilities and tribal leaders. These Focus Groups will test the findings and recommendations that emerge from the tribal government key respondent interviews and other research of this project.
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Help in our dissemination planning to ensure wide distribution of the study findings, recommendations and the Tool Kit, which will provide important background information, sample tribal codes, resources, and contact information for people with disabilities on tribal lands, tribal governments, state governments and local service agencies.
Project Contact:
Jo Ann Kauffman, Principal Investigator
Martina Whelshula, Project Coordinator
Kauffman and Associates, Inc.
425 West 1st Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 747-4994 Phone
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