Seattle are

communities' congregate seal services in subcontracted to members of

King County Area Agency on

the respective ethnic communities by

Aging. With Yakima Nation and many

other tribal programs, the services are performed by the AAA subcontractor, thus saving one level of

itself, and not by a

administrative cost and paperwork.

E. ACCESS TO TITLE V

ААА status is the

participation.

particularly

FUNDS/EMPLOYEES

automatic

eligibility for Title V program

The Title V employment opportunities are

important for older Indians for at least two

distinctive reasons related to their Indian status and circumstances discussed below.

First, particularly in this area, many older Indians have been shut out of social security retirement eligibility because of their unique status as Indians: if they were either treaty fishermen or farmers of their own trust land they likely have accrued no social security because their trust income was exempt from federal taxation (and thus they did not file an income tax return, or the accompanying self-employment tax form that creates earning records for social security).

Second, the Title V

because

opportunities are important reservations that there are

unemployment is so high on Indian

exceptionally few job opportunities for older tribal members.

The Yakima Nation Area Agency on Aging employees three Title V employees who perform invaluable services to the program. Such employees are not available to Title VI programs.

The Yakina Nation has received Title VI monies since 1981. The 1990 funding level was $38,000, down from a 1981 high of $65,000. The Yakima Nation uses its Title VI grant solely for services to elders served by our staff. The tribal

Goldendale

seniors

members living in the far south of the Reservation or on the Columbia River are too distant to attend congregate meals at the Wanity Park dining room, and thus have a separate nutrition

program.

The

experience of the Yakima Nation

with Title VI funding while on one hand disappointing because of the decrease and inadequacy in funding, nonetheless is positive because the money is clearly marked to the exclusive use of older Indians, and comes directly to the Yakima Nation, thus state involvement is absent. saves the Yakina Nation from the excessive paperwork accompanies the Title III funds from the state, and allows much more flexibility in designing a nutrition programs.

This

that

With Title VI monies the program can serve such traditional foods as the elderly tribal members may prefer. The lower age limit of 55 allows tribes to serve many who are older and in great need of Older America Act services who would be shut out of Title VI much more suited to the

services. The Title VI monies are

realities of a tribal program and older Indian participants

and

provide much greater chance that the monies will be used for all tribal elderly, including the more traditional members.

VI.

TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AND THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT

become

While the early days of the Title III program had few regulations and only reasonable amounts of paperwork the program has now excessively burdensome to Indian tribes. If the federal government intends to give assistance to Indian elders, that assistance should be given directly, without giving the state the opportunity to put limits and conditions on receipt of the money. Tribal sovereignty means that the federal government should treat Indian tribes as political entities distinctly separate from the

Washington has pledged to deal

state governments. The State of with Indian tribes on a government-to-government basis. It is inappropriate that the Administration on Aging policies encourage if not require the states to treat tribes as subordinate governments, subject to state

regulation for

but Title VI of the Older Americans Act.

purposes of all

VII. CONCLUDING COMMENT

The continued

involvement of the states in delivery of Older American Act services to older Indians is not, by far, the most effective means to get services to Indian elderly. Most tribes organizational capability

and tribal

organizations have the

to

administer the Older American Act programs. Respect for tribal sovereignty requires the Administration on Aging to nove avay

of federal

from state control over allocation and distribution funds intended for the benefit of older Indians. We look forward to working with your committees and with Associate Commissioner Jackson to establish avenues for tribes like the Yakima Nation to assume full and direct control over Title III allocations as well as Title VI awards and such other OAA program funding as might be available to the states.

Senator ADAMS. Thank you, Mr. Olney. We will be looking forward to seeing you and please let Mr. Keefe know when you are coming so that we have enough advance notice that we can set the time aside for the discussions that will be very necessary.

Mr. OLNEY. Thank you, sir.

Senator ADAMS. Ms. Picard?

We will wait and hear all of the panel and then Congressman Martinez and I will ask questions to all of you.

Ms. Picard?

Ms. PICARD. Thank you.

STATEMENT OF GLORIA M. PICARD, PROGRAM MANAGER/DIRECTOR, COLVILLE INDIAN AREA AGENCY ON AGING, COLVILLE INDIAN TITLE VII GRANT

Ms. PICARD. I am Gloria Picard and I am Program Director for the Colville Indian Area Agency on Aging and also Title VI Grantee. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for inviting me to testify on behalf of the Indian elders.

The Colville Confederated Tribes is fortunate enough to be one of the few designated area agencies nationwide. However, with our collective funding, we are only able to provide minimal services to our elders.

In regard to the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, I would request that you take a special look at Title I, the declaration and objectives of the Older Americans Act, and Title VI, the sense of Congress, and the purpose of the Older Americans Act, with the purpose being to assist the elders in maintaining their independence with dignity and pride. Though that has been noted in Title VI, I think it needs to become an inherent part of the rest of the Older Americans Act.

I believe our elders need to be recognized as a special group of people, not only as minority but also as a special government-togovernment people and be given special considerations because they have already experienced probably more hardships and have had to give more than any of us here.

In regard to the Title III funding formulas, I feel with the emphasis on the low income minority there needs to be added weight to the component of minority and for those that do depend on Title III as a resource, there needs to be an added component for services to Indian elders.

In Title III subcontracts, I believe there needs to be more subcontracting with Indian organizations because our elders, in maintaining their independence, should be allowed to remain in their comfort zones with people that they enjoy being with.

Training and research, Title IV-the service providers should-it should be a requirement that they include cultural awareness training.

In Title V, there should be at least one Title V enrollee for each Title VI grantee. With the high unemployment on the reservation, it makes it very difficult for the elders to compete for jobs.

And with Title VI, there needs to be a more reasonable funding level that goes to the tribes. In looking in the findings for 1990, the