actual amount of money that went to the Indian tribes was 54 percent of what was appropriated. And nationwide, the funding for Title VI for 181 grantees nationwide was 10 percent less than the funding that went to the area agencies in Washington State alone. Of our Indian elders, there are 823 Colville enrolled Indian elders aged 60 and over. And of those, 445 reside on the reservation, the rest reside outside the reservation, which means that they are in either a Title III service area or another Title VI area. So my concerns are not only for the funds that we receive for our tribe but the funds for services to Indian elders everywhere. And I would like to close-due to limited time in preparing the testament, I was not allowed to attach all of the backup information, so I would like to present to you my testimony with backup information. Senator ADAMS. Without objection, your testimony will be included in the record at this point as though given and your backup information will be included with it at the same point in the record. [The prepared statement of Gloria M. Picard follows:] THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT REGARDING "THE NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAMS ACT AND THE IMPACT OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT ON OLDER INDIANS AND HISPANICS" STATEMENT OF GLORIA M. PICARD PROGRAM MANAGER/DIRECTOR COLVILLE INDIAN AREA AGENCY ON AGING NESPELEM, WA 99155 BEFORE THE UNITED STATES SENATE LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE THE HONORABLE BROCK ADAMS, CHAIRMAN AND THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EDUCATION AND LABOR COMMITTEE THE HONORABLE MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, CHAIRMAN MAY 4, 1991 YAKIMA NATION CULTURAL CENTER TOPPENISH, WASHINGTON I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE INDIAN ELDERS AND SHARE MY CONCERNS REGARDING THE REAUTHORIZATION OF THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT. THE COLVILLE CONFEDERATED TRIBES IS AN INDIAN AREA AGENCY ON AGING IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND ALSO A TITLE VI GRANTEE. CONSIDERING THE FUNDING LEVEL OF TITLE VI, WE HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE ONE OF THE VERY FEW INDIAN AREA AGENCIES DESIGNATED NATIONWIDE. HOWEVER, EVEN WITH OUR COLLECTIVE FUNDING SOURCES (FEDERAL, STATE AND TRIBAL) WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO PROVIDE MINIMAL SERVICES TO OUR INDIAN ELDERS. OUR SERVICE AREA IS THE COLVILLE INDIAN RESERVATION WHICH IS A RURAL AREA COVERING 1.3 MILLION ACRES (2100 SQUARE MILES), LOCATED IN EASTERN WASHINGTON STATE. THERE ARE 823 ENROLLED COLVILLE MEMBERS 60 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. OF THESE MEMBERS 54% RESIDE ON OR NEAR THE COLVILLE RESERVATION AND LOOK TO TRIBAL PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES/ASSISTANCE AND 46% RESIDE AWAY FROM OUR RESERVATION, WHICH PUTS THEM IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SERVICE AREA SHOULD THEY NEED ASSISTANCE. THEREFORE, MY CONCERN IS NOT ONLY FOR WHAT OUR TRIBE RECEIVES TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR INDIAN ELDERS, BUT ALSO WHAT SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO INDIAN ELDERS OUTSIDE OUR RESERVATION. TITLE I-DECLARATION OF OBJECTIVES/TITLE VI-SENSE OF CONGRESS: SEC. 101 DECLARES, "IN KEEPING WITH THE TRADITIONAL AMERICAN CONCEPT OF THE INHERENT DIGNITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY SEC. 602 CONGRESS ACKNOWLEDGES THAT OLDER INDIANS ARE A VITAL RESOURCE AND ENTITLED TO ALL BENEFITS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE AND THAT SUCH SERVICES AND BENEFITS SHOULD BE PROVIDED IN A MANNER THAT PRESERVES AND RESTORES THEIR RESPECTIVE DIGNITY, SELF-RESPECT, AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES. IT IS STRESSED THROUGHOUT TITLE III THAT PARTICULAR ATTENTION BE GIVEN TO LOW-INCOME MINORITY (10 TIMES IN SEC. 306). U. S. COMMISSIONER ON AGING, JOYCE BERRY, EMPHASIZED THIS AND ALSO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STATE AND AREA AGENCIES TOWARD OLDER INDIANS IN AOA-PI-90-5. TO REACH THE OBJECTIVES OF TITLE I, SEC. 101 BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART TITLE III. SEC. 602 MUST WITH EMPHASIS ON LOW-INCOME MINORITY, THE STATE FUNDING FORMULAS NEED TO PLACE A HIGHER WEIGHT ON THE MINORITY COMPONENT WHEN CONSIDERING DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS, WITH AN ADDED COMPONENT AND WEIGHT FOR SERVICES TO INDIAN ELDERS. THERE ARE 13 AREA AGENCIES ON AGING IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON; THE TWO INDIAN AREA AGENCIES IN OUR STATE RECEIVES A COMBINED TOTAL OF 2% OF THE TITLE III FUNDS DISTRIBUTED TO THE AREA AGENCIES ON AGING (COLVILLE INDIAN AAOA 0.68% AND YAKIMA NATION AAOA 1.4%). OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS SERVED CONGREGATE AND HOME-DELIVERED MEALS BY THE OTHER 11 AREA AGENCIES ON AGING THROUGHOUT THE STATE, A COMBINED TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 1% OR LESS ARE AMERICAN INDIAN ELDERS THE NUMBER OF INDIAN ELDERS SERVED MEALS BY THE TWO INDIAN AREA AGENCIES ON AGING DOUBLES THE PERCENTAGE RATE FOR THE STATE. TITLE III-AAOA'S SUB-CONTRACTS FOR SERVICE PROVISION: TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE THE RESPECTIVE DIGNITY, SELF-RESPECT AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES OF THE INDIAN ELDERS, SEC. 306(5) (N) NEEDS BE STRENGTHENED AND AAA'S ENCOURAGED TO CONTRACT WITH INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PROVISION OF TITLE III SERVICES IN COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE OCCUPIED BY OR ACCESSIBLE TO INDIANS. INDIAN ELDERS, GENERALLY, WILL NOT SEEK SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED AND/OR OPERATED PRIMARILY BY NON-INDIANS OR IF THEY ARE EXPECTED TO ASSOCIATE WITH A PREDOMINATELY NON-INDIAN GROUP. INSENSITIVITY/LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE INDIAN ELDERS: MANY INDIAN ELDERS FEEL THAT OUTSIDE SERVICE PROVIDERS/AGENCIES FAIL TO SHOW SENSITIVITY TO THEM OR UNDERSTAND THEM. THE DIRECT SERVICE PROVIDERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CULTURE OR VALUES OF THE INDIAN FEOPLE. TRUST: DUE TO TREATMENT THE INDIAN ELDERS RECEIVED IN THEIR PAST FROM THE NON-INDIAN SOCIETY, THERE IS STILL A TRUST (OR NONTRUST) ISSUE WHEN APPLYING FOR SERVICES FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES. IN ADDITION, THE INDIAN ELDERLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT RULES, REGULATIONS, FORMS, PAPERTRAIL ADMINISTERED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDERS. THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT THEY CONSIDER VERY PERSONAL AND PRIVATE, ETC. THIS CAUSES FRUSTRATION TO THE POINT MANY INDIAN ELDERLY WILL NOT SEEK SERVICES AND WILL GO WITHOUT. TITLE IV-TRAINING, RESEARCH, AND DISCRETIONARY PROJECTS THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GRANT/CONTRACT TO PROVIDE TITLE VI TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE BE REQUIRED TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATED TRAINING PLAN THAT INCLUDES AT LEAST ONE ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR TITLE VI GRANTEES, INDIAN AAOA'S, AND INDIAN ORGANIZATIONS FORMED SPECIFICALLY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIAN ELDERS. WITH LOW-INCOME MINORITY BEING TARGETED FOR SERVICES, CULTURAL AWARENESS NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN TRAINING FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS. TITLE V-COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT FOR OLDER AMERICANS ADEQUATE FUNDING NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATED TO THE NATIONAL INDIAN SCSEP TO PROVIDE EACH TITLE VI GRANTEE WITH AT LEAST 1 TITLE V ENROLLEE. TITLE VI- GRANTS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS INCREASED FUNDING NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATED FOR TITLE VI TO PROVIDE A MORE REASONABLE LEVEL OF SERVICES TO THE INDIAN ELDERS. RECOMMENDED LEVELS WOULD BE: $25,000,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 1992; $30,000,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993; $35,000,000 FOR FISCAL YEAR 1994. FUNDING AUTHORIZATION NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST CLOSE TO THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNT. FISCAL YEAR 1990, TITLE VI PART A, PROPOSED FUNDING FOR 181 TITLE VI GRANTEES TOTALED $9,961,508 OR 54.75% OF THE APPROPRIATED AMOUNT. ALSO, THE 1990 PROPOSED FUNDING FOR THE |