According to the above figures, the unemployment rate is 35 percent, but it has been estimated to range as wide as 20 percent to 65 percent at times, due to lack of available jobs. According to the 1970 census, the average income for Navajos is $805 per year. (5) Greater incidence of handicapping conditions: Environmental conditions on the Navajo Reservation often result in a greater incidence of certain handicapping conditions. For example, the higher than national average incidence of otitis media, trachoma, alcoholism, and diabetes mellitus leads to higher rates of deafness, blindness, amputations, and other disabling conditions. The mortality rate for spinal cord injured persons is four times the national average according to the U.S. Public Health Service statistics. (6) Service delivery systems: The States of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah each have offices serving the reservation. Their effectiveness is grossly limited by the barriers mentioned here, but these limitations are compounded by the fact that not a single State vocational rehabilitation office is located within the 25,000-square-mile area. Offices, instead, are located in cities bordering the reservation, thus restricting the prospective client's access to services. (7) Legislative barriers: The current Rehabilitation Act permits the contracting of vocational rehabilitation services to Indian tribes for the reservation areas, whereby, the State monitors and the tribe administers the program. This is left up to the State discretion, however, and is further complicated by the fact that the Navajo Reservation is located in three separate States and three separate Federal regions. Implementing a comprehensive service delivery system is made difficult, to say the least. No such contracts have been negotiated to date. Though vocational rehabilitation services to this segment of the population will not be miraculously improved overnight, improvement would be greatly facilitated by the following: (1) Use of Navajo-Navajo-speaking counselors in service delivery; (2) Improved health care, medical restoration, and aftercare services to the Indian populations through the U.S. Public Health Service; and (3) Navajo tribal control over programing within the overall regulations and guidelines of the Rehabilitation Act. Public Law 93-638, known as the Indian Self-Determination Act goes a long way toward implementing a Federal policy of allowing tribes to be self-determining and directly involved in the management of their own affairs. We would like to recommend an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act to permit direct Federal funding to the Navajo Nation, and other tribes, if they so desire. This amendment would take a form similar to that proposed under section 102 of Senate bill 2600 entitled "American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Special Projects," providing for a 1-percent separate authorization over the current basic grants program. A further step is needed, however, to insure that Indian tribes which have demonstrated their ability to improve services to indigenous handicapped persons may administer services directly. On April 2-5, 1978, a conference entitled "Cultural Factors in Rehabilitation" was held in the Navajo Nation. The overwhelming consensus of the participants, who represented several diverse cultural groups, was that the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as currently administered, is not culturally responsive. Counselors, by and large, are not members of the cultural group they serve and do not speak the same language. There was also a consensus that successful client rehabilitation depends, to a large degree, on cultural sensitivity. With this amendment, we feel that the provision of vocational rehabilitation services could be greatly facilitated, and that the intentions of the act to provide quality services to handicapped persons could be more effectively implemented. We also understand that the Developmental Disabilities and Facilities Construction Act authority expires this year. We would hope that any extension or revision of this act would incorporate these same principles of Indian self-determination. I thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of Navajo handicapped persons, and trust that the future will hold greater promise for all American Indian handicapped persons with the passage of an amendment to Public Law 93-113 allowing for special project grants and direct administration of rehabilitation services by tribal governments. Mr. KILDEE. Thank you very much, Mr. Roanhorse, for your testimony. Mr. Jeffords? Mr. JEFFORDS. Your testimony was excellent. It brings out some areas I had not thought about before. I have no questions at this time, Mr. Chairman. Mr. KILDEE. The Chair has no questions. Mr. ROANHORSE. I have copies of the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan of the Navajo Nation I would like to submit for the record. Mr. KILDEE. Without objection, it will be inserted in the record at this point. [The material referred to above follows:] DEPARTMENT of VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION THE NAVAJO TRIBE WINDOW ROCK, ARIZONA & Jud R. Cunningham, Director Navajo Vocational Rehabilitation Project Dillon Platero, Director Window Rock, Arizona 86515 Prepared as a Component of the Navajo Comprehensive Education Plan RESOLUTION OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE OF THE NAVAJO TRIBAL COUNCIL Approving a Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation. WHEREAS: 1. The Vocational Rehabilitation Department of the Navajo Division of Education has prepared a proposed comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation attached as Exhibit "A"; and 2. Public hearings were held on the proposed Plan on April 29, 1977; and 3. The proposed Plan was available for public review and comment as announced publicly in the Navajo Times; and 4. The proposed Plan has received prior endorsement of the Navajo Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Board and the Navajo Area Health Board. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: 1. The Education Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council hereby approves and accepts the proposed Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered by the Education Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council at a duly called meeting at Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona), at which a quorum was present and that same was passed by vote of 3 in favor and 0 opposed, this 12 day of May, 1977. ACJN-99-77 Class "C" Resolution No BIA Action Required. RESOLUTION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE NAVAJO TRIBAL COUNCIL Approving a Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation WHEREAS: 1. The Vocational Rehabilitation Department of the Navajo Division of Education has prepared a proposed Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation, attached as Exhibit "A"; and 2. Public hearings were held on the purposed Plan on April 29, 1977; and 3. The proposed Plan was available for public review and comment as announced publicly in the Navajo Times; and 4. The proposed Plan has received prior endorsement of the Navajo Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Board, the Navajo Area Health Board, and the Education Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council (by resolution dated May 12, 1977.) NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Advisory Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council hereby approves and accepts the proposed Comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation Services Plan for the Navajo Nation. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly considered by the Advisory Committee of the Navajo Tribal Council at a duly called meeting at Window Rock, Navajo Nation (Arizona), at which a quorum was present and that same was passed by a vote of 11 in favor and 0 opposed, this 1st day of June, 1977. Robert Billie Education Committee Escons T. Bezen Edward T. Begay |