Dr. Michael Trujillo suggested to the Working group on American Indians and Alaska Natives of the Domestic Policy Council of President Clinton on April 8, 1997 that the administration could focus on a policy initiative for Indian Children and Adolescents. This initiative was proposed at the same time as the “Proposed Federal Indian Education Policy Statement presented by NIEA was being considered by the same group and discussions ultimately lead to the development of an Executive order on American Indian and Alaska Native Education. At the time I was involved in these discussions and remember that the initiative on Indian children and adolecents was dropped in favor of focusing on the development of an Executive order on American Indian and Alaska Native education. I think many at the time believed that the education executive order would also focus on the well being of Indian children and youth but such a focus on the well being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and youth did not materialize. DB
Policy Initiative for Indian* Children and Adolescents
Working Group on American Indian and Alaska Natives Domestic Policy Council (DPC)
Proposed by the Indian Health Service, DHHS
Why This Policy Issue is Important
• Indian Children are the Future of Indian Communities
• Suicide rates for Indian Children and Adolescents are more than twice the rate for these age groups in the general population. Epidemics of suicides and suicide attempts continue to occur in Indian communities
• The Incidence of physical and sexual abuse of Indian children is high in Indian Communities. PL 101-630 authorizes prevention services and treatment for Indian Children who are victims of sexual abuse. However, funds have never been appropriated to provide these services. Few tribes have child abuse treatment or prevention programs
• Substance abuse rates are very high among Indian Youth
• Concern has been expressed in many Indian communities about youth who are involved in criminal behavior, cults and gangs
• A presidential memorandum asking for information about projects and programs for children in their earliest years (before they reach school age) and directing the establishment of a senior level interagency working group to share, examine and develop these assessments and proposal, was signed February 24, 1997. The initiative proposed today would extend coordinated federal support for programs for Indian Children and adolescents until they reach young adulthood
What Can Be Accomplished by The Working Group
• A presidential memorandum or Executive order can be developed to focus resources within the scope and mission of each federal agency to improve the quality of life for Indian children and support their healthy development through childhood and adolescence
• Information on the problems faced by Indian Children can be widely shared so that Federal agencies can better be prepared to assist Indian communities
• New or enhanced collaborative initiatives to address these issues can be developed
• Persons with Specialized skills can be identified for technical assistance
• Other resources including foundation support, can be developed and made available to tribes to support the healthy development of Indian children and adolescents
How the Policy Initiative Will Strengthen Polices Toward Tribes and Interagency Coordination
• The Policy Initiative will focus the resources of the Executive Branch, within the scope of each agency’s mission, on the needs of Indian children and adolescents, helping them to become healthy adults, prepared to contribute to their communities
• The policy initiative will ensure that Agencies operate within a government to government relationship with tribes , consulting them for the development of plans, project, programs and activities and removing procedural impediments
• The policy initiative will respects tribal sovereignty by ensuring that tribal use of the resources developed is voluntary and that resources are responsive to the needs and culture of each tribe
Initiative Leadership
• The Initiative would be chaired by Dr Michael H Trujillo, Director HIS, HHS. Working group members for the departments of Interior, education and Justice would be invited to serve as co-chairs and the participation of all departments would be invited
*“Indian” includes American Indian and Alaska Natives
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