An estimated 22% of American Indians and Alaska Natives report living with one or more disabilities. And, compared to all other races in the United States, Native Americans have the highest overall rate of disability.
According to the National Council on Disabilities (NCD), “If we consider only the 2.5 million who reported on the 2000 census that they identify themselves exclusively as ‘American Indian or Alaska Native,’ this means that at least 550,000 Indians and Alaska Natives have disabilities.”
While every type of disability that is found in the general population can be found in the Native American population, the NCD reports that several small studies of Tribal communities have identified the disabilities that are most frequently reported. The disabilities that are most frequently cited include:
Spinal cord injury
Diabetes complications
Blindness
Mobility disability
Traumatic brain injury
Deafness
Orthopedic conditions
Arthralgia
Emotional or mental health conditions
Learning disabilities
Alcoholism or drug dependence
These findings aren’t likely to surprise Paula Seanez. Ms. Seanez is Assistant Director of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for the Navajo Nation as well as a member of the Arizona Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries.
The Navajo Nation is one of five Arizona tribes that provide vocational rehabilitation programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).
“We work side-by-side with Arizona RSA, so that consumers can have a choice – whether to receive services from the Navajo Nation or from the state,” says Ms. Seanez. Because the closest state RSA office is located in Flagstaff – and because some consumers prefer services that are provided by Tribal professionals – many choose to receive services from the Nation.
“Many of our counselors are bi-lingual,” explains Ms. Seanez. “They understand where the consumer is coming from and use a more wholistic approach.”
For example, she says, counselors may include a traditional healing service as part of the consumer’s plan.
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“We look at how the disability is affecting all aspects of the consumer's life. We consider the consumer’s well-being physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.”
This approach is central to the Navajo perspective, she says. “The concept of balance is very important in the Navajo culture. When a person has an injury, that means something is out of balance. Interventions are aimed at helping that person to restore balance in his or her life.”
In addition to vocational rehabilitation services, the Navajo Nation’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services provides an independent living program, an early childhood development program, called Growing in Beauty, and a training component.
ASSIST! to Independence is the Navajo Nation’s Independent Living Center. The program is a community-based, non-profit organization that provides services to Native Americans with a wide range of disabilities. Located in Tuba City, it serves member of the Navajo Nation as well as members of the Hopi and Southern Paiute tribes.
The program provides community education and advocacy training, facilitates access to assistive technologies, and other services aimed at helping people with disabilities to achieve and maintain independence.
Growing in Beauty is the Navajo Nation’s program for young children with disabilities and their families. The program’s goal is to identify young children with disabilities early in their life and to refer them to appropriate services.
The program partners with the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) to coordinate services. It also partners with the Arizona Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs (OCSHCN) to coordinate services for young children with traumatic brain injury.
Ms. Seanez is particularly enthusiastic about the services that the Growing in Beauty program provides. “It gives us an opportunity to intervene early in a child’s life,” she says. “And if we do it right, it makes an impact for a lifetime.”
Despite the success of the Nation’s many programs, Ms. Seanez believes that there are still many challenges facing people with disabilities on tribal lands.
Confusion around jurisdictional issues, for example, can make the process of determining eligibility for services complex. Each tribe has its own legislative process and the relationship between the tribes and the federal government is sometimes unclear.
In addition, accessible housing, transportation and employment are particularly scarce on tribal lands. “These issues affect everyone living on tribal lands, but they are particularly hard on people with disabilities,” Ms. Seanez says.
Finally, she says, a shortage of Personal Care Attendants makes maintaining independence particularly challenging for individuals with spinal cord and traumatic brain injury.
Continued on page 5
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