2012 Progress Report on Tribal Consultation Coordination

Implementation of the Tribal Consultation Coordination Plan Annual Progress Report:   National Council on Disability

(September 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012)

Report Date:  October 3, 2012

Consistent with the requirements of the President’s November 5, 2009 Memorandum on implementation of Executive Order 13175, “Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments,” the National Council on Disability (NCD) provides this third annual report and transmittal letter to the Office of Management and Budget. With appreciation to each member of the NCD Tribal Consultation Coordination (TCC) workgroup, 1 this document updates progress reported in October 2011.

The TCC plan aligns with NCD’s five-year strategic plan. Highlighted here are NCD’s strategies, outcomes, means and key activities that focus on creating and maintaining regular opportunities to receive direct input from community stakeholders; and establishing and cultivating trusted relationships with state, local, and tribal governments and other entities. 2 Aligned with the identified aspects of the agency’s strategic plan are three essential features of NCD’s TCC plan that specifically address: (1) working with respected American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) community leaders, (2) engaging in dialogue with representatives of different AI/AN communities, and (3) serving as a convener and partner with other federal government efforts to include and draw attention to the issues affecting the lives of AI/AN people with disabilities in their federal initiatives.

NCD’s budget allocations primarily supported staff engagement with the agency’s TCC workgroup through nine monthly teleconferences plus one face-to-face meeting during Fiscal Year (FY) 2012.  In addition, a Council Member team was formed to provide top leadership advice on an FY2012-FY2013 outreach initiative that is linked to implementation of NCD’s TCC plan.

In the current update, NCD highlights our partnership with the Consortia of Administrators of Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR), and maintains the TCC workgroup at the core of this agency’s AI/AN outreach initiatives. The NCD/CANAR partners identified and built a foundation for future action upon information gleaned from earlier discussions and planning sessions about finding new or existing opportunities for national level dialogue and discussion of policy issues.  Through CANAR and its existing national level conferences, NCD expanded its outreach to AI/AN people with disabilities beyond contact with the TCC workgroup members. Results included learning more about the depth of perspectives on unmet and often complex issues, concerns, and needs linked to health care, vocational rehabilitation, independent living and education. While NCD  continued to use its teleconference and email communication capabilities for dialogue with partners and other stakeholders, the agency also approved a joint venture with CANAR that provides a two-part face-to-face input opportunity—The NCD/CANAR Project.  Part one—CANAR Listening Sessions—of the project was implemented in July 2012. The location was the Seneca Nation (near Niagara Falls, NY) as part of the CANAR Mid-year conference.  Three NCD Council Members joined staff and more than 100 people representing tribes who formed listening circles to share perspectives on matters affecting the lives of tribal people with disabilities nationwide.  With the assistance of the TCC workgroup, NCD and CANAR’s follow-up tasks began near the end of FY2012. Tasks include developing a background and summary document to guide the planning of CANAR Project Part II, a forum set for FY2013.

Future considerations: Based on strengthened tribal input and NCD’s role as convener, the FY 2013 TCC plans will continue to support actions that (1) use the TCC workgroup as a nucleus for NCD’s tribal outreach, (2) embrace flexible ways to invite other federal entities to the table for face-to-face dialogue about disability issues that matter to tribal people, and (3) raise internal (agency) and external (other federal entities) awareness about the role and meaning of cultural sensitivity, the impact on meaningful access to and effectiveness of federal policies and pro

[1] The NCD TCC workgroup is comprised of 14 members who are AIVR Program Directors and CANAR Leaders. Names, Affiliation and Geographic Location are:

1.     Director Mary Meruvia, Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MS)
2.     Director Connie Lee Berg, Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (MN)
3.     Director, Dr. Christina Venable, Lower Muskogee VR Program (GA)
4.     Director Norman Shawanokasic, Menominee Tribe (WI)
5.     Director Lyle Cook, Cheyenne River Lakota (SD)
6.     Director Wilfred Bear, Assiniboine Sioux (MT)
7.     Director David K. Tripp, Hoopa Valley Tribe (CA)
8.     Director Michelle Wilson, Chickasaw Nation (OK)
9.     Director Stephen “Corky” West”, Oneida Nation (WI)
10.     Director Bryan Sykes, Cheyenne/Arapaho Nation (OK)
11.     Director Lanor Curole, United Houma Nation (LA)
12.     Director Amanda Race, Tanana Chiefs (AK)
13.     CANAR President, Treva Roanhorse, Navajo Nation (AZ)
14.     CANAR Executive Director, Joseph Kelley,  Winnfield, LA

[2] National Council on Disability Strategic Plan, FY 2012-2017. Retrieved October 2, 2012 at/Accountability/strategicplan/