Resources
The following links provide various resources to assist WIPA specialists in their outreach to Native Americans with disabilities.
Employment
Free Training for Tribes [SAIGE]
The University of Washington Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences has received a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health and Safety to provide training and education to workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, safety and emergency response. With the grant we are able to provide affordable training to our target population of Native Americans, Alaskan Native, and construction or port workers who are potentially exposed to hazardous substances in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Type of Courses we can provide:
- 40 Hr HAZWOPER
- 8 Hr HAZWASTE Refresher
- 24 Hr HAZWOPER
- Oil Spill Response
- Basic Industrial Emergency Responder Operations
- Industrial Emergency Response Awareness
- Emergency Responder Basic Operations
- Emergency Responder/Hazardous Materials Technician
- Emergency Response Hazardous Materials Specialist
- 16 Hour Disaster Site Worker
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Awareness
- Confined Space
- General Industry Safety
- Construction Safety
- Hazard Communication
Who To Contact for More Information:
Mike Willis
Assistant Director - Continuing Education and Outreach Department of
Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences University of
Washington mwillis@u.washington.edu
206/616-7899
Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation programs offer employment services to tribal members with disabilities.
A list of additional Employment Resources is available, which provides information on serving Native Americans with disabilities.
Heath and Other Services
The U.S. Indian Health Service (IHS), Urban Indian Health Programs (UIHP) consists of 37 non-profit programs nationwide, funded through grants and contracts from the IHS under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, as amended.
Urban Indian Centers are gathering places that offer a variety of services to American Indians who have left their reservations or homelands. Each urban Indian center varies in programs offered.
Healthcare under Indian Health Services and Veterans Administration is a bipartisan Senate bill (S-2145) is designed to shield American Indian and Alaska Native veterans from co-payments and other fees for receiving health care, closing a loophole created by a 2003 agreement between two federal agencies. The bill makes certain that VA cost-sharing fees and other expenses are not charged to veterans receiving health care from the Indian Health Service. That protects a long-term federal government policy of providing free health care services to eligible Native Americans "regardless of their ability to pay."
DisabilityInfo.gov is a one-stop Web site for people with disabilities, their families, employers, veterans and service members, workforce professionals and others who are interested. A State and Local Resources map to locate programs and information is also available on the site.
Corporation for National and Community Services is a partner with DisabilityInfo.gov and provides information on benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology, service and volunteering opportunities, grants, special initiatives, and training resources geared to including people with disabilities in service.
PACER Center is a parent training and information center located in Minneapolis providing services for families of children and youth (ages from birth to 21 years old) disabilities. The center serves families across the nations with resources such as publications and workshops to help make decisions about education, vocational training,
Other Resources
Commissions on American Indian Affairs are available in most states that provides useful information on tribal activities within the state and serves as a liaison between tribal governments and state or local governments. Their focus often includes enhancing economic opportunities for American Indians, protecting Native cultural resources, ensuring adequate social services, and improving relationships between Natives and non-Natives.
The Tribal Leaders Directory (2007) is published by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and provides contact information for all federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States.
AIDTAC has a 2005 listing of Tribal Colleges, which play important roles in their communities and are often the only postsecondary institutions serving some of the country’s poorest rural areas. The Department of Education also provides a listing that is periodically updated.
The NSF Native American Database site provides a list of Native American websites relating to specific tribes, language resources, professional organizations, magazines and newspapers.
Native America Calling is a daily radio program addressing many current news and cultural issues related to Native Americans. They call themselves the National Electronic Talking Circle.
A list of Native American Newspapers and Periodicals provides another good source for outreach to Native Americans with disabilities.
A list of Alaska Native Corporations formed under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act provides a good source of employment and cultural information related to Alaska Natives with disabilities.
A list of additional fact sheets and other publications relating to American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities and employment.
The Chamber's mission is to help persons with disabilities and their direct caregivers to form and grow businesses.