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SOCIAL SERVICES
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ALCOHOL CONF.
The National Indian Board on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
held their annual conference August 1, 1988 to August 5,
1988, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Attending for the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde were Mary Ring,
Social Sendees Program Director, Kathryn Harrison,
Tribal Council person, Michael Childers, Youth Repre
sentative, and Jim Goodman, and Monte Ring, Alcohol
Department. This conference covered topics dealing
with alcohol and substance abuse, and topics related to
destructive behavior.
Long hours, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., were put in attending
special classes for elders, youth and professionals. Over
three hundred Indian people from all over the United
States were on hand to learn and share from one
another possible solutions to these problems.
Kathryn Harrison was awarded a medal for her years of
outstanding service to Indian people. Kathryn was also ,
chosen to be one of the facilitators for the elders forum.
Michael Childers was awarded a medal for her outstand
ing leadership, and for presenting a positive role model
to other Indian youth. Michael was a group leader at
the youth portion of the conference.
Among the many speakers we were treated to, Billy
Mills, winner of a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in
the 10,000 meters, inspired all present to working up to
our greatest potential. He stressed that anyone could be
a winner if they work hard enough and set their goals
high enough.
The conference was topped off with a gala Pow Wow.
The highlight of the Pow Wow was the National Indian
Health Board's 1988 Queens Give Away. Drumming
and dancing went on until past 1:00 a.m.
We left the conference tired but with a renewed spirit,
ready to return to out respective Tribes and fight the
battle against the enemies that plaque our members.
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57? elder and Grand Ronde elder, Martha Mercier, enjoy meal toelher.
INDIAN COUNCIL ON AGING LOOKS AT
PROBLEMS FACING OLDER AMERICANS
Marie Logan enjoys a bit of history while visiting the
Horner Museum in Corvallis.
A lack of adequate health care, social and human
services is placing older American Indians at risk,
according to a series of position statements released by
the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), which
, represents and advocates for the interests of Indian
elders age 55 and older. The position papers outline
major problems facing older American Indians and the
Council's recommendations for how these problems can
best be addressed.
According to NICOA Executive Director Curtis Cook,
the statements contain no significant changes from
NICOA's previous positions but rather solidify its stance
on key issues.
"We see the position statements as means of developing
a number of initiatives and action strategies to improve'
services to older American Indians, and to delineate and
protect their rights and entitlements," says Cook.
Although NICOA's Board of Directors is made up of '
representatives elected from each of the 12 federal
regions covering the various tribes, the council does not
see itself as having authority to speak for tribal govern
ments. It does, however, seek to represent a consensus
of opinion.
BETTER SERVICES TOP PRIORITY
Indian Elders as a group fare far worse than most other
older Americans. In its position paper on Indian elderly
health, NICOA quotes from an unpublished article that
"being Indian and being old intensifies the difficulties of
growing old in America; but being n Jndian over age
75 and living in a rural area may represent being a
member of the most discriminated segment of American
society."
Because many Indian elders have remained on the
reservation, they are often socially andor geographi
cally isolated, poor, inadequately housed, neglected, and
even abused. They also are considerably more likely to
develop and die from such chronic and debilitating
conditions as pneumonia, diabetes, alcoholism, as well
as suffer from arthritis and poor dental health.
Yet services for Indian elders are frequently inadequate
or lacking altogether. In some cases, services have been
cut back or the quality has declined because of budget
cuts. In other cases, government services promised have
never materialized. Furthermore, a shortage of trans
portation services means that isolated individuals cannot
access other needed services. And some Indian elders
simply refuse to participate in programs because service
providers (usually non-Indian) are, in some instances,
insensitive to differences in culture, customs and
language.
In addition NICOA contends that some federal and
state agencies are attempting to restrict or deny services
by arguing that the sovereignty of tribal governments
makes them ineligible for assistance. NICOA claims
that certain rights and entitlements, including compre
hensive services, were guaranteed by federal treaties and
executive orders in exchange for land, and that these
agreements do not require the Indians to waive their
sovereignty to receive services.
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