TITLE: Support for Tribal Technical Assistance Centers at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
WHEREAS, we, the members of the National Congress of American Indians of the United States, invoking the divine blessing of the Creator upon our efforts and purposes, in order to preserve for ourselves and our descendants the inherent sovereign rights of our Indian nations, rights secured under Indian treaties and agreements with the United States, and all other rights and benefits to which we are entitled under the laws and Constitution of the United States and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to enlighten the public toward a better understanding of the Indian people, to preserve Indian cultural values, and otherwise promote the health, safety and welfare of the Indian people, do hereby establish and submit the following resolution; and
WHEREAS, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was established in 1944 and is the oldest and largest national organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments; and
WHEREAS, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides specific prevention efforts through training and technical assistance for any tribe or tribal organization requesting assistance to address suicide and/or substance abuse/misuse; and
WHEREAS, the Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center at SAMHSA is a resource to tribes seeking funding through SAMHSA grants; and
WHEREAS, all tribes are able to request services and support through the SAMHSA Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center regardless of whether they are SAMHSA grantees; and
WHEREAS, SAMHSA’s Assistant Secretary recently made a change to training and technical assistance provided to tribes without tribal consultation and has cancelled many Training and Technical Assistance Centers across the country; and
WHEREAS, the current Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center is set to expire in September and there are no plans in place to replace the services provided by the Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center to all of Indian Country.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) urges the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to take the necessary actions to continue funding the Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center for an additional 5 years to ensure that there is no lapse in training and technical assistance services provided to Indian Country; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that NCAI urges the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration not to make any changes to the provision of training and technical assistance services to tribes, including the Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center, until proper consultation, as outlined in the HHS Tribal Consultation Policy is conducted; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that this resolution shall be the policy of NCAI until it is withdrawn or modified by subsequent resolution.
CERTIFICATION
The foregoing resolution was adopted by the General Assembly at the 2018 Midyear Session of the National Congress of American Indians, held at the Marriott Kansas City Downtown, June 3-6, 2018, with a quorum present.
Jefferson Keel, President
ATTEST:
Juana Majel Dixon, Recording Secretary