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National Leadership Summit on Eliminating and Ethnic Disparities in Health: Pre-Conference Addressing the Healthcare and Wellness Needs of Women of Color with Disabilities, January 2006

Conference Presentation: Navigating Through Life on a Tightrope: A Look at American Indian Women With Disabilities
by Cinda Hughes, Legislative Associate

Slide 1

Navigating Through Life on a Tightrope:
A Look at American Indian Women With Disabilities


Cinda Hughes
Legislative Associate
National Congress of
American Indians

Slide 2

Percentage of Disability by Gender and Ethnicity

Race	Female (percentage)	Male (percentage)
White	19.1%	20.3%
Black	18%	21.7%
Native American	21.9%	21.8%
Asian	9.1%	10.7%
Hispanic	14.3%	16.2%

Source: Bradsher (1995); McNeil (1993). Surveys: SIPP, 1991-92

Slide 3

Disabilities in Indian Country

• Spinal cord injury
• Diabetes complications
• Blindness

Slide 4

Disabilities Cont.

• Mobility disability
• Traumatic brain injury
• Deafness or hardness of hearing
• Orthopedic conditions

Slide 5

Disabilities Cont.

• Arthralgia
• Emotional or mental health conditions
• Learning disabilities
• Alcoholism or drug dependence

Clay, 1992; Rural Institute on Disabilities, 1995; AIDLP, 2000

Slide 6

Indian Health Service per capita expenditures for American Indians and Alaska Natives remains:

• 1/2 lower than per capita expenditures for Medicaid beneficiaries
• 1/3 lower than Veteran's Administration beneficiaries

Reference: Taylor, J.B. and Kalt, J.P. (2005). American Indians on reservations: A databook of socioeconomic change between the 1990 and 2000 censuses. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development.

Slide 7

Legislative Gaps

• Lack of funding and support for community-based attendant services.
• Lack of funding and support for culturally-appropriate vocational rehabilitation resources.
• Lack of services available through Indian Health Services due to funding deficiencies.

Slide 8

Legislative Opportunities

• Pass the Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Support Act of 2005.
• Increase funding support for tribal vocational rehabilitation programs.
• Reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.

Slide 9

Contact Information

Cinda Hughes
Phone: 202.466.7767
Fax: 202.466.7797
chughes@ncai.org

National Congress of American Indians
1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036

Last Revised: July 24, 2006

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