About ANA
The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) was established in 1974 through the Native American Programs Act (NAPA). ANA is the only federal agency serving all Native Americans, including 562 federally recognized Tribes, American Indian and Alaska Native organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations and Native populations throughout the Pacific basin (including American Samoa, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).
Our Mission
The mission of ANA is to promote the goal of self-sufficiency and cultural preservation for Native Americans by providing social and economic development opportunities through financial assistance, training, and technical assistance to eligible Tribes and Native American communities, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native Pacific Islanders organizations. ANA provides funding for community-based projects that are designed to improve the lives of Native children and families and reduce long-term dependency on public assistance. Competitive funding authorized under the Native American Program Act of 1974 as amended for community-based projects is provided through three (3) competitive discretionary grant programs to eligible Tribes and non-profit Native American organizations: social and economic development, language preservation, and environmental regulatory enhancement.
Goals
- Foster the development of stable, diversified local economies and economic activities which will provide jobs, promote community and economic well-being, encourage community partnerships and reduce dependency on public funds and social services;
- Support local access to, control of, and coordination of services and programs that safeguard the health and well-being of Native children and families; and
- Increase the number of projects involving youth and intergenerational activities in Native American communities.
Examples of the range of ANA projects include:
- Creation of new jobs and development or expansion of business enterprises and social service initiatives;
- Establishment of new Tribal employment offices;
- Formulation of environmental ordinances and training in the use and control of natural resources;
- Enactment of new codes and management improvements to strengthen the governmental functions of Tribes and Native American organizations; and
- Establishment of local court systems.
Priorities
ANA promotes the goal of economic and social self-sufficiency for American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Native American Pacific Islanders. To achieve the goal of self-sufficiency, ANA projects are planned, designed, and implemented by Native American community members to address the particular needs of their society. ANA subscribes to the philosophy that sustainable change must originate within the community.
Native Americans both on and off reservations continue to face many profound social and economic challenges. According to 2000 U.S. Census data, 25.7% of American Indians/Alaska Natives live in poverty; 31% of Native American children under age 18 live in poverty. These percentages rank Native American poverty at more than twice the overall US rate. ANA addresses economic, social, and governance challenges facing Native American communities through the Social Economic Development Strategies Program.
Tribes face a multitude of risks and damage to human health and the environment posed by pollution of the air, water, and land in Indian country and other Tribal areas including Alaska. Tribal governments' jurisdiction over environmental issues is complicated by their land borders and in many cases by weak, under-funded and ill-defined Tribal authorities. The ANA Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Program empowers Tribes to overcome environmental challenges by building internal capacities to develop, implement, monitor and enforce their own environmental laws, regulations and ordinances in a culturally sensitive manner.
In the early days of the United States, more than 300 Native languages were spoken. Today, that number has dropped to 175 with only 20 taught to children; the remainders are classified as deteriorating or nearing extinction. Faced with this impending crisis, ANA's Language Preservation and Maintenance Program enable's Native communities to preserve traditional language and culture.
Partnerships
ANA partners and collaborates with related programs in the Administration for Children and Families and the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as with other Federal agencies and nonprofit organizations. These partnerships allow ANA to maximize its resources on behalf of Native communities.
ANA chairs the ACF Native Affairs Work Group, which acts as a coordinating arm for all collaborative projects, reports, and meetings involving ACF Tribal programs.
ANA in partnership with the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Mountain Plains Health Consortium has provided Community Emergency Response Training (CERT)/First Responder (FR) training to Native American youth since 2004.
The rigorous 10-day training consists of 8 hours of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)/Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training; 40 hours of Medical First Responder training; and 24 hours of Community Emergency Response Training.
This program educates youth about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as: fire safety; light search and rescue; team organization; and disaster medical assistance. Graduates of the training receive various state and national certifications.
Native communities often lack immediate access to emergency services. This training has empowered youth to get involved in community activities, coordinate community teams, and has provided them with job training skills and employment options. In addition, this training has been put to good use to help other communities and community members by CERT/FR trained youth assisting in the flood and storm ravaged communities of the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. CERT/FR graduates have also helped respond to many car accidents and trauma situations.
In total, over 700 youth have been trained in these emergency skills.
Intra-Departmental Council on Native American Affairs
The Commissioner of ANA is the Chair of the Intra-Departmental Council on Native American Affairs (ICNAA) within the Department of Health and Human Services, and advises the Health and Human Services Secretary on Native American issues. The Council is composed of 25 of the heads of the Department's major agencies.
The ICNAA is the Departmental focal point for all initiatives affecting Native people.
Under its Charter, the ICNAA coordinates and encourages the cooperation of the Department's and other federal agencies' resources for Native people. It also develops and implements a meaningful policy on Native American affairs for the entire Department. It ensures that this policy will be applied consistently throughout the Department and, where possible, throughout the Federal Government.
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