Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Forgotten group, American Indians with disabilities, receive some coverage

The Daily Times in Farmington, N.M., wrote an article? editorial? (I can't tell but it reads more like an editorial.) about a 2007 survey of American Indians living with disabilities in the Four Corners area by the Native American Disability Law Center. American Indians are more likely to have disabilities than the general population, according to the Census Bureau.

"The survey found that 41 percent of American Indians living with disabilities could not get the services they needed in schools," according to the article. "An additional 27 percent reported a child was disciplined unjustly in school for behavior related to a disability."

The Law Center says American Indians with disabilities are burdened by more layers of bureaucracy to get assistance than others with disabilities. They may live in one state, receive services from their tribal program in another, with that program receiving its funding from the federal government.