IPAC Strategic Plan 2006

Aging and Disability Services Administration (ADSA):

Colleen informed the group that in the fall of 2005 a family was able to benefit from the Estate Recovery.  The forgiveness was for several thousand dollars ($76,151.99).

The following will need to remain in the plan:

Adult Protection Services (APS) outreach must follow up on

• Internal workgroup
• Boilerplate information shared from Children’s Local Area Agreement
• Follow-up meeting with APS and IPSS

ADSA top two priorities:

1. Transferring case management to tribes along with the resources
2. Tribal codes; legal and fiscal assistance to help tribes develop, implement and maintain tribal elder’s codes

Children’s Administration (CA):

Staff and contractor training will remain ongoing.  Everyone agreed that the following should be mandatory training for staff:

• 7.01 Policy
• Indian Child Welfare (ICW)
• Foster Parent Training
• Government to Government

ICWA manual is still in need of completion.  Liz asked if the manual could be approved chapter-by-chapter; Colleen said this would work and did not foresee any problem with this request.  There will be a request to Cheryl Stephani to take part in the IPAC meetings and possibly some meetings the day before the IPAC meeting. 

CA top two priorities:

1. Create an administrative timeline with benchmarks for the ICWA manual
2. Follow-up to the ICW conference with Executive Committee to include:

·        Budget

·        Training

Economic Services Administration (ESA):

TANF negotiations are still ongoing.  Economic Services Committee representative is Rosie.

ESA top two priorities:

1. Medical Eligibility and Food Stamp pilot
2. Further development of vocational rehabilitation

Health and Recovery Services Administration (HRSA):

Liz brought up how methamphetamine (meth) use is causing problems overall with tribal social services.  This led into a discussion of funding limitations with GAU and drug and alcohol treatment.  It was explained how a client will enter into treatment, and then when the client is released their medical coverage is no longer available.  The client has a high risk of relapse, often does, but at this point no longer has medical coverage.  There is also difficulty in finding mental health treatment for GAU clients.

An idea of setting aside (or carving out) funds for tribes to use for social services was brought up.  Liz and Doug mentioned concerns about this idea, that doing so would diminish services; there may be an attitude of ‘here is your money, now go service your clients.’  All agree resources are needed not just funds.

Concerns were raised about credentialing and licensure allocation for providers and facilities to ensure access to services for alcohol, drug and meth treatment.  Everyone agreed that the DASA WAC needs updating to recognized licensed tribal facilities. 

A meeting with Doug Porter will need to be set up to address many of these concerns.

HRSA top two priorities:

1. Access to Mental Health

·        Resources

·        Services

·        Funding

·        Treatment with medical GAU

2. Mental Health Transformation Grant

Legislative:

Questions have been raised about where to find information and lists on lobbyists; this will be looked into and information will be forthcoming.

Legislative top two priorities:

1. Legislative link to be developed
2. Furtherance of bills of interest notification

Executive Committee:

Meth – conversation came back to the subject of meth problems that the tribes are facing.  All agreed that there is urgency for cross administration and departments to address this issue in a comprehensive and inclusive manner.