American Indian Research Initiative and
State-Wide Health & Education Community Assessment 2007

Introduction

Since its inception, this commission has worked to meet those needs it could identify among the American Indian population of Tennessee. It has waged a difficult battle facing numerous obstacles to do so, has done the best it could do with its very limited resources, and should be commended for its efforts to date. Unfortunately, many needs are still unmet and many questions remain.

Are there any American Indians/Alaska Natives living in the State of Tennessee? The US Census Bureau says yes. Dr. Ralph Forquera, Urban Indian Health Programs, says yes. Although both the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service include Tennessee in their regional data reports of populations served per year, they both say no. Which is it, yes or no? If yes, how many and what kind? Are they federally enrolled, state enrolled, or unenrolled? If federally enrolled, from which nation? If state enrolled, from which state? If unenrolled, are they indigenous to Tennessee? Regardless of enrollment status and place of origin, are they first, second, or third generation? Do they suffer the same types and rates of health care and education disparities as other non-reservation states with American Indian/Alaska Native populations? Are they rural or urban or both?

The answers to these questions must be obtained and will determine the type and amount of programs and services available to American Indians/Alaska Natives living in Tennessee.

According to sociologist Marion Orrick, Ph.D. candidate at UTK in Political Economics and Professor of Sociology at Pellissippi State Technical Community College, after completion of a preliminary literature review:

1. American Indians/Alaskan Natives suffer highest rates of most severe social problems, such as healthcare and education-related problems, nationwide.

2. American Indians/Alaskan Natives living off-reservation suffer the highest rates when compared to American Indians/Alaskan Natives living on-reservation.

3. American Indians/Alaskan Natives living off-reservation in states without federal/state recognized tribes suffer the highest rates when compared to American Indians/Alaskan Natives living off-reservation in states with federal/state recognized tribes.

4. States without federal/state recognized tribes are primarily southeastern states.

5. The southeast states have statistically significant American Indians/Alaskan Natives populations.

6. Tennessee is a southeast state without a federal/state recognized tribe and has a statistically significant American Indians/Alaskan Natives population.

7. Contracts have been negotiated between the National Institute of Health (NIH), Indian Health Service (IHS), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and tribes to create a baseline (assessment) in the southeast.

8. NIH/IHS/CDC reports indicate disparity in access to programs and services for American Indians/Alaskan Natives in Tennessee due to lack of a baseline assessment specific to Tennessee, lack of funding, lack of equipment, and lack of personnel.

9. NIH/IHS/CDC reports predict the health care situation for Native American Indians in Tennessee will only get worse with current legislation to cut funding to programs and services in 2008.

10. NIH/IHS/CDC reports recommend grass-roots efforts to focus on "unmet needs" in southeast states such as Tennessee.

11. There is currently a shift in scientific research and funding on these issues, from structural factors such as "legislative" and "market" to "disease specific" and "individual behavioral risk assessment", primarily lung disease and smoking behavior. This type of research is narrow and restrictive, denying the impact of political and economic factors such as availability and access to quality programs and services.

12. Data specific to American Indian/Alaskan Natives living in Tennessee is noticeably missing in existing studies.

We request the following resolution be considered and passed by the Commission on Indian Affairs:

Whereas:	American Indians/Alaskan Natives living off-reservation in states without federal/state recognized tribes have the highest rates of health and education-related social problems, then it is logical to hypothesize that Tennessee American Indians/Alaskan Natives would be representative, and
Whereas:	Given recent political and economic changes from 2000 to 2008, health and education-related social problems among Tennessee American Indians/Alaskan Natives are likely to get much worse in the next decade, and
Whereas:	Members of the Tennessee Native American Indian Community have completed initial training for developing funding applications, consulted with experts in the statistical and sociological fields, and are prepared to assist the Commission in meeting its responsibilities to the Tennessee Native American Indian community, and
Whereas:	The Purposes, Powers and Duties of the Tennessee Commission on Indian Affairs (TCA 4-34-102, 103) assign to the Commission the responsibility to determine the state of the Native American Indian community in Tennessee in order to address its wants and needs;
THEREFORE	be it resolved that the Tennessee Commission on Indian Affairs shall: Establish an American Indian Research Initiative at this commission meeting (March 17, 2007) that will develop, submit a plan for, and provide oversight of the funding and conducting of a state-wide community assessment and study with the purpose of obtaining objective data to assess the health and education status of Native American Indians living in the State of Tennessee for 2000 to 2010; and Appoint the following individuals who have expressed both interest and a willingness to commit significant time to this project to the research initiative: Marion Orrick, Sociologist Donna Smith, Support Staff Valerie Ohle, Grant Writer tom kunesh, Commissioner Melba Checote-Eads, Health Care Professional