Speak Out and VOTE!

NIYC Voters Dine' Project Upcoming Events: Updated 09/13/06

Albuquerque Voters Dine' General Monthly Meeting
Saturday, September 23, 2006
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location:
Albuquerque Friends Meeting House
3110 Ninth St NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107

Navajo Nation Candidate Forum
President Joe Shirley, Jr. & Lynda Lovejoy
Saturday, October 14, 2006
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Location:
Albuquerque Indian Center
105 Texas SE
Albuquerque, NM

Register to Vote in the 2006 Navajo Nation Elections!

National Indian Youth Council, Inc. (NIYC)
318 Elm Street SE (Corner of Lead & Elm Street)
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 247-2251

For more information contact: Pamela Malone or Roseline Ebaugh

Vote for your next:
Navajo Nation President
Navajo Nation Council Delegates
Navajo Board of Election Supervisors
Navajo Nation Board of Education
Kayenta Township

2006 Navajo Nation General Election
November 07, 2006

Voter’s Registration Closes: October 09, 2006
Absentee Voting Opens: October 09, 2006
Mailed absentee applications due: October 23, 2006
Last Day to request absentee ballot in person: November 03, 2006

Navajo Nation Absentee Voting in person at NIYC:
Friday, October 27, 2006 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 28, 2006 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Health Updated April, 2006

Health (updated January 17, 2006 )

Interpreters and Translation law suit :

NIYC joined New Mexico Voices for Children, Enlace Comunitario, Southwest Organizing project, Albuquerque Metro Native American Coalition and National Indian Youth Council, Inc. in a law suit against the University New Mexico Hospital . The plaintiffs’ felt that UNMH was violating patients civil rights, specifically Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C, by failing to provide medical interpretation services to the non-English speaking residents of New Mexico, including those whose primary language in Spanish , Vietnamese, Navajo and other languages.

UNMH opted to settle out of court and the following interpretation action items were agreed upon:

• Hire a consultant to evaluate the existing interpretation and translation services and additional needs.
• Post additional signs informing patients that if they need an interpreter they can ask for one and they will be provided one.
• Distribute additional cards at entry points to the health care system, informing patients that if they need an interpreter, one will be provided.
• Continue to train intake workers to ask patients if they need an interpreter.
• Make available at key patient contacts points video and audio recordings in Navajo informing Navajo patients who do not speak English that if they need an interpreter they can ask for one and one will be provided, and that they may be eligible for financial assistance

Other health actions initiated by UNMH because of the law suit.

• UNMH Office of Community Affairs and the Community Affairs Advisory Council:

• UNMH HSC will establish an Office of Community Affairs (OCA) to establish and maintain relationships/partnerships with a broad range of community groups in the following major functional areas:

• Access and Responsiveness: Promoting access to and responsiveness by UNM-HSC, with special attention to uninsured, under-insured and special populations (this would be the initial priority of the office and director, as well as the broader community).
• Resource Investment and Meeting Community Needs: Helping to inform the community and soliciting feed back about how UNM-HSC is investing resources in ways that best meet community needs (taking into consideration demographics of the community, funding sources, etc.).
• Health of the Community: Informing the community about the many programs and initiatives designed to improve the health of the community/region/state broadly – for example, educational information about health and diseases, health-related programs and initiatives, recruitment of students for the health professions.
• Community Awareness about HSC Services: Expanding knowledge/understanding/awareness in the community about UNM-HSC services and programs.

Internally, the OCA director will work closely with units of the UNM-HSC that also have a community relations/partnership role with respect to health policy, patient care, education, research in order to assure and effective and coordinated community relations role throughout UNM-HSC, The director will also work closely with Clinical Operations Board Committee on Community Relations.

• Create an Community Affairs Advisory Council:

• Appointed by EVP/HS, based input/nominations/recommendations from Community groups and others.
• Approximately 9-12 members (from Albuquerque area initially).
• Advise EVP/HS and Director of Community Affairs regarding the most important ways in which UNM-HSC can deliver its three missions of education, research and patient care in a more relevant and effective manner.
• Consider and provide advice on proposed actions, initiative, and policies of UNM-HSC – place to “test” ideas – “convener” of community and HSC participants for continuous engagement in communications and partnership building.

• UNMH Patient Payment Policy : Because of the law suit and the negotiation between NIYC, Albuquerque Metro Native American Coalition and the Community Coalition for Healthcare Access, UNMH agreed to review and make a major change to the “Self Pay” policy:

• Payment Policy prior to November 2005. All individuals that were classified as “self pay,” that is , not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance, CHAMPUS, Indian Health Service coverage or other third-party insurance, or the UNMHSC financial assistance programs for qualified medically indigent patient would require a down payment before being serviced.

This means that if you were a patient that has an income at 100% below poverty level and was categorized as “self pay” and you needed a medical procedure that costs $6,000.00 you would have to pay a $3,000.00 dollars down payment before receiving medical services and the remaining $3,000.00 upon release.

• Payment Policy after November 2005. All individuals that are classified as “Self Pay” and who’s income is below 100% of poverty will no longer be required to make a down payment before being seen for services. UNMH will make payment arrangement with the patients on their accounts. This change in policy also means that all individuals that have no health insurance and are not eligible under the income qualification will not be turned away from medical care at UNMH.

UNM HSC Health Summit :

Governor Richardson requested that UNMHSC hold a summit to address the charitable and uncompensated care that has presented a major financial challenge and must be addressed in order to secure UNMH’s long term fiscal viability. However the bottom line remains that these financial challenges must not improperly limit the public’s access to needed health car, regardless of the ability to pay.

The Governor also stated that as a public facility that receives $320 million in funding each year from the state of New Mexico, UNMH should open its books and be completely transparent regarding its financial performance, including the challenges regarding serving the uninsured. He also called upon the Regents to conduct a special, statewide “UNMH Summit” involving the Association of New Mexico Counties, Bernalillo County Commissioners, the New Mexico Human Services Department and Department of Health cabinet secretaries, representatives from his office, representatives from the Urban Indian community, and selected members of the employee union, faculty and consumer advocates.

At the governor’s request UMNH Regents asked NIYC and the Albuquerque Metro Native American Coalition to take the lead in selecting the twenty one Native American participants for the summit.

The governor’s purpose of the summit was to:

• study the uncompensated issue at UNMH, and bring forth recommendations including those that will require legislative action at address the increasing financial gap between uncompensated healthcare and public revenue provided for this purpose;
• share and provide a clear and concise explanation of the most recent financial audit of UNMH’s financial performance;
• provide an opportunity for public input to UNMH’s executive management and this advisory group.

The Community Coalition for Health Care along with NIYC, Albuquerque Metro Native American Coalition, New Mexico Center on Law Poverty and UNMH Nurses Union seventy four participants expanded the summit issues to included the following:

• Accountability
• Fiscal Responsibility
• Increase efficacy of UNMH Care Program
• Reduce Racial Ethnic Health Disparities
• Ensure Community Participation in Decision Making
• Ensure that services are rendered per the Federal Contract

Summit Recommendations

• Expand the Medicaid roles in our state by increasing eligibility and outreach.
• Eliminate Medicaid Auto Closure.
• Require 12-Month Medicaid Re-certification.
• Include Parents of Children up to 100% FPL for Medicaid Eligibility.
• Expand UNMCare outreach.
• Expand State Coverage Initiative (SCI) and Children’s Health Insurance Program.
• Provide Universal Health Care.
• Expand Emergency Medical Services for Aliens.
• Fulfill the 1954 Contract that Native Americans Receive Priority in Service at UNMH
• Improve Interpretation and Translation Services at UNMH.
• Create a state-wide gross receipts tax.
• Increase the number of people on Medicaid.
• Pass Universal Health Care Legislation.
• Earmark State Gaming Compact Funds for Urban Indian Healthcare.
• County Mill Levy.
• Develop an Accountability Report Card to be provided by UNM HSC.
• Establish an Office of Community Affairs.

Federal Contract : The Act of October 5, 1949 , 63 Stat. 705.

Provisions of the contract:

• The County and the Trustees agree to equip, operate and maintain said hospital in a manner at all times acceptable to the Commissioner, to furnish general hospital and nursing care and provide all medical, surgical and obstetrical services and care, including outpatient, diagnostic treatment and clinical services and furnishing medicine and medical supplies to Indians.

• The County and the Trustees agree to have and make available at all times when required no less than one hundred (100) beds for Indians: provide that Pueblo Indians of New Mexico shall have first call on and priority to use of said 100 beds so reserved for Indian use.

It is agreed that Indians (meaning any person of Indian blood) are, would and shall be entitled to hospitalization, treatment and accommodation in and in connection with said hospital on the same basis as any other person would be if the contract were not in effect.

• Medical officers employed by the United States may practice in said hospital without holding a license from the State of New Mexico , being limited, however, to Indian patients.

• The County and the Trustees shall equip and maintain an Out-Patient Department at said hospital, rendering dispensary and diagnostic clinic service to eligible Indian patients, where ambulatory patients can be treated and also screened for hospital admission.

• A detention section will be maintained and operated by the trustees for the temporary care, safekeeping, observation and treatment of mentally disturbed patients pending a court action or hearing relative to commitment of the patient to a state hospital.

• Subject to the guaranteed priority for Indians as hereinbefore provided, the County and the Trustees agree that distinction shall ever be made in the admission, accommodation or treatment of patients in or in connection with the hospital on the basis of race, religion, color, language or other wise; that no segregation of patients on the basis of race, color, religion, language or any other non-medical ground shall ever be allowed, suffered, or permitted; that all persons entitle to admission, accommodation or treatment in or in connection with the hospital shall be admitted, accommodated and treated in the same manner with equality and without discrimination of any nature whatsoever.

• This contract shall be perpetually binding upon the County, the Trustees and their successors, and any authorized successor operator of the hospital.

Updates in the process. Check back in October, 2006

NIYC, Inc. continues to participate on a ermanent forum with the United Nations on essential issues within the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Our participation involves presenting written documentation regarding indigenous issues and the personal attendance of our board members, staff members and volunteers at the Geneva Convention.

NIYC, Inc. has actively participated in hearings before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights regarding health disparities for Native Americans and the health care of Urban Native Americans.

NIYC, Inc., has testified on the high drop out rate and retention of Native Americans in the Public Education System and provide alternatives to what we believe would create better learning opportunities for our children.

The U.S. Commission will be conducting hearings on discrimination in the San Juan county area and Farmington, New Mexico communities.

Press Release Updated April, 2006

THE NIYC AT THE UNITED NATIONS

The National Indian Youth Council has a longstanding relationship with the United Nations in accreditation by the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as having consultative status.

That means that NIYC has an official right to participate in all UN functions where non-governmental organization (NGO) input is sought. This was the 11 th year of debate over the text of an international statement of indigenous rights in the “Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.” This year’s meetings, held from December 5-16, 2005 and January 30 hrough February 3, 2006 , were crucial because, as it turns out, this was the last year of deliberations.

Board members Cecelia Belone and Dr. Kay McGowan attended the December session, and board member Dr. Shirley Hill Witt and executive director Norman Ration attended the second. International lawyer James W. Zion accompanied the NIYC delegation for both sessions to advise on issues and assist with informal negotiations with other indigenous delegations and representatives of the United States .

The issues that were discussed were provisions on the right of self-determination; lands, territories and resources; and articles “where potential agreement might be reached.” Despite most of the states present agreeing with the Declaration in principle, Australia, New Zealand nd the United States introduced a proposal that would have so limited the right of self-determination as to make it meaningless, prohibit the right of indigenous peoples to secede from the state where they are located (normally one of the “self-determination” rights), and impose other limitations (including the ability to enforce treaties on the international level).

The NIYC delegations focused on two important rights in discussions with U.S. State Department representatives and other indigenous delegates: First, whether the right of self-determination, as proposed by the United States, would hamper the ability of United States Indian Nations to remedy domestic violence and discrimination against women when dealing with non-member Indians; and, second, whether the United States hadn’t recognized “full” self-determination for American Indians in a 1979 status report by the U.S. Commission on ecurity and Cooperation in Europe that stated that they have that status under the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 (the document that formally ended World War II). One United States delegate tentatively agreed that the definition would allow Indian Nations to provide such protection, but she deferred to the U.S. Justice Department. As for the second matter (likely after consulting with officials in Washington ), the response was that the U.S. position on the Helsinki Final Act was one thing, and the Declaration was another.

The conclusion of the last meeting on the Declaration is that on February 24, 2006 the chair, Luis-Enrique Chavez of Peru, did a final report that incorporated items agreed to by consensus and his “read” of consensus or near-consensus on other items so “that the revised Chairman’s Proposals would be presented to the Commission on Human Rights with the hope that it ould be considered as a final compromise text.” At this writing the work of the Commission has been put on hold in debates over whether there will be a new U.N. Human Rights Council to take the place of the Commission. In either event, a State Department representative told the NIYC delegation that the U.S. will resist adoption of the Declaration at the next highest U.N. level (just below ECOSOC and the General Assembly).                                                           

For more information call or contact:      Norman Ration
                                                          National Indian Youth Council, Inc.
                                                          (505) 247-2251
                                                          NRation@niyc-alb.org