Native Americans and the Opioid Epidemic – Finding Solutions in the Workforce

Record Description

The U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration hosted a webinar on May 8, 2023 and brought together experts from Native American organizations and tribal entities to discuss the prevalent use of opioids in Tribal communities and how the workforce system combats the impacts associated with the opioid crisis. Following a presentation of an overview on the opioid and substance misuse in Native American communities, representatives from the Cherokee Nation shared how the tribe leverages its workforce system and Department of Labor grants to promote recovery and reintegration.

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Combined Date
2023-05-08T10:00:00
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City/County
Publication Date
2023-05-08
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2025 National Tribal TANF Institute

The National Tribal TANF Institute brought together Tribal TANF staff from across the country for an in-person educational experience in July 2025 in Davis, California. The theme, “Twenty Years of Tradition: Celebrating Today and Tomorrow Together,” emphasized the importance of honoring tribal values, cultures and traditions while also embracing new ideas, practices and innovations to make native communities stronger for future generations. Participants explored programs, opportunities and resources for tribal youth and young adults to help them transition into thriving adulthood.

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Location
UC Davis Conference Center
550 Alumni Ln
Davis, CA 95616
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45th National Indian and Native American Employment and Training Conference

The 45th National Indian and Native American Employment and Training (NINAETC) for WIOA Section 166 and Public Law 102-477 took place in Providence, Rhode Island in May 2025. This conference was dedicated to promoting heritage and culture.

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Location
Omni Providence
1 West Exchange Street
Providence, Rhode Island
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Dream the Impossible Native Youth Conference 2025

Dream the Impossible Native Youth Conference was started in 2007 by several Southern California tribes in partnership with organizations such as the California Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program and is held at a different university each year. This conference is designed to inspire Native American youth to believe that they can achieve anything they want, introduce them to Native professionals in different fields, and help them understand how higher education can transform their lives.

The 2025 conference took place in April 2025 at the California State University, San Bernardino campus.

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Location
California State University, San Bernardino
SMSU North Conference Center
5500 University Parkway
San Bernardino, CA 92407
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Event Date
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2024 Western Regional WIOA 166/477 Training

The Department of Labor, Indian and Native American Programs Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 166/477 Western Regional Training was hosted in Washington in November 2024. Themed, “Indigenous: Values, Strength, Knowledge.,” this training was designed for both tribes and urban based programs focusing on workforce development for Indian Country.

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Sponsor
U.S. Department of Labor
Location
Muckleshoot Casino Resort
2402 Auburn Way S
Auburn, WA
98002
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Event Date
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2024 National Tribal Technical Assistance Meeting

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Family Assistance hosted the National Tribal Technical Assistance Meeting in Sacramento, California on June 4 and 5, 2024. Themed “Indigenized by Design: Centering Culture and Building Connections to Better Serve Families,” this meeting brought together over 140 Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Federal representatives, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders to share strategies for amplifying Indigenous culture within the context of TANF and Native Employment Works programs while ensuring compliance with federal rules and guidelines to better address the needs of Native families and communities. Over the course of the meeting, participants attended presentations from experts and program administrators, participated in topical table discussions, and facilitated audience-centered conversations.

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PeerTA Resources (OFA Initiatives)

2024 National Tribal TANF Institute

The National Tribal TANF Institute brought together Tribal TANF staff from across the country for an in-person educational experience in July 2024 in Davis, California. The theme, “Forever Native: Preserving Our Culture for the Next Generation,” emphasized the importance of honoring tribal values, cultures and traditions while also embracing new ideas, practices and innovations to make native communities stronger for future generations. Participants explored programs, opportunities and resources for tribal youth and young adults to help them transition into thriving adulthood.

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Combined Date
Location
UC Davis Conference Center
550 Alumni Ln
Davis, CA 95616
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Latest Information from Network (Home)
Event Date
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How ACF is Leveraging the 477 Program to Promote Tribal Sovereignty

Record Description

Over the last three years, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has increased program investments in support of Public Law 102-477 (477) as part of their commitment to uplift indigenous communities, foster self-sufficiency, and honor tribal sovereignty. In fiscal year 2023, almost 300 Tribes within about 70 plans integrated 133 ACF grant awards totaling nearly 85% of the total funding integrated under 477 across the federal government. This includes Child Care and Development Fund, Community Services Block Grant, Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Native Employment Works programs. This ACF resource highlights examples of how tribes leverage the 477 Program based on the funding they get from ACF and their specific needs, including from Citizen Potawatomi Nation and from Shoshone-Bannock Tribes.

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Combined Date
2024-05-30T00:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2024-05-30
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)

OFA Webinar: Creating Tribal TANF and WIOA Partnerships to Connect Tribal Families to Employment

Record Description

The Office of Family Assistance held a webinar on “Creating Tribal TANF and WIOA Partnerships to Connect Tribal Families to Employment” on July 20, 2016, from 2:00-3:15 p.m. ET. This webinar provided an opportunity to hear about partnerships between Tribal TANF agencies and local Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) providers. Tribal employment and training agencies often face job placement challenges common to many remote and rural areas – namely, a small pool of employers, few job openings, and limited education and training opportunities in high demand labor areas. For these reasons, it is critical that Tribal TANF participants have the skills necessary to compete for jobs that already exist or are growing within the region. Local WIOA providers can help build the skills of Tribal TANF participants by providing job training and adult education services targeted to in-demand jobs in the region. Speakers from four organizations—Department of Labor, California Indian Manpower Consortium, Southern California Tribal Chairman’s Association, and Cankdeska Cikana Community College—discussed the innovative partnerships they have formed between Tribal TANF and WIOA to help move families toward self-sufficiency.

Speakers included:

  • Athena Brown, Division Chief, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Division of Indian and Native American Programs
  • Yvette Yazzie, Pala Site Manager, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association
  • Christina Arzate, CIMC Workforce Development Coordinator III, California Indian Manpower Consortium
  • Larry D. Anderson, Job Development Specialist, Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Record Type
Posting Date
Combined Date
2016-07-20T10:00:00
Source
OFA Initiatives
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2016-06-28
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)
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Webinar PowerPoint 727.46 KB

Tribal Solutions: Subsidized Employment Programs Serving American Indians and Alaska Natives

Record Description
Because American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) families face consistent barriers to employment and repeatedly have the highest unemployment rates in the United States, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation studied subsidized employment programs conducted by Tribal TANF programs. This resulting report found that, overall, subsidized employment programs help participants gain work experience, skills, and training necessary to lower barriers to employment. They also emphasize the variety in regional contexts that can make the transition to unsubsidized employment difficult, particularly in small economies. The eight spotlighted Tribal TANF programs provide examples for practitioners in diverse areas and show how subsidized employment can at the least be a means of temporary income, and can often be a stepping stone toward job experience and economic stability.
Record Type
Combined Date
2018-09-24T20:00:00
Source
Region
City/County
Publication Date
2018-09-25
Section/Feed Type
Latest Information from Network (Home)