NAILS History
In January 1995, a Director and an Independent Living Specialist began providing the basic services of peer counseling, independent living skills instruction, systems and individual advocacy, information and referral to Native American consumers with disabilities in the Western New York region.
Throughout the first year, much time was spent introducing IL Philospohy and project services to Clan Mothers, tribal leaders, reservation health service, area school personnel, Native American social service and alcohol abuse agencies and cultural organizations. Simultaneously the young program was developing a totally American Indian volunteer Board of Directors. The NAILS Council was formed representing the reservations and setting direction and policy for the new program. Representatives of the Six Nations and people with disabilities were sought, not only to provide the consumer control of the programs, but also to maintain cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Realizing the significant distances that staff or the prospective participants
would have to travel for services, the NAILS staff created a walls-free,
mobile office service system to allow equal access to public transportation
deprived residents of rural Western New York. First a toll free telephonr
line was installed to facilitate communication between participants on
the Cattaraugus, Tonawanda and Tuscarora reservations and the home office.
Next was the acquisition of portable computers, cell phones and finally
Internet access to provide constant contact between staff and participants.
As the demand for NAILS' services grew in the second year, additional
Independent Living Specialists and an administrative assistant who would
coordinate staff activities from the Buffalo office were added. A Coordinator
of self-help groups for MICA (Mentally Ill Chemically Addicted) Native
Americans was hired to set up support groups. With a grant from the New
York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
(OMRDD), coordinated through the Western New York Developmental Disabilities
Service Office (WNYDDSO), the staff expanded by two more. These Independent
Living Specialists began to offer Family Support Services (FSS) to individuals
with Developmental Disabilities and their families, regardless of Medicaid
eligibility.
In late 1997, with community donations, the NAILS/MICA Program began to develop a resource library dealing with self-help, mental health, substance abuse, and related topics with alternative formats available upon request. NAILS arranged to have it's Family Support Services program working out of the Niagara Frontier Center for Independent Living in Niagara Falls two days a month in order to be more accessible for Native Americans living in Niagara County. NAILS activities on the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation expanded, establishing support groups for Depression, Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence survivors in late 1997. A support group for parents of special needs children was established in January 1998.
In cooperation with various partners, NAILS co-sponsored several instructional events, including a weeklong Seneca Nation Education Fair in March, and a training for representatives from the Six Nations on partnerships in programs between Native American nations and state and federal government. NAILS's staff working with the Seneca Nation of Cattaraugus spent months training and preparing an application for a Section 121 grant from the US Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, to operate an Indian-controlled Vocational Rehabilitation program. In September 1998 the Seneca Nation was awarded the first a Section 121 Native-American vocational rehabilitation program east of the Mississippi.
NAILS coordinated efforts of Lions Clubs International and the Seneca Nation Health Department to bring volunteer ophthalmologists and Lions Club members to perform free pre-screening tests for glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy on the Seneca Nations' Cattaraugus and Allegheny reservations in November, 1998.
In January 1999, NAILS staff expanded awareness of the federally funded Section 121 Vocational Rehabilitation programs with a presentation to American Indians within the Oneida Territory at Verona, New York, including Seneca Nation of Indians Vocational Rehabilitation Program representatives and individuals from the Six Nations Confederacy.
The Seneca Nation established an administration office in Buffalo that
serves their people residing in the urban areas. NAILS provided disability-related
training and services to Seneca Nation personnel two days per week from
its office at the Four Directions Foundation, Inc. at the Statler Towers,
Downtown Buffalo.
2000
NAILS became part of a coalition with Neighborhood Legal Services by
providing technical assistance that related to Social Security and employment
benefits. This program supported the NAILS staff and their travel throughout
seventeen counties of Western New York assisting Native Americans in findingor
returning to employment after acquiring a disability.
Native American Independent Living Services Council
- Margarite Haring, Council Chair
- Marybelle Sant Angelo, Secretary
- Eileen Scott, Treaurer
- Joanne E. Barreno
- Lois M. Jircitano, PhD, JD
- Lucy J. Ramirez
- Toni WIlliams