PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Commissioner can give grants to tribal governments on Federal or State reservations (or their consortia) to pay 90% of the cost of vocational rehabilitation services for American Indians with disabilities who live on or near those reservations. The services must match each person’s strengths, needs, priorities, and choices so they can train for and get good jobs. Tribes must apply and get approval. Applications must be on time, have needed information, show the services will be, as much as possible, like state services (and may include traditional tribal services), be developed with the State’s designated unit, and promise that a tribal program representative will make and not delegate decisions about who is eligible and what services are provided. The non-Federal share can be cash or in-kind and the Commissioner may waive that share. Grants last up to 60 months unless changed, and priority is given to continuing programs already funded. Nothing lets tribes create a separate service system for Indians living off reservations. Starting in fiscal year 2015, the Commissioner must first set aside 1.8%–2% of the funds each year for training and technical help. Those funds go to experienced organizations by grants, contracts, or agreements after a survey of needs and a peer review of applications that includes non-government experts. “Reservation” here includes Indian reservations, certain allotments, former Oklahoma reservations, and lands under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.

Title 29, §741

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(a)Governing bodies of Indian tribes; amount; non-Federal share

The Commissioner, in accordance with the provisions of this part, may make grants to the governing bodies of Indian tribes located on Federal and State reservations (and consortia of such governing bodies) to pay 90 percent of the costs of vocational rehabilitation services for American Indians who are individuals with disabilities residing on or near such reservations (referred to in this section as “eligible individuals”), consistent with such eligible individuals’ strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, so that such individuals may prepare for, and engage in, high-quality employment that will increase opportunities for economic self-sufficiency. The non-Federal share of such costs may be in cash or in kind, fairly valued, and the Commissioner may waive such non-Federal share requirement in order to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

(b)Application; effective period; continuation of programs and services; separate service delivery systems

(1)No grant may be made under this part for any fiscal year unless an application therefor has been submitted to and approved by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may not approve an application unless the application—

(A)is made at such time, in such manner, and contains such information as the Commissioner may require;

(B)contains assurances that the rehabilitation services provided under this part to American Indians who are individuals with disabilities residing on or near a reservation in a State shall be, to the maximum extent feasible, comparable to rehabilitation services provided under this subchapter to other individuals with disabilities residing in the State and that, where appropriate, may include services traditionally used by Indian tribes;

(C)contains assurances that the application was developed in consultation with the designated State unit of the State; and

(D)contains assurances that—

(i)all decisions affecting eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services, the nature and scope of available vocational rehabilitation services and the provision of such services will, consistent with this subchapter, be made by a representative of the tribal vocational rehabilitation program funded through the grant; and

(ii)such decisions will not be delegated to another agency or individual.

(2)The provisions of section 5305, 5306, 5307, and 5321(a) of title 25 shall be applicable to any application submitted under this part. For purposes of this paragraph, any reference in any such provision to the Secretary of Education or to the Secretary of the Interior shall be considered to be a reference to the Commissioner.

(3)Any application approved under this part shall be effective for not more than 60 months, except as determined otherwise by the Commissioner pursuant to prescribed regulations. The State shall continue to provide vocational rehabilitation services under its State plan to American Indians residing on or near a reservation whenever such State includes any such American Indians in its State population under section 730(a)(1) of this title.

(4)In making grants under this part, the Secretary shall give priority consideration to applications for the continuation of programs which have been funded under this part.

(5)Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize a separate service delivery system for Indian residents of a State who reside in non-reservation areas.

(c)Funds reserved for training and technical assistance

(1)From the funds appropriated and made available to carry out this part for any fiscal year, beginning with fiscal year 2015, the Commissioner shall first reserve not less than 1.8 percent and not more than 2 percent of the funds to provide training and technical assistance to governing bodies described in subsection (a) for such fiscal year.

(2)From the funds reserved under paragraph (1), the Commissioner shall make grants to, or enter into contracts or other cooperative agreements with, entities that have experience in the operation of vocational rehabilitation services programs under this section to provide such training and technical assistance with respect to developing, conducting, administering, and evaluating such programs.

(3)The Commissioner shall conduct a survey of the governing bodies regarding training and technical assistance needs in order to determine funding priorities for such grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements.

(4)To be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement under this section, such an entity shall submit an application to the Commissioner at such time, in such manner, and containing a proposal to provide such training and technical assistance, and containing such additional information as the Commissioner may require. The Commissioner shall provide for peer review of applications by panels that include persons who are not government employees and who have experience in the operation of vocational rehabilitation services programs under this section.

(d)“Reservation” defined

The term “reservation” includes Indian reservations, public domain Indian allotments, former Indian reservations in Oklahoma, and land held by incorporated Native groups, regional corporations, and village corporations under the provisions of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.].

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is Pub. L. 92–203, Dec. 18, 1971, 85 Stat. 688, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1601 et seq.) of Title 43, Public Lands. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of Title 43 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

Prior sections 741 to 744 and 750 were omitted in the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 105–220. section 741, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 121, as added Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 134(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4392, related to contents of strategic plans. Another prior section 741, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 121, Sept. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 373; Pub. L. 93–516, title I, § 102(c), Dec. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1618; Pub. L. 93–651, title I, § 102(c), Nov. 21, 1974, 89 Stat. 2–3; Pub. L. 94–230, § 2(c), Mar. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 211; Pub. L. 95–602, title I, §§ 101(e)(2), 122(b), Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2957, 2987; Pub. L. 98–221, title I, § 114, Feb. 22, 1984, 98 Stat. 23; Pub. L. 99–506, title I, § 103(d)(2)(C), title II, § 210, Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1810, 1819; Pub. L. 100–630, title II, § 202(h), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3306; Pub. L. 102–52, § 2(b)(2), June 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 260, related to payments to States for planning, preparing, and initiating special programs under approved State plans and payments for the costs of constructing facilities to be used in providing services under such State plans, prior to the general amendment of part C of former subchapter I of this chapter by Pub. L. 102–569. section 742, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 122, as added Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 134(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4393, related to process for developing strategic plans. section 743, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 123, as added Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 134(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4393, related to use of funds. section 744, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 124, as added Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 134(a), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4395; amended Pub. L. 103–73, title I, § 107(h), Aug. 11, 1993, 107 Stat. 723, related to allotments among States. section 750, Pub. L. 93–112, title I, § 130, Sept. 26, 1973, 87 Stat. 374; Pub. L. 93–516, title I, § 111(g), Dec. 7, 1974, 88 Stat. 1621; Pub. L. 93–651, title I, § 111(g), Nov. 21, 1974, 89 Stat. 2–6; Pub. L. 95–602, title I, § 106, Nov. 6, 1978, 92 Stat. 2960; Pub. L. 99–506, title I, § 103(d)(2)(C), title II, § 211, title X, § 1002(b)(1), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1810, 1819, 1844; Pub. L. 100–630, title II, § 202(i), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3306; Pub. L. 102–569, title I, § 102(p)(11), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4357, related to American Indian vocational rehabilitation services grants.

Amendments

2014—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 113–128, § 423(1), inserted “(referred to in this section as ‘eligible individuals’), consistent with such eligible individuals’ strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, so that such individuals may prepare for, and engage in, high-quality employment that will increase opportunities for economic self-sufficiency” after “on or near such reservations”. Subsec. (b)(1)(D). Pub. L. 113–128, § 423(2), added subpar. (D). Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 113–128, § 423(3), (4), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d). 1998—Pub. L. 105–277 made technical amendment to section designation and catchline in original.

§741 Vocational Rehabilitation Services Grants