Indian Children's Program (ICP)
Project Details
Project Context
Many of the Native American families on the Navajo, Hopi, and multi Pueblo reservations in New Mexico, southern Colorado, and southern Utah live in remote canyons and mesas necessitating that their children be housed in dormitories during the week so that they can be bused to school. Coupled with the poverty found there, are the issues of unemployment, high rates of addiction, and children born with developmental delays and genetic anomalies.
The Four Corners' area lacks adequate services, in particular child and adolescent medical and mental health professionals, to serve these children and their families. There is a critical need for outreach, consultation, and assessment services to be made available to the medically challenged children and their families in this area.
Project Focus
The Indian Children's Program (ICP) provides diagnostic and clinical services to Indian children and families referred by the Indian Health Service, tribal organizations, and other community-based programs on the Navajo, Hopi, and multi Pueblo reservations in New Mexico, southern Colorado, and southern Utah. The unique focus of the ICP is that services are delivered in the homes and communities where the children live.
In addition, technical assistance and training is provided to the referring organizations in meeting the needs of children referred. Training and technical assistance provided by project staff is determined by the clinical needs of the children referred who are unable to obtain services from other resources.
This program is administered by the Center for Persons with Disabilities as a consortium with the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Education, Research, and Services in New Mexico and Arizona as consortium members. An organizational consortium and management structure provides direction and evaluation to the project.
Services/Products
ICP services are by referral only. Children may be referred by parents or representative agencies. To refer a child to the program, an ICP referral form must be completed. Services are provided at no cost to families or agencies. Supplemental services are offered when the responsible agency lacks the necessary resources to provide needed services.
Services offered include:
1. Evaluation. Children with disabilities are evaluated or assessed by an ICP team of professionals who determine the child's special needs and level of development in all areas. A complete written report is provided to the family and to the referring agency.
2. Training. Training for professionals and paraprofessionals is offered in a variety of topics including: cognitive and sensorimotor development, creating learning environments, enhancing child development, behavioral development, and other related topics. Training is adapted to participants' identified needs.
3. Parent Education. Parent workshops and presentations on how to help their child are available for families. Topics include; How a child grows and develops, How to help a child learn, What to expect in a child's behavior, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
4. Consultative Therapy. Consultative therapy and follow-up is provided upon request. ICP collaborates with families and paraprofessionals to develop programs for home or school, and for early intervention strategies.
5. Techhnical Assistance. ICP helps develop collaborative agreements, proposals, and in-house training to organizations.
The ICP also maintains a website at http://www.icpservices.org/unm/index.htm that provides information on ICP services, products, and links to other resources.
FY 2011 Focus
The Center for Persons with Disabilities, through the ICP consortium, will continue to provide consultation and technical assistance to the children, families, and agencies on the Navajo, Hopi, and multi Pueblo reservations in New Mexico, southern Colorado, and southern Utah for the next 4 years.
