Guidelines Stating Principles for Working With Federally Recognized Indian Tribes, 74448-74451 [2016-25794]
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74448
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2016 / Notices
ANNUAL BURDEN ESTIMATES
Total
number of
respondents
Instrument
Annual
number of
respondents
Number of
responses per
respondent
Average
burden hours
per response
Annual
burden
hours
Additional Burden for Previously Approved Information Collection
PAGES—Participant-Level Baseline Data Collection (participants at non-Tribal grantees) ......................................
4,860
1,620
1
.5
810
Burden for Newly Requested Information Collection
HPOG 2.0
Screening Interview to identify respondents for the HPOG
2.0 National Evaluation first-round telephone interviews .................................................................................
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation first-round telephone
interviews with management and staff .............................
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation in-person implementation
interviews ..........................................................................
HPOG 2.0 National Evaluation welcome packet and participant contact update forms ...........................................
National Evaluation
38
1
.5
7
190
63
1
1.25
79
60
20
1
1.5
30
45,000
HPOG 2.0
13
15,000
4
.1
6000
Tribal Evaluation
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation grantee and partner administrative staff interviews ....................................................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program implementation
staff interviews ..................................................................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation employer interviews .............
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program participant focus
groups ...............................................................................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program participant
completer interviews .........................................................
HPOG 2.0 Tribal Evaluation program participant noncompleter interviews .........................................................
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 7,412.
Additional Information: Copies of the
proposed collection may be obtained by
writing to the Administration for
Children and Families, Office of
Planning, Research and Evaluation, 330
C Street SW., Washington, DC 20201,
Attn: OPRE Reports Clearance Officer.
All requests should be identified by the
title of the information collection. Email
address: OPREinfocollection@
acf.hhs.gov.
OMB Comment: OMB is required to
make a decision concerning the
collection of information between 30
and 60 days after publication of this
document in the Federal Register.
Therefore, a comment is best assured of
having its full effect if OMB receives it
within 30 days of publication. Written
comments and recommendations for the
proposed information collection should
be sent directly to the following: Office
of Management and Budget, Paperwork
Reduction Project, Email: OIRA_
SUBMISSION@OMB.EOP.GOV, Attn:
18:25 Oct 25, 2016
Jkt 241001
35
1
1
35
150
90
50
30
1
1
1.5
.75
75
23
405
135
1
1.5
203
300
100
1
1
100
150
50
1
1
50
Desk Officer for the Administration for
Children and Families.
Mary Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2016–25787 Filed 10–25–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184–72–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and
Families
Guidelines Stating Principles for
Working With Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes
Administration for Native
Americans, Administration for Children
and Families, Department of Health and
Human Services.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS), Administration
for Children and Families (ACF), is
issuing guidelines stating principles for
working with federally recognized
Indian tribes.
SUMMARY:
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
105
PO 00000
Effective October 20, 2016.
Frm 00058
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Camille Loya, Director of Policy,
Administration for Native Americans
(ANA) at (202) 401–5964, or
Camille.Loya@acf.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACF states
the following principles for working
with federally recognized Indian tribes:
Purpose: The mission of ACF is to
foster health and well-being by
providing federal leadership,
partnership, and resources for the
compassionate and effective delivery of
human services. This mission has
special application with respect to the
government-to-government relationship
with federally recognized Indian tribes,
including Alaska Natives. ACF issues
these Principles for Working with
Federally Recognized Tribes to establish
a policy standard governing ACF’s
relationships with federally recognized
Indian tribes. The Principles are
designed to build upon and complement
ACF’s Tribal Consultation Policy and to
articulate ACF’s commitment to
promote and sustain strong governmentto-government relationships, foster
Indian self-determination, support tribal
sovereignty, and demonstrate
transparency in ACF’s actions as public
servants.
E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2016 / Notices
Bases and Authority: ACF’s Principles
are based upon the unique relationship
between the federal government and
Indian tribes affirmed by President
Obama in the Memorandum for the
Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies issued November 5, 2009. The
Memorandum states:
The United States has a unique legal and
political relationship with Indian tribal
governments, established through and
confirmed by the Constitution of the United
States, treaties, statutes, executive orders,
and judicial decisions.
The HHS Consultation Policy affirms
the nature of the relationship between
the federal government and Indian
tribes and the importance of clear
policies:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) and Indian Tribes share the
goal to establish clear policies to further the
government-to-government relationship
between the Federal Government and Indian
Tribes.
*
*
*
*
*
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Since the formation of the Union, the
United States (U.S.) has recognized Indian
Tribes as sovereign nations. A unique
government-to-government relationship
exists between Indian Tribes and the Federal
Government. This relationship is grounded
in the U.S. Constitution, numerous treaties,
statutes, Federal case law, regulations and
executive orders that establish and define a
trust relationship with Indian Tribes. This
relationship is derived from the political and
legal relationship that Indian Tribes have
with the Federal Government and is not
based upon race.
The Principles are derived from the
general federal trust responsibility
between the United States and tribes.
Since the formation of the Union, the
United States has recognized the
inherent sovereignty of tribal nations.
As a result, a unique government-togovernment relationship exists between
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/
AN) tribes and the federal government.
The government-to-government
relationship is political and
independent of race or ethnicity. This
relationship is grounded in the U.S.
Constitution, numerous treaties,
statutes, federal case law, regulations,
and executive orders, as well as
political, legal, moral, and ethical
principles.
ACF, as an Operating Division within
HHS, hereby establishes this set of
principles for working with federally
recognized tribes, as defined in 25
U.S.C. 5304, in accord with ACF’s
vision of ‘‘children, youth, families,
individuals, and communities who are
resilient, safe, healthy, and
economically secure.’’ These principles
are intended to foster AI/AN health and
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:25 Oct 25, 2016
Jkt 241001
well-being by providing federal
leadership, partnership, and resources
for compassionate and effective human
services delivery.
ACF establishes these principles in
accordance with ACF values of
dedication, excellence, professionalism,
integrity, and stewardship. Once
implemented, these principles will help
ACF advance its values by establishing
clear policies that further the
government-to-government relationship
between ACF and Indian tribes.
ACF establishes this statement of
principles to further the shared goal of
thriving, resilient, safe, healthy, and
economically secure children, families,
and communities. Shared ACF and
tribal goals also include, but are not
limited to, strengthening health care by
eliminating health and human service
disparities Indians experience; ensuring
access to critical health and human
services; and advancing or enhancing
health, safety, and well-being of AI/AN
people. Finally, ACF and Indian tribes
share the goal of establishing clear
policies to further the government-togovernment relationship between the
federal government and Indian tribes.
ACF establishes this statement of
principles in order to complement
existing ACF Tribal Consultation
Policies. On November 5, 2009,
President Obama signed an Executive
Memorandum reaffirming the
government-to-government relationship
between Indian tribes and the federal
government, directing each executive
department and agency to submit a plan
on consultation with tribal governments
before developing regulatory policies
that substantially affect this population.
The importance of consultation with
Indian tribes was affirmed through
Presidential Memoranda in 1994, 2004,
and 2009, and Executive Order 13175 in
2000. The purpose of the ACF Tribal
Consultation Policy is to build
meaningful relationships with federally
recognized tribes by engaging in open,
continuous, and meaningful
consultation that leads to information
exchange, mutual understanding, and
informed decision-making.
The principles build upon
communication and decision-making
protocols articulated in the ACF Tribal
Consultation Policy by setting forth
specific leadership and partnership
principles intended to guide effective
day-to-day human services delivery to
AI/AN peoples.
Section I. Overarching Principles for
Working With Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes
• ACF strives to honor the unique
legal relationship between the federal
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74449
government and Indian tribes as defined
at 25 U.S.C. 5304, and supports tribes’
authority to exercise their inherent
tribal powers.
• ACF recognizes tribal sovereignty
and the principle that tribal nations
have authority over tribal citizens.
• ACF recognizes tribal members as
American citizens, as well as citizens of
their respective tribes, who are entitled
to all the benefits of other citizens of the
states where they reside.
• ACF is committed to furthering the
government-to-government relationship
with each tribe, which forms the heart
of all federal Indian policy. ACF
respects and supports tribes’ authority
to exercise their inherent sovereign
powers, including the authority to
manage their own affairs, to exist as
nations, and exercise authority over
their citizens and territory.
• ACF strives to act in accordance
with the general trust responsibility
between the United States and tribes.
Trust responsibility is derived from
treaties with tribes, statutes, and
opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court and
provides a fundamental basis for the
relationship between the federal
government and federally recognized
Indian tribes.
• While not legally binding, in accord
with the December 2010 Presidential
Proclamation under which the United
States fully endorsed the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP), ACF promotes and
pursues the objectives of UNDRIP,
including, but not limited to,
recognition that indigenous peoples are
entitled to all human rights recognized
in international law.
• ACF is committed to tribal selfdetermination, tribal autonomy, tribal
nation-building, and the long-term goal
of maximizing tribal control over
governmental institutions in tribal
communities recognizing that tribal
problems are best addressed in federaltribal partnership informed by tribal
traditions, values, and custom.
• ACF works to evaluate and improve
AI/AN children and families’ health and
well-being by collecting and analyzing
AI/AN data, including, but not limited
to, child welfare data, workforce and
employment data, child development
and school readiness data, data on atrisk and vulnerable youth, and
evaluative social and economic data,
with the goal of sharing information and
knowledge gained to collaboratively
address established tribal priorities.
• ACF supports state and tribal
governments, courts, and human
services systems to strengthen AI/AN
families, protect AI/AN children, and
ensure that AI/AN children and youth
E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM
26OCN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2016 / Notices
have and maintain familial and cultural
connections with their tribes and
Indian, as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304,
extended families.
• In all its actions, ACF respects,
supports, and promotes Indian tribes’
authority to exercise inherent sovereign
powers, including authority over both
tribal citizens and property.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Section II. Consultation and
Communication With Tribes
• ACF recognizes that the
government-to-government relationship
with Indian tribes merits regular,
meaningful, and informed consultation
with AI/AN tribal officials in the
development of new or amended
funding; amended funding formulas;
and programmatic policies, regulations,
and legislative actions initiated by ACF
that affect or may affect tribes.
• ACF recognizes that—in addition
to, but not in lieu of, formal
consultation—there can be great benefit
in timely, detailed, and informal
communications with tribal officials
and other community leaders.
• ACF acts to facilitate on-going,
routine, informal communication with
tribal programs in its day-to-day work.
• ACF seeks to integrate tribal
consultation and communication
responsibilities into the operational
duties of all staff positions including
managers, federal project officers, and
program specialists.
• ACF recognizes that meaningful
communication and, to the extent
practicable, consultation on a
government-to-government basis is
sound ACF management policy and
good governance.
• ACF supports the Intradepartmental
Council on Native American Affairs, the
HHS Secretary’s Tribal Advisory
Committee, the ACF Tribal Advisory
Committee, and other task forces,
advisory groups, and work teams that
provide input from elected tribal
representatives to ACF leaders and
components, and to otherwise ensure
human services coordination around
issues affecting AI/AN populations.
• ACF supports Regional Office
strategic partnerships and/or regionally
structured coordinated communications
with tribes and tribal programs to
promote and facilitate strong tribal-state
relationships and policy and to foster
improved outcomes for Indian children,
youth, and families through training on
tribal consultation, providing
introductions, sharing information, and
ensuring timely follow-up on issues and
concerns.
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18:25 Oct 25, 2016
Jkt 241001
Section III. Culture and Mutual Respect
• ACF recognizes that each tribe’s
history and contemporary culture are
unique, and that solutions that work for
one tribe may not be suitable for others.
• ACF respects traditional tribal
cultural practices and values and is
committed to ensuring cultural
competence and effective cross-cultural
communication in day-to-day work.
• ACF seeks to foster an internal ACF
culture at every level that encourages all
staff to identify and be responsive to the
needs of tribes and Indian people as part
of routine deliberative and other work
demonstrating respect for the Indian
tribes we serve and with whom we
partner.
Section IV. Nation-Building and
Effective Delivery of Human Services to
Indian Communities
• ACF believes that continuity of
funding at sufficient levels for essential
tribal social service functions is critical
to the long-term growth of tribal nations
and the economic, health, and social
well-being of Indian peoples.
• In accord with Executive Order
13175, ACF seeks to maximize tribes’
flexibility to administer grant programs
within the prescribed statutory and
regulatory parameters and thus design
solutions responsive and appropriate to
their communities while ensuring
accountability.
• ACF believes that pilot and
demonstration projects that are available
to state or local governments should be
available to tribal governments to the
extent authorized by law, and
endeavors, where appropriate and
practicable, to locate pilot and
demonstration projects in tribal
communities.
• ACF is committed to partnering
with tribes to build a continuum of
research, as described ACF’s Common
Framework for Research, from
descriptive studies to impact studies
that build understanding of human
service needs in tribal communities,
high quality and culturally responsive
services, and efficacy and effectiveness
of services in improving relevant
outcomes in tribal communities.
• ACF aims, through flexible
provision of technical support, to help
tribal grantees develop and
operationalize their own performance
measures and indicators, allowing for
performance measurement over time
and in a manner most meaningful to
local tribal communities.
• ACF supports using data to
collaborate in identifying and testing
changes that support data-driven
improvements in ACF-funded programs
and projects.
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• ACF is committed to implementing
all statutes authorizing ACF programs
and to working in partnership with
tribes to strengthen tribal systems and
institutions critical to fulfilling the
purposes of these statutes.
V. Coordination and Outreach
• ACF, when working with external
agencies on issues involving tribes,
advocates respect for tribal selfdetermination, tribal autonomy, tribal
nation-building, and the government-togovernment relationship.
• The Administration for Children
and Families, through its regional
offices, is committed to supporting
tribes, states, and local jurisdictions to
improve communication and
meaningful consultation, and to build
relationships among tribes, states, local,
and private entities that promote
resilient, safe, healthy, and
economically secure Indian children,
youth, families, and communities.
• ACF works to facilitate
communication and build relationships
among the federal agencies engaged
with tribal governments and to promote
the sharing of federal resources and
expertise, including, but not limited to,
identifying cross-training opportunities.
• Because of the relationship between
the work of external institutions and the
health and well-being of Indian
children, youth, and families, ACF is
committed to fostering coordinated
efforts with educational, public safety,
justice, housing, environmental
protection, and public health services.
VI. Administrative Data Management
• In collaboration with Indian tribes,
ACF aims to build knowledge of
effective models, strategies, and
approaches for addressing the needs and
lifting the strengths and capacities of
Indian children, youth, and families
through a focus on collaborative
research and evaluation.
• In collaboration with Indian tribes,
ACF develops and implements a
research agenda that identifies and
addresses data gaps, builds tribal
research and evaluation capacities, and
disseminates research findings on issues
determined, in partnership with tribes,
to be significant.
VII. Sustainability
• ACF will ensure the ACF Guiding
Principles are institutionalized through
management and staff training so that
progress in areas important to tribes and
tribal communities continues consistent
with ACF values of dedication,
excellence, professionalism, integrity,
stewardship, and respect.
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 26, 2016 / Notices
• These ACF Guiding Principles are
intended solely to improve the internal
awareness and management of the ACF.
They may only be implemented to the
extent permitted by statute and
regulations and are not intended to and
do not create any right or benefit,
substantive or procedural, enforceable at
law or equity by any party in any
matter, civil or criminal, against the
United States, its departments, agencies,
officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.
Dated: October 20, 2016.
Mark H. Greenberg,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and
Families.
Dated: October 20, 2016.
Lillian Sparks Robinson,
Commissioner, Administration for Native
Americans.
[FR Doc. 2016–25794 Filed 10–25–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184–40–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA–2016–D–2817]
Low Sexual Interest, Desire, and/or
Arousal in Women: Developing Drugs
for Treatment; Draft Guidance for
Industry; Availability
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Notice of availability.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA or Agency) is
announcing the availability of a draft
guidance for industry entitled ‘‘Low
Sexual Interest, Desire, and/or Arousal
in Women: Developing Drugs for
Treatment.’’ The purpose of this
guidance is to assist sponsors in
developing drugs for the treatment of
low sexual interest, desire, and/or
arousal in women. Specifically, this
guidance addresses FDA’s current
thinking regarding the overall clinical
development program, with a focus on
phase 3 trial designs, to support an
indication for the treatment of these
conditions.
DATES: Although you can comment on
any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR
10.115(g)(5)), to ensure that the Agency
considers your comment on this draft
guidance before it begins work on the
final version of the guidance, submit
either electronic or written comments
on the draft guidance by December 27,
2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
as follows:
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:25 Oct 25, 2016
Jkt 241001
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Submit written/paper submissions as
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Instructions: All submissions received
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Developing Drugs for Treatment; Draft
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74451
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
FDA is announcing the availability of
a draft guidance for industry entitled
‘‘Low Sexual Interest, Desire, and/or
Arousal in Women: Developing Drugs
E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM
26OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 26, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74448-74451]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25794]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Guidelines Stating Principles for Working With Federally
Recognized Indian Tribes
AGENCY: Administration for Native Americans, Administration for
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), is issuing guidelines
stating principles for working with federally recognized Indian tribes.
DATES: Effective October 20, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Camille Loya, Director of Policy,
Administration for Native Americans (ANA) at (202) 401-5964, or
Camille.Loya@acf.hhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ACF states the following principles for
working with federally recognized Indian tribes:
Purpose: The mission of ACF is to foster health and well-being by
providing federal leadership, partnership, and resources for the
compassionate and effective delivery of human services. This mission
has special application with respect to the government-to-government
relationship with federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska
Natives. ACF issues these Principles for Working with Federally
Recognized Tribes to establish a policy standard governing ACF's
relationships with federally recognized Indian tribes. The Principles
are designed to build upon and complement ACF's Tribal Consultation
Policy and to articulate ACF's commitment to promote and sustain strong
government-to-government relationships, foster Indian self-
determination, support tribal sovereignty, and demonstrate transparency
in ACF's actions as public servants.
[[Page 74449]]
Bases and Authority: ACF's Principles are based upon the unique
relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes affirmed
by President Obama in the Memorandum for the Heads of Executive
Departments and Agencies issued November 5, 2009. The Memorandum
states:
The United States has a unique legal and political relationship
with Indian tribal governments, established through and confirmed by
the Constitution of the United States, treaties, statutes, executive
orders, and judicial decisions.
The HHS Consultation Policy affirms the nature of the relationship
between the federal government and Indian tribes and the importance of
clear policies:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and
Indian Tribes share the goal to establish clear policies to further
the government-to-government relationship between the Federal
Government and Indian Tribes.
* * * * *
Since the formation of the Union, the United States (U.S.) has
recognized Indian Tribes as sovereign nations. A unique government-
to-government relationship exists between Indian Tribes and the
Federal Government. This relationship is grounded in the U.S.
Constitution, numerous treaties, statutes, Federal case law,
regulations and executive orders that establish and define a trust
relationship with Indian Tribes. This relationship is derived from
the political and legal relationship that Indian Tribes have with
the Federal Government and is not based upon race.
The Principles are derived from the general federal trust
responsibility between the United States and tribes. Since the
formation of the Union, the United States has recognized the inherent
sovereignty of tribal nations. As a result, a unique government-to-
government relationship exists between American Indian and Alaska
Native (AI/AN) tribes and the federal government. The government-to-
government relationship is political and independent of race or
ethnicity. This relationship is grounded in the U.S. Constitution,
numerous treaties, statutes, federal case law, regulations, and
executive orders, as well as political, legal, moral, and ethical
principles.
ACF, as an Operating Division within HHS, hereby establishes this
set of principles for working with federally recognized tribes, as
defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304, in accord with ACF's vision of ``children,
youth, families, individuals, and communities who are resilient, safe,
healthy, and economically secure.'' These principles are intended to
foster AI/AN health and well-being by providing federal leadership,
partnership, and resources for compassionate and effective human
services delivery.
ACF establishes these principles in accordance with ACF values of
dedication, excellence, professionalism, integrity, and stewardship.
Once implemented, these principles will help ACF advance its values by
establishing clear policies that further the government-to-government
relationship between ACF and Indian tribes.
ACF establishes this statement of principles to further the shared
goal of thriving, resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure
children, families, and communities. Shared ACF and tribal goals also
include, but are not limited to, strengthening health care by
eliminating health and human service disparities Indians experience;
ensuring access to critical health and human services; and advancing or
enhancing health, safety, and well-being of AI/AN people. Finally, ACF
and Indian tribes share the goal of establishing clear policies to
further the government-to-government relationship between the federal
government and Indian tribes.
ACF establishes this statement of principles in order to complement
existing ACF Tribal Consultation Policies. On November 5, 2009,
President Obama signed an Executive Memorandum reaffirming the
government-to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the
federal government, directing each executive department and agency to
submit a plan on consultation with tribal governments before developing
regulatory policies that substantially affect this population. The
importance of consultation with Indian tribes was affirmed through
Presidential Memoranda in 1994, 2004, and 2009, and Executive Order
13175 in 2000. The purpose of the ACF Tribal Consultation Policy is to
build meaningful relationships with federally recognized tribes by
engaging in open, continuous, and meaningful consultation that leads to
information exchange, mutual understanding, and informed decision-
making.
The principles build upon communication and decision-making
protocols articulated in the ACF Tribal Consultation Policy by setting
forth specific leadership and partnership principles intended to guide
effective day-to-day human services delivery to AI/AN peoples.
Section I. Overarching Principles for Working With Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes
ACF strives to honor the unique legal relationship between
the federal government and Indian tribes as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304,
and supports tribes' authority to exercise their inherent tribal
powers.
ACF recognizes tribal sovereignty and the principle that
tribal nations have authority over tribal citizens.
ACF recognizes tribal members as American citizens, as
well as citizens of their respective tribes, who are entitled to all
the benefits of other citizens of the states where they reside.
ACF is committed to furthering the government-to-
government relationship with each tribe, which forms the heart of all
federal Indian policy. ACF respects and supports tribes' authority to
exercise their inherent sovereign powers, including the authority to
manage their own affairs, to exist as nations, and exercise authority
over their citizens and territory.
ACF strives to act in accordance with the general trust
responsibility between the United States and tribes. Trust
responsibility is derived from treaties with tribes, statutes, and
opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court and provides a fundamental basis for
the relationship between the federal government and federally
recognized Indian tribes.
While not legally binding, in accord with the December
2010 Presidential Proclamation under which the United States fully
endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples (UNDRIP), ACF promotes and pursues the objectives of UNDRIP,
including, but not limited to, recognition that indigenous peoples are
entitled to all human rights recognized in international law.
ACF is committed to tribal self-determination, tribal
autonomy, tribal nation-building, and the long-term goal of maximizing
tribal control over governmental institutions in tribal communities
recognizing that tribal problems are best addressed in federal-tribal
partnership informed by tribal traditions, values, and custom.
ACF works to evaluate and improve AI/AN children and
families' health and well-being by collecting and analyzing AI/AN data,
including, but not limited to, child welfare data, workforce and
employment data, child development and school readiness data, data on
at-risk and vulnerable youth, and evaluative social and economic data,
with the goal of sharing information and knowledge gained to
collaboratively address established tribal priorities.
ACF supports state and tribal governments, courts, and
human services systems to strengthen AI/AN families, protect AI/AN
children, and ensure that AI/AN children and youth
[[Page 74450]]
have and maintain familial and cultural connections with their tribes
and Indian, as defined at 25 U.S.C. 5304, extended families.
In all its actions, ACF respects, supports, and promotes
Indian tribes' authority to exercise inherent sovereign powers,
including authority over both tribal citizens and property.
Section II. Consultation and Communication With Tribes
ACF recognizes that the government-to-government
relationship with Indian tribes merits regular, meaningful, and
informed consultation with AI/AN tribal officials in the development of
new or amended funding; amended funding formulas; and programmatic
policies, regulations, and legislative actions initiated by ACF that
affect or may affect tribes.
ACF recognizes that--in addition to, but not in lieu of,
formal consultation--there can be great benefit in timely, detailed,
and informal communications with tribal officials and other community
leaders.
ACF acts to facilitate on-going, routine, informal
communication with tribal programs in its day-to-day work.
ACF seeks to integrate tribal consultation and
communication responsibilities into the operational duties of all staff
positions including managers, federal project officers, and program
specialists.
ACF recognizes that meaningful communication and, to the
extent practicable, consultation on a government-to-government basis is
sound ACF management policy and good governance.
ACF supports the Intradepartmental Council on Native
American Affairs, the HHS Secretary's Tribal Advisory Committee, the
ACF Tribal Advisory Committee, and other task forces, advisory groups,
and work teams that provide input from elected tribal representatives
to ACF leaders and components, and to otherwise ensure human services
coordination around issues affecting AI/AN populations.
ACF supports Regional Office strategic partnerships and/or
regionally structured coordinated communications with tribes and tribal
programs to promote and facilitate strong tribal-state relationships
and policy and to foster improved outcomes for Indian children, youth,
and families through training on tribal consultation, providing
introductions, sharing information, and ensuring timely follow-up on
issues and concerns.
Section III. Culture and Mutual Respect
ACF recognizes that each tribe's history and contemporary
culture are unique, and that solutions that work for one tribe may not
be suitable for others.
ACF respects traditional tribal cultural practices and
values and is committed to ensuring cultural competence and effective
cross-cultural communication in day-to-day work.
ACF seeks to foster an internal ACF culture at every level
that encourages all staff to identify and be responsive to the needs of
tribes and Indian people as part of routine deliberative and other work
demonstrating respect for the Indian tribes we serve and with whom we
partner.
Section IV. Nation-Building and Effective Delivery of Human Services to
Indian Communities
ACF believes that continuity of funding at sufficient
levels for essential tribal social service functions is critical to the
long-term growth of tribal nations and the economic, health, and social
well-being of Indian peoples.
In accord with Executive Order 13175, ACF seeks to
maximize tribes' flexibility to administer grant programs within the
prescribed statutory and regulatory parameters and thus design
solutions responsive and appropriate to their communities while
ensuring accountability.
ACF believes that pilot and demonstration projects that
are available to state or local governments should be available to
tribal governments to the extent authorized by law, and endeavors,
where appropriate and practicable, to locate pilot and demonstration
projects in tribal communities.
ACF is committed to partnering with tribes to build a
continuum of research, as described ACF's Common Framework for
Research, from descriptive studies to impact studies that build
understanding of human service needs in tribal communities, high
quality and culturally responsive services, and efficacy and
effectiveness of services in improving relevant outcomes in tribal
communities.
ACF aims, through flexible provision of technical support,
to help tribal grantees develop and operationalize their own
performance measures and indicators, allowing for performance
measurement over time and in a manner most meaningful to local tribal
communities.
ACF supports using data to collaborate in identifying and
testing changes that support data-driven improvements in ACF-funded
programs and projects.
ACF is committed to implementing all statutes authorizing
ACF programs and to working in partnership with tribes to strengthen
tribal systems and institutions critical to fulfilling the purposes of
these statutes.
V. Coordination and Outreach
ACF, when working with external agencies on issues
involving tribes, advocates respect for tribal self-determination,
tribal autonomy, tribal nation-building, and the government-to-
government relationship.
The Administration for Children and Families, through its
regional offices, is committed to supporting tribes, states, and local
jurisdictions to improve communication and meaningful consultation, and
to build relationships among tribes, states, local, and private
entities that promote resilient, safe, healthy, and economically secure
Indian children, youth, families, and communities.
ACF works to facilitate communication and build
relationships among the federal agencies engaged with tribal
governments and to promote the sharing of federal resources and
expertise, including, but not limited to, identifying cross-training
opportunities.
Because of the relationship between the work of external
institutions and the health and well-being of Indian children, youth,
and families, ACF is committed to fostering coordinated efforts with
educational, public safety, justice, housing, environmental protection,
and public health services.
VI. Administrative Data Management
In collaboration with Indian tribes, ACF aims to build
knowledge of effective models, strategies, and approaches for
addressing the needs and lifting the strengths and capacities of Indian
children, youth, and families through a focus on collaborative research
and evaluation.
In collaboration with Indian tribes, ACF develops and
implements a research agenda that identifies and addresses data gaps,
builds tribal research and evaluation capacities, and disseminates
research findings on issues determined, in partnership with tribes, to
be significant.
VII. Sustainability
ACF will ensure the ACF Guiding Principles are
institutionalized through management and staff training so that
progress in areas important to tribes and tribal communities continues
consistent with ACF values of dedication, excellence, professionalism,
integrity, stewardship, and respect.
[[Page 74451]]
These ACF Guiding Principles are intended solely to
improve the internal awareness and management of the ACF. They may only
be implemented to the extent permitted by statute and regulations and
are not intended to and do not create any right or benefit, substantive
or procedural, enforceable at law or equity by any party in any matter,
civil or criminal, against the United States, its departments,
agencies, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Dated: October 20, 2016.
Mark H. Greenberg,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families.
Dated: October 20, 2016.
Lillian Sparks Robinson,
Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans.
[FR Doc. 2016-25794 Filed 10-25-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-40-P
