2013-22950. Tribal Consultation Meeting

AGENCY:

Administration for Children and Families' Office of Head Start (OHS), HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of meeting.

SUMMARY:

Pursuant to the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, Public Law 110-134, notice is hereby given of two 1-day Tribal Consultation Sessions to be held between the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start leadership and the leadership of Tribal Governments operating Head Start (including Early Head Start) programs. The purpose of these Consultation Sessions is to discuss ways to better meet the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native children and their families, taking into consideration funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations [42 U.S.C. 9835, 640(l)(4)].

DATES:

October 23, 2013, and October 29, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

2013 Office of Head Start Tribal Consultation Sessions will be held at the following locations:

Wednesday, October 23, 2013—Fairbanks, Alaska—Fairbanks Princess Riverside Lodge, 4477 Pikes Landing Road, Fairbanks, AK 99709; and Tuesday, October 29, 2013—Rapid City, South Dakota—Best Western Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, 2111 N. LaCrosse Street, Rapid City, SD 57701.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Bialas, Regional Program Manager, Region XI, Office of Head Start, email [e-mail] or phone [phone]. Additional information and online meeting registration is available at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/​hslc/​eclkc_​main_​calendar/​tc-2013.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces Office of Head Start (OHS) Tribal Consultations for leaders of Tribal Governments operating Head Start and Early Head Start programs. As much as possible, the OHS Tribal Consultations are being scheduled in conjunction with other tribal events. The Consultation in Fairbanks will be held in conjunction with the Alaska Federation of Natives Annual Convention. The Consultation in Rapid City will be held in conjunction with the National Indian Education Association's 44th Annual Convention and Trade Show. Such scheduling is an effort to minimize the burden of travel for tribal participants.

The agenda for the scheduled OHS Tribal Consultations will be organized around the statutory purposes of Head Start Tribal Consultations related to meeting the needs of American Indian/Alaska Native children and families, taking into consideration funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations. In addition, OHS will share actions taken and in progress to address the issues and concerns raised in 2012 OHS Tribal Consultations.

Tribal leaders and designated representatives interested in submitting written testimony or proposing specific agenda topics for these Consultation Sessions should contact Robert Bialas at [e-mail]. Proposals must be submitted at least 3 days in advance of each session and should include a brief description of the topic area, along with the name and contact information of the suggested presenter.

The Consultation Session will be conducted with elected or appointed leaders of Tribal Governments and their designated representatives [42 U.S.C. 9835, 640(l)(4)(A)]. Designees must have a letter from the Tribal Government authorizing them to represent the tribe. The letter should be submitted at least 3 days in advance of the Consultation Session to Robert Bialas via fax at 866-396-8843. Other representatives of tribal organizations and Native nonprofit organizations are welcome to attend as observers.

A detailed report of the Consultation Session will be prepared and made available within 45 days of the Consultation Session to all Tribal Governments receiving funds for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. Tribes wishing to submit written testimony for the report should send testimony to Robert Bialas at [e-mail] either prior to the Consultation Session or within 30 days after the meeting.

Oral testimony and comments from the Consultation Session will be summarized in each report without attribution, along with topics of concern and recommendations. Hotel and logistical information for the Consultation Session has been sent to tribal leaders via email and posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center Web site at http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/​hslc/​eclkc_​main_​calendar/​tc-2013.

Dated: September 16, 2013.

Yvette Sanchez Fuentes,

Director, Office of Head Start.