The Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children, created by bipartisan legislation, has been tasked with studying federal funding and programs that support Native American youth and making recommendations aimed at improving those efforts and helping Native children thrive. I am honored to serve as Chair of this Commission, which is named, respectively, for the former chairwoman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota and for an Alaska Native elder, educator and statesman.
Funding has been provided by Congress for the Commission carry out its statutory responsibilities. Federal staff from the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Interior, and Justice have been detailed to provide additional support, and to ensure that the Commission addresses issues with government-wide perspective.
For too long, in spite of their resilience and rich heritage, the life experiences of Native children have been disproportionately marred by poverty, child abuse, domestic violence, crime, and substance abuse; it is our job, as Commissioners, to do all we can to change those circumstances for our youngest and most vulnerable Native people. During this time of COVID-19 we have not been able to conduct hearings or listening sessions in the field to aid us in this work. However, we need and value input and participation from Native children and families—and from tribes, governments, service providers, researchers, and other allies that support them—in order to report the best recommendations to the President and Congress for improving the lives of Native children and youth. I encourage anyone who has testimony, information, or data they would like to share to please email.
Respectfully,
| Ms. Gloria O’Neill |
| Chairwoman, Commission on Native Children |
| President/CEO, Cook Inlet Tribal Council |
Click on the links below to find media mentions about the Commission on Native Children.
The Way Forward: Report of the Commission on Native Children
Congress created the independent Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children in 2016 to conduct a comprehensive...
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June 23, 2022 / news
KFYR-TV: Commission meets for Native American children
A commission met on Tuesday at United Tribes Technical College to discuss the obstacles facing Native children’s needs. The commissioners...
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June 12, 2022 / news
KXNET (TV): Commission on Native Children to hold Bismarck Hearing, June 12, 2022
The Commission will be hosting a regional public hearing in Bismarck on June 23-24. Individuals will be able to participate...
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February 15, 2022 / news
Native Talk Arizona interview with Commissioner Carlyle Begay
Commissioner Carlyle Begay discusses the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children. Listen to the episode on Native...
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September 30, 2021 / news
Biden Gives Native Children’s Commission an Extension to Complete Report
President Joe Biden has given a special commission a lengthy extension to complete a comprehensive report on all government and...
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September 24, 2021 / news
SCHATZ APPLAUDS ENACTMENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS BILL TO SUPPORT NATIVE CHILDREN
September 24, 2021 HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, issued the...
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August 25, 2021 / news
Study of Native Children’s Justice Needs Will Likely Get a Two-Year Extension
A bill granting the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Tribal Justice two additional years to complete a study on the...
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December 16, 2020 / news
Diné College President Testifies Before Federal Native Youth Commission
As president of Diné College, and as a former teacher, principal and superintendent at schools across the Navajo Nation, Charles...
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March 10, 2020 / news
Interview with Carlyle Begay by Native Talk Arizona aired March 10, 2020
Listen to the Interview with Carlyle Begay by Native Talk Arizona, aired on March 10, 2020
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July 9, 2018 / news
Heitkamp’s Commission on Native Children Begins Its Work to Address Challenges
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced that the Commission on Native Children, which was created by her...
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