Description
The Social Security Administration is seeking direct input into SSA policies, procedures, and priorities and to assist in providing strong consultations, round table discussions, and listening sessions. Additionally, we seek to strengthen our Equity Action Plan by identifying innovative service channels that SSA can consider in servicing Tribal communities.
Specifically, SSA is seeking comments on the following framing questions:
- Planning is underway for senior leaders to visit Indian Country in FY 2024 in underserved communities. We seek guidance from the Tribal community, please identify new locations to improve outreach plans such as Urban Indian Centers or other Tribal communities of interest.
- Please share recommendations for an establishment of an SSA Tribal Advisory Committee.
- Please share your recommendations for how the Social Security Administration can mitigate or eliminate barriers and enhance awareness, knowledge, and access for Tribal communities
- SSAs understanding is that in the United States there are over 300 native languages. We seek your feedback regarding which languages we should target based on current utilization.
- Please share your feedback on utilizing SSA posters and field office lobby announcements on SSA TV systems to include Native Languages.
- Please share other recommendations on locations outside of an SSA building to distribute marketing materials to promote awareness of interpreter services in Indian Country?
- We seek your recommendations regarding who we should offer national virtual training to, for individuals who provide ongoing support to Tribal members regarding SSA programs and services (i.e., refresher training, new hires, social services workers, interns, etc.).
- Normally someone within a Tribal Government Offices provides documentation required to determine the criteria for an SSI exclusion of Tribal Payments distributed. We seek guidance on streamlining who we should direct Tribal members to, once they arrive at an SSA office to seek an SSI exclusion to obtain the answers regarding how the Tribal payments were distributed to Tribal members.
The consultation is on September 26 at Harrahs Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. Written comments are due October 30, 2023.