Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment Programs (CARE)

The Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment Programs (CARE) project addresses the issue of high rates of unemployment of American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) people or individuals with disabilities. The research addressed the research question: What are the practices and policies, and the associated characteristics, used by American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) programs, including those that are culturally appropriate? The Culturally Appropriate Research in American Indian Employment (CARE) project was led by the Institute for Human Development and funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). It was carried out between September 1, 2020, and August 31, 2025, and focused on Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) programs, which help Tribal members with disabilities prepare for, get, and keep jobs. Unlike state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) programs, TVR programs focus on the Tribal cultures of the people they serve. This includes offering Cultural Services to each participant that may help them reach their employment goal. Because there is little research on how TVR programs work, CARE used a community-based participatory research approach, which involves community members in planning and conducting the research. A council of advisors from American Indian/Alaska Native TVR programs helped shape the project’s goals and research design. Later, TVR staff helped improve the design, create a visual diagram, and analyze data. The project’s goal was to identify the practices and policies that support people with disabilities in achieving their employment goals through TVR, particularly those that focus on being responsive to and respectful of Tribal cultures. Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Personalized Approach to Traditional Holistics (TVR PATH) is a tool designed to support the provision of Cultural Services within Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR) programs. At its core, TVR PATH features a diagram describing key elements that directly and indirectly help program participants receive Cultural Services. These include any services provided to a participant that reflect their cultural background and are necessary for their successful employment.The name of this tool emphasizes the personalized nature of supporting TVR program participants and the holistic approach to working with them. Program participants aren’t simply placed in a job; they are served and supported as whole people and members of their communities, with all the complexities of their intertwined strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and choices. Recognizing these interconnections, TVR PATH promotes a holistic approach to service delivery.TVR PATH was developed through an inclusive, community-driven process that involved interviews, focus groups, and feedback from TVR directors, counselors, and other Tribal partners. Each element of the diagram reflects a shared understanding of the conditions that support meaningful employment outcomes for Tribal members with disabilities.This resource is intended for both new and seasoned TVR directors, counselors, and program teams. It serves as a guide for those who want to improve planning, training, and services in ways that respect Tribal culture. TVR program directors have suggested using it to support new staff training, strategic planning, and community engagement.Importantly, TVR PATH is not a rule book or list of regulations. It does not replace important resources such as AIVRTTAC’s TVR Journey Guide or decision-making tools based on the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Rather, it adds to these resources by offering a wider, big-picture view shaped by Tribal community knowledge and experience.Because each TVR program is unique, TVR PATH is meant to be a starting point. While it could be used “as is”, programs are encouraged to personalize it by changing the wording, layout, or images to reflect their culture and community. This website includes background information on how TVR PATH was created, an explanation of how the tool works, and two guides for personalizing it: one focused on visual design and another for adjusting the content so the final version fits your specific TVR program. The TVR PATH description and guidance can be found at this URL: https://legacy.nau.edu/ihd/tvr-path/