Members

Chairperson

• Peggy Venable

Committee Members

• Charles Wells

• Michael Hale

VR Liaison

• Diane Davis

REPORT

Muskogee Vocational Rehabilitation (MVR) is the only Native American Vocational
Rehabilitation (Section 121) program in Georgia. There are 550 Native American Tribes in the United States, but only 77 American Indian VR Programs (AIVR). These 77 VR programs comprise CANAR (Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation); MVR Director Christina P. Venable (Peggy) serves as Treasurer. Just as each tribe in the nation is different, there are many differences among CANAR-member tribes, and this diversity is clearly reflected at conferences. GDOL/VR is also a CANAR member as are many other national and state organizations and programs, and the Georgia program is typically well represented at CANAR conferences, providing both presenters and attendees.

The state of Georgia works with Muskogee Vocational Rehabilitation as a partner in a
cooperative agreement and has greatly helped the program in its endeavors to reach Native American consumers in the state. The VR regional director and staff from Albany, Georgia have been particularly helpful to MVR and have provided considerable support for its program.

MVR provides several activities and planned initiatives that incorporate culturally appropriate services to American Indians with disabilities, allowing them to learn within their cultural setting, to build self-confidence with Tribal Elders as their mentors, and to receive VR services in a manner that reflects the diversity of tribal culture, and acknowledges and embraces that culture towards building a successful future.

In SFY 2009:

• MVR reported a 100% placement and served 25 consumers.
• MVR had eight consumers in postsecondary education, including two- and four-year
institutions of higher learning.
• Three additional consumers are in job training situations.
• Mekko Enterprises, which is owned by the Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe and
provides several different services in graphic arts manufacturing, hired four
persons with disabilities to work in their program.
• The Lower Muskogee Creek Tribe continued to work diligently with local and federal
agencies to further educate the public regarding Native Americans and the need for
education, medical services and employment in the rural counties of Georgia.
• In addition to hosting a Lunch and Learn for its annual Disability Awareness Day for
state and local VR staff, advisory board members and business partners, MVR served
on the planning committee for the 2009 mid-year CANAR conference in Anchorage,
Alaska, and coordinated the 2009 annual conference in Norman, Oklahoma.