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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Pinto

DATE TYPED 02/14/05 HB

SHORT TITLE Navajo Nation Advocacy Services

SB 762

ANALYST Weber

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained Estimated Additional Impact Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY05

FY06

FY05

FY06

$85.0

Recurring General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Indian Affairs Department (IAD)

Human Services Department (HSD)

Children youth and Families (CYFD)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 762 appropriates $85 thousand from the general fund to the Indian Affairs Depart-

ment for advocacy and counseling services for women and families who have low incomes or are

subjects of domestic violence in communities of the Navajo Nation.

Significant Issues

The Indian Affairs Department contributes that American Indians experience per capita rates of

violence which are more than twice those of the U.S. resident population.

1

Rates of violence in

every age group are higher among American Indians than that of all races. The violent crime rate

among American Indian males was 153 per 1,000 males age 1 or older, more than double that

found among all males (60 per 1,000 age 12 or older). The violent crime rate for American In-

dian females during this period was 98 per 1,000 females, a rate higher than that found among

1

Senate Bill 762 -- Page 2

white females (40 per 1,000) or black females (56 per 1,000).

Rates of violent victimization for both males and females are higher among American Indians

than for all races. The rate of violent crime experienced by American Indian women is nearly

50% higher than that reported by black females. Nearly a third of all American Indian victims of

violence are between ages 18 and 24. This group of American Indians experienced the highest

per capita rate of violence of any racial group considered by age--about 1 violent crime for every

4 persons of this age.

SB 762 would address the serious social problem of domestic violence occurring in tribal com-

munities in New Mexico. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injuries to women ages 15

to 44. Unfortunately, some of the Navajo Nation’s traditional values of equality and harmony

have broken down, causing an increase in family violence. Navajo women have increasingly

been plagued by domestic violence and in response, in 1993, the Navajo Nation enacted the Do-

mestic Abuse Prevention Act. Poverty and lack of infrastructure and social services exacerbate

the problems that Navajo women face when trying to leave violence in their homes. SB 762

would provide needed funding for advocacy and counseling services to assist these Navajo

women and families.

Human Services contributes that in general, counseling services are part of the Medicaid benefit

package and are available to Medicaid-enrollees. Care coordination is an additional service pro-

vided by the Salud! Managed Care Organizations to Salud! enrollees.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $85 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY06 shall revert to the

general fund.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

What is the definition of low income.

MW/sb