Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act of 2026

This section amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to establish a new Advisory Committee on Tribal Juvenile Justice within the Department of Justice. The committee will provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator, Attorney General, and Congress on matters related to juvenile justice, delinquency prevention, and system improvement for Tribal youth, including identifying barriers and improving data collection. It authorizes $200,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2032.

This section establishes the Alaska Native Victim Services Fund within the Treasury, to be administered by the Federal Cochairperson of the Denali Commission. The fund will provide grants and loans to eligible nonprofit organizations serving victims of crime in predominantly Indian communities in Alaska, specifically for victim services and physical infrastructure (like housing construction/repair) to support these services. It also creates an Alaska Native Victim Services Fund Advisory Committee and authorizes $5,000,000 annually for FY2027-2032.

This section amends the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to enhance support for Native communities. It establishes new Alaska Native Tribal and Native Hawaiian resource centers on domestic violence, authorizes grants to Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions, and creates a National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline Grant. These changes aim to provide culturally sensitive technical assistance, training, and direct services to Indian and Native Hawaiian victims of family, domestic, and dating violence, and their children.

This section codifies and expands the Tiwahe Initiative, a family-centered delivery model for integrated community services, within the Department of the Interior. It designates the 10 existing pilot sites as permanent partners and establishes a process for other eligible entities (Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations) to apply. It also mandates an interdepartmental pilot program to coordinate federal resources across various agencies (DOJ, Labor, Agriculture, HHS, HUD, Transportation, Commerce, Energy) to support the initiative, guided by a new Tiwahe Tribal Advisory Council. It authorizes $100,000,000 for the initiative and $200,000 for the Council annually.

This section establishes a Tribal Health Research Office within the Office of the Director of NIH. The Office will lead and coordinate Tribal health research activities, disseminate culturally aware information, provide grants for innovative Native American health approaches (including culturally based interventions), enhance research capacity in Native communities, and ensure Tribal input in grant review. It also creates a National Institutes of Health Tribal Advisory Committee to provide advice on Tribal health research, data sovereignty, and traditional ecological knowledge. It authorizes $2,000,000 annually for the Advisory Committee for FY2027-2032.

This section establishes a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Tribal Advisory Committee to provide a forum for elected Tribal officials and HRSA staff to exchange views on public health issues in Indian Country. The committee will identify evolving issues, propose solutions, advise on Tribal consultation strategies, and communicate with Tribes. It mandates a subcommittee on maternal health to address maternal mortality, access to care, culturally appropriate care, and data collection for American Indian and Alaska Native women. It authorizes $200,000 annually for FY2027-2032.

This section establishes a demonstration grant program within the Public Health Service Act for eligible entities to recruit, train, and retain maternity care providers, mental and behavioral health care providers, registered dietitians, and other perinatal health workers for Tribal communities. Grants can be used to establish or expand accredited programs, recruit Native individuals, develop culturally appropriate training, and support education/licensing. Priority is given to entities partnering with Tribes or serving health professional shortage areas. It authorizes $3,000,000 annually for FY2027-2032.

This section establishes a 5-year demonstration program allowing participating Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, or inter-Tribal consortia to assume administration of certain behavioral health programs from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through self-governance compacts and funding agreements. The Secretary may select up to 15 entities annually. It ensures funding is not less than what tribes would otherwise receive, allows waivers of matching requirements, and streamlines administrative processes consistent with the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

This section establishes a Native Children's Environmental Health Protection Task Force within the Council on Environmental Quality. Composed of representatives from multiple federal agencies, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations, the Task Force will coordinate efforts to protect the environmental health of Native children. Its duties include identifying hazards (like dust, mold, contaminated lands, oil spills, wildfire smoke), enhancing coordination, developing culturally appropriate solutions, and leveraging resources. It requires an annual report to Congress.

This section amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to establish two pilot programs for Tribal administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Alaska Tribal Pilot Program will award grants to at least one covered Indian entity (regional corporations, Metlakatla) to administer SNAP in their service areas. The Lower-48 Tribal Pilot Program will award grants to at least five Indian Tribes, expanding by up to five additional Tribes annually, to administer SNAP. Participating Tribes will comply with comparable state requirements, prohibit duplicative assistance, and receive 100% federal reimbursement for administrative costs, with states being held harmless from penalties related to these Tribal service populations.

This section includes several key changes to child nutrition. It mandates a study on nutrition programs and health outcomes for Native children. It amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to make children who are enrolled members of an Indian Tribe (or have one or more parents who are) categorically eligible for free school meals. It also establishes a Tribally Operated Meal Pilot Program to award grants to 10 eligible entities (Tribes, Tribal organizations, schools) to operate federal child nutrition programs (school lunch, summer food, child and adult care food, school breakfast) in covered institutions, with specific reimbursement rates and administrative funds.

This section amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 to establish the 'Tribal Homeless Housing Assistance Grant Program' within HUD, in coordination with HHS (through IHS). The program provides rental assistance and supportive housing services to homeless or at-risk American Indians and Alaska Natives. It prioritizes homeless youth, families with children, and survivors of domestic violence, and requires two years of mandatory case management. Eligible recipients (Tribes, TDHEs) have flexibility in designing culturally appropriate supportive services. Up to 5% of McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Title IV funds may be used for this program.

This section establishes the 'Tribal Continuum of Care Participation Grant Program' within HUD to provide competitive grants to eligible entities (Indian Tribes and tribally designated housing entities) for participating in the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's Continuum of Care (CoC) program. The purpose is to ensure dedicated funding for Tribes addressing homelessness. $25,000,000 is authorized annually from CoC competitive grant funds, conditional on total CoC appropriations exceeding FY2026 levels. It also provides a consolidated plan exemption for CoCs whose geographic area includes only reservation or trust land and allows the Secretary to waive certain requirements to facilitate Tribal participation.

This section significantly expands the Indian Employment, Training and Related Services Act of 1992 (the '477 Initiative'). It broadens the purpose to support self-sufficiency and better deliver on trust obligations, and expands eligible programs to include those from 12 federal agencies (Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Energy, HHS, Homeland Security, HUD, Interior, Justice, Labor, Transportation, Veterans Affairs) covering a wide range of purposes beyond just employment and training, including economic security and well-being. Crucially, it allows Tribes to consolidate and reallocate funding associated with integrated programs across services or activities within an approved plan without requiring a waiver.

This section amends the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 by increasing the set-aside of funds for Indian Tribes from 2 percent to 5 percent. This change aims to provide significantly more dedicated funding for Tribal child care programs.

This section establishes a Native American Advisory Committee on Early Childhood within the Office of Early Childhood Development, led by the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families. Composed of 15 members representing Indian Health Service areas, national Indian child care and Head Start associations, and urban Indian organizations, the committee will advise on issues affecting Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children's early childhood development. It will propose solutions, provide guidance on Tribal consultation, identify interdepartmental barriers, and advise on integrating traditional practices. It authorizes $200,000 annually for FY2027-2032.

This section establishes a pilot program to provide grants to eligible entities (Tribes, Tribal organizations, Native Hawaiian organizations, Indian Head Start programs, or postsecondary institutions partnered with them) to carry out teacher apprenticeship programs. The goal is to address the shortage of education professionals serving Native American early childhood programs and K-12 students, especially in remote or rural communities. Funds can be used for planning, establishing, expanding, or evaluating programs, and for wraparound services like tuition, textbooks, childcare, and stipends. Priority is given to entities serving rural or remote communities with demonstrated teacher shortages. It authorizes $5,000,000 annually for FY2027-2032.

This section amends the Native American Language Resource Center Act of 2022. It requires the national Native American language resource center to produce reports on the status of Native language teaching and learning and on 'NALA schools' (Native American languages schools), which are defined as early childhood, elementary, or secondary schools where a Native American language is the primary medium of instruction for over 50% of the time. It then authorizes a new grant program for certified NALA schools, with grant amounts based on student count, percentage of language immersion, and per-pupil expenditure, with a prohibition on duplicative funding from other specific programs. It authorizes $10,000,000 annually for the NALA school grants and additional funds for reporting.

This section significantly amends the Head Start Act to increase access for Native children. It defines 'Indian Head Start agency' and 'Native Hawaiian Head Start' and provides a new base grant for Native Hawaiian Head Start programs. It increases the set-aside for Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian Head Start programs in the allotment of funds. It allows Indian Tribes operating Head Start programs to prioritize children from families with Tribal members and allows Native Hawaiian Head Start agencies to determine eligibility without regard to family income. It also provides specific flexibilities for Native Hawaiian Head Start programs analogous to those for Indian Head Start programs.

This section establishes an 'Alaska Tribal School Program' within the Department of the Interior to provide grants to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations that operate public or public charter schools in Alaska certified as 'Alaska Tribal schools.' These schools must operate specifically to serve Alaska Native students and have Tribal support. Grant amounts will be determined by a per-student formula negotiated with existing Alaska Tribal schools, considering factors like hours served, grades, isolation, cost of living, and Native language program costs. Funds can be used for education-related activities, school operations, academics, extracurriculars, residential offerings, and support services, but not for real property acquisition or construction. It authorizes $5,000,000 for each fiscal year.