American Indians and Alaska Natives living with disabilities in urban areas (“urban Indian”) face tremendous challenges to participate in their communities given their circumstances stemming from compounded biopsychosocial factors. Urban Indians living with disabilities remain largely unheard and marginalized. There are currently few resources and programs that allow for full participation and/or integration.1 Available data on this population is scarce, as current federal restrictions prevent the Census Bureau from delineating detailed information on disabilities in Indian Country. Cultural barriers can also restrict access to federal and state programs for which they are eligible, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

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