Transparency
CHICO, Calif. – Al Dickens, the Tribal Engagement Specialist at the Far Northern Regional Center (FNRC), has dedicated his career to advocating for Native American individuals with disabilities. Dickens seeks to address the disparities in services available to Indigenous communities through outreach, advocacy, and cultural understanding.
“My main thing is to basically be an advocate,” Dickens said. “I also get the word out to families and tribal organizations that we exist and what we do.”
Dickens’ role is crucial in ensuring that Native American individuals are aware of and have access to services they are entitled to but often do not receive due to systemic barriers. He noted that many Native families do not seek services because they either do not know they qualify or fear government involvement.
“There is a definite deficit, not only in the amount of people that we serve per population, but also in the amount of money we spend,” he said. “It seems like we spend a lot more money on our Caucasian consumers than we do on our consumers of color.”
One of the largest challenges, according to Dickens, is the rural nature of many tribal communities. “When they set aside the rancherias and the reservations, they didn’t say, ‘Oh, let’s put them in a perfect pasture area,’” he explained. “They picked the most rural, desert, mountainous areas they could find to tuck them away and hopefully forget about them.”
This isolation leads to extreme poverty, lack of transportation, and limited access to services. “People don’t understand the degree of poverty that I’ve seen personally,” Dickens said. “People filling up a bucket of water to flush the toilet because they don’t have running water in the house—that’s the level of poor we’re talking about.”
Despite these challenges, Dickens continues to build bridges between FNRC and tribal communities. One initiative he highlights is Acorns to Oak Trees, a program that integrates cultural traditions with therapeutic services. “They’re a fantastic program to work with, especially for our younger ones,” he said. “They provide therapies like nature walks and socialization opportunities while teaching them about their culture.”
Dickens also stressed the importance of culturally appropriate services, such as drum therapy for autistic children and dance therapy rooted in Native traditions. “Dance is important to all of the Native American tribes up here,” he said. “It’s how we express ourselves, it’s how we pray.”
Building trust remains a key priority. “A lot of the tribes are hesitant when it comes to any kind of government entity,” Dickens acknowledged. “We have to gain their trust so they will use the services available to them.”
As Dickens looks ahead, he hopes to see more dedicated tribal liaisons and increased training for service coordinators on cultural sensitivities. “The training and the availability of services need to improve,” he said. “A lot of new staff don’t quite understand why Native families are hesitant to reach out.”
Ultimately, Dickens wants FNRC to be a first stop for Native American families seeking assistance. “I want them to think of us as the first step,” he said. “Not just for persons with developmental disabilities, but for questions regarding any kind of disability.”
With ongoing outreach, advocacy, and culturally informed service delivery, Dickens continues to be a steadfast advocate for Indigenous communities in Northern California.