The State of California is home to 111 American Indian tribes, 108 of which are Federally recognized sovereign nations. ADP is committed to ensuring that all Californians have access to effective services provided in a manner compatible with their cultural health beliefs and practices. ADP has dedicated this website to sharing information which may be of assistance to Native American patients seeking culturally competent alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems, and Problem Gambling services, service providers looking for information that will help them to provide culturally appropriate services to their Native American patients, and anyone interested in learning more about culturally appropriate AOD and problem gambling resources available within California.
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American Indian Cultures *:
The variation in cultural identity for American Indian people can be viewed as a continuum ranging from one who views him or herself as "traditional" and lives daily by their traditional culture, to one who views him or herself as "Indian" or "Native", but has little knowledge or interest in traditional cultural practices.
Many American Indian families are multicultural and adapt to their surrounding culture. Over half of all American Indians and Alaska Natives living in California reside in urban settings.
When asked “Where are you from?”, most American Indian people will identify the name of their tribe/village and/or the location of their traditional or family homeland. This is often a key to self-identity. Learn more
California Indian Tribes*:
Presently, there are approximately 150 American Indian tribes in California; the federal government recognizes 108 tribes. There is a unique legal and political relationship between the federal government and the Indian tribes. The U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 8, and Article 6), treaties, Supreme Court decisions, federal laws, and executive orders provide authority to the federal government for Indian affairs with federally recognized tribes.
As sovereign nations, Tribal Governments have the right to hold elections, determine their own citizenship (enrollment), and consult directly with the U.S. government on policy, regulations, legislation, and funding. Learn more
Californian Indian Historic Perspective *:
Prior to European contact, American Indian communities existed throughout North America. Federal policies led to voluntary and forced relocation from familiar territory to the current reservation system.
When the reservation system was established in the late 1800s, some bands and tribes were forced by the U.S. government to live together. In some instances, these groups were related linguistically and culturally. In other cases, they were not closely related and may even have been historic enemies. Learn more
Resources:
* Information presented on Indian Cultures: Diversity, Tribal Sovereignty and Historic Perspective, are attributable to "CultureCard" A Guide to Build Cultural Awareness, American Indian and Alaska Native produced by SAMHSA. This pubication can be downloaded or ordered at www.SAMHSA.gov/shin.
