After the passage of the Rehabilitation Act Amendment in 1992, considerable actions were taken to enhance cultural competence in rehabilitation service delivery, increase outreach and services to persons with disabilities from diverse populations, and develop recruitment strategies of persons from diverse backgrounds to work in areas of rehabilitation. The Amendments required the Rehabilitation Service Administration (RSA), office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services with the U.S. Department of Education, to develop a national strategic plan, known as the Rehabilitation Cultural Diversity Initiative (RCDI) that would implement priority training on issues of cultural diversity to all  programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act.

Between 1992 and 1993, several RCDI meetings were coordinated by the Region VIII  Rehabilitation Continuing Education Program (RCEP) to address the current service delivery system within Section 121 (130 at the time) funded American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects (AIVRS). Issues and concerns were expressed regarding initiating and improving tribally appropriate vocational rehabilitation service provision on reservations nationwide, since State VR services and administrative plans often conflicted with tribal norms, eventually leading to high rates of unsuccessful closures among Native American clients. As a result, on January 22, 1993, the Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) was established to function as a national platform for advocating the need for effective rehabilitation service delivery for American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities. The CANAR serves as the official voice of Native American rehabilitation programs, which provide VR services to American Indians and Alaska Natives with disabilities who reside on or near Federal or State reservations, Alaska Native villages, rancheros, and pueblos. CANAR addresses the strengths, resources, interests, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and informed choice (the GREAT 8) of American Indian and Alaska Native consumers so they may prepare for, engage in, or retain gainful employment, including self-employment, telecommuting, and business ownership.

After the CANAR met its first five-year initiative (1993-1998), their administrative offices relocated from Region VIII RCEP at the University of Northern Colorado to the American Indian Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (AIRRTC) located at the Institute for Human Development, an Arizona University Affiliated Program at Northern Arizona University. The CANAR continues to form collaborative working relationships with Northern Arizona University through involvement with the American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center – AIVRTTAC), the Northwest Indian College TVR Institute, state rehabilitation agencies, tribal health and social service programs, Capacity Building Projects, and federal services agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor. Partnering with these organizations allows the CANAR to promote the needs of AIVRS projects and make sure their voice is heard so that American Indian and Alaska Native consumers are served in a culturally appropriate and beneficial manner.