TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Ask ESP
by Bob Jensen
We are initiating a new column in
Siletz News. Our objective is to give
tribal members information on the
Employment Services Program (ESP).
Over the past year, we have prepared
pamphlets, changed some administrative
processes, and attempted to provide
information about what ESP does and
why. Questions come up, however, that
need answers that may not have been
provided through the information we
have given you. As a result, we invite
you to send questions to Siletz News that
you would like answered. We will do
our best to answer them.
We will follow a couple of rules.
First, we will not discuss any situation
where an Employment Services
Program client might be identified. The
information that ESP clients give us is
confidential. Second, our objective is
to let you know what services we
provide and the manner in which we
provide them. We have many programs
to help tribal members, but most of
them are connected to the amount of
Jeremy Whitehead (I),
Harold McCord, and
Kevin Goodell prepare
to fight a fire near
Columbia Falls, Mont.
They helped fight the
fire for two weeks in
early September. The
cloud behind them is
the fire, which is 35
miles away in Glacier
National Park.
TCCD Project Reaches End
by Diane Henkels
Greetings! This is the last article
from the Siletz Tribal Court and Code
Development Project, which ended
Sept. 30, 2001. Tribal Court or the
administration has all the project
records should you have any questions
or concerns.
First, the remaining summary from
the last community meetings. Regarding
the Tax Ordinance work: Discussion was
brief. Some people expressed disapproval
of tribes taxing tribal members. Some said
that once people own their own homes
from tribal housing, they should have to
pay taxes for the services they receive for
the home. One idea offered was an
alternative income tax where a tribal
member could pay tribal taxes instead of
state or municipal taxes. Tax breaks have
been available in some places for putting
up housing, such as tribal housing.
Siletz Tribal
Court and
Code
Development
money a family receives. If we can
provide information to you so that you
understand ESP, then our goal will be met.
What is the
Employment
Services Program?
The Employment Services Program
consists of the following consolidated
programs: General Assistance (GA),
Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families (TANF), and the Workforce
Investment Act (WIA).
ESP has staff in each area office.
The social workers are called tribal
services specialists. We also have intake
workers, called tribal services assistants,
who take the applications for ESP
programs. Finally, we have a job
training and employment counselor
whose job is to find prospective
employers who are willing to work with
ESP in providing training or work for
our clients.
ESP services are divided into two
areas. The first is our cash assistance
programs of General Assistance (GA)
and Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families (TANF). The other area is our
work component called the Work Force
Investment Act (WIA). This covers all
work placement services we provide,
including the Work Experience Program
(WEX), On-the-Job Training (OJT),
Classroom Training (CRT), Direct
Placement (DP), and related services,
such as Support Services, Diverted
Services, and Emergency Assistance.
Tribal Census ]
Update
■
As many of you may recall, ati
the end of last year the Planning!
Department initiated a tribal «
census to gather baseline information ■
to help develop the upcoming«
Comprehensive Plan and for program ■
planning purposes. The survey form ■
was mailed to tribal member,
households, but only 464 households ■
returned the information.
।
The tribe currently is without a ।
tribal planner, so efforts to finish the !
survey have been put on hold until a !
new planner is hired. Interviews are !
pending. Once a planner is hired, the !
Planning Department will initiate!
activity to complete the survey form !
with the remaining households.
The survey form asks many!
questions about household income, !
housing needs, health needs,!
employment status and needs, child !
care needs, and more. While the J
questions are personal, your"
information is kept strictly"
confidential. It is safeguarded and the J
only people with access to it are®
appropriate Planning staff.
■
The information we have"
gathered to date is good information, ■
but is incomplete because of the*
small number of returns. In order to -
have adequate information, we must1
complete this survey. Tribal members ■
can request personal assistance in ■
filling out the survey form.
•
Please watch for additional®
information in upcoming newsletters. ■
Tribal Court News
from the Office of Tribal Court
I would like to thank all those
community members who contributed
their ideas to project work. That input
has been essential in shaping potential
laws into potential laws that fit the
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
It has been an honor (and fun!) to work
for the Siletz Tribe’s self-governance.
I also thank all those who worked
on this project, both project and other
staff. This work could not have been
done without you!
September
•
•
Judge Gantenbein and the court administrator attended domestic violence
training in Portland on Sept. 11.
Third quarter judges’ meeting held at Chinook Winds on Sept. 22.
October
•
Tribal Court notified by DOJ that our grant application has been selected
for funding. This was for Continuing Tribal Court Enhancement and would
provide funding to help design forms for self-help guides for people
representing themselves (pro se) in Tribal Court, create a spokesperson
pool, and purchase a Tribal Court computer software program.
November 2001
□
Siletz News
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