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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2020)
Coronavirus Information and Resources From the Tribe: Offices remain closed; staff still providing services to members Due to the rising number of cases in Lincoln County and across the state, the Siletz Tribe remains in Phase I. Offices remain closed to the public and staff continues to provide services remotely. Four programs have been initiated to assist Tribal members impacted by COVID-19: Rental relief program, mort- gage relief program, low-income energy assistance program and a new food assis- tance program. These services are avail- able to all Tribal members regardless of geographical location. Tribal members with general needs should contact the Help Line by calling 541-444-9613. Staff will assist Tribal members with accessing programs and services to help meet their needs. The Tribal Council authorized an eco- nomic impact payment for all adults age 18 and older by mid-May and you should have received your check. If you did not, we may not have your current address. Please contact the Enrollment Department at 541 444-8258 to update your address. Per capita payments are scheduled to go out by Aug. 1, so you want to ensure your address is current. The Siletz Tribe donated 10,000 KN-95 masks to Lincoln County and made available an additional 5,000 masks to the Siletz Valley Fire Department to distribute to Siletz-area residents. Addi- tionally, Eli Grove, emergency coordinator, sent masks and hand sanitizer to the area offices to be distributed to Tribal members in those local areas. Staff members have been trained to become investigators and contact tracers, and we have transferred four staff to assist the Lincoln County Health Department with the large outbreak in Newport. Cases that have identified as Tribal members are being transferred to our health staff to conduct the investigations and ongoing contact tracing. Staff also has been identified to pro- vide assistance to those who are under quarantine to make sure they have the resources they need, such as picking up and delivering groceries and medicine. Calls to elders continue bimonthly unless elders identify a need for more frequent contact. Many of our elders are receiving home-delivered meals to assist them in staying home and protected. The elders and Programs I staff have initiated Zoom meetings for elders where they can get together and socialize or work on crafts virtually. Things may not be back to normal, but staff has been working extremely hard to continue to meet the needs of our member- ship during these difficult times. I’m proud of each and every one of them who con- tribute in so many ways each and every day. COVID-19 Food Assistance Program I. Purpose To provide Siletz Tribal households experiencing negative impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic with food assistance. Funding for the COVID-19 Food Assistance Program is based on a first-come, first-served basis. Services are available throughout the United States. This program opened June 1, 2020, and will remain open until funding is exhausted. II. Eligibility 1. Tribal households negatively impacted due to COVID-19. To be considered a Tribal household, the head of house- hold, spouse or minor child(ren) must be an enrolled Siletz Tribal member. 2. Impact must be due to circumstances directly related to COVID-19 (i.e., loss of income due to layoff, inability to work due to government shutdown, loss of income due to quarantine, household composition changes, etc.) Households with income below the federal poverty level who reside within the CTSI service area may be eligible to receive assistance from the IHBG CARES Fund. Households that exceed the income limits or reside outside the CTSI service area may receive assistance from the CTSI CARES Fund. CTSI administrators will determine what funding to utilize based on the appli- cation and supporting documentation. Households currently receiving food assistance through other means (SNAP benefits, USDA commodities) may be eligible depending on the household situation. III. Uses COVID-19 food assistance is meant to address unmet needs. Eligible house- holds may be eligible for food assistance totaling $75 per household and then $50 for each additional person up to a maxi- mum of $225 per household. Households found eligible with HUD funding will be How to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 limited to the $75 and the remainder will be covered by the CTSI CARES Fund. IV. Procedure 1. The applicant must complete the COVID-19 Food Assistance Appli- cation as follows: Names of all household members, proof of Tribal enrollment, date of birth, address, income amounts and income sources for all household members. Applicant must document how COVID-19 has impacted their household and need for food assistance. Applicant must sign the release of information. 2. Applications will be processed by the 477 Self-Sufficiency Program (477 SSP) in coordination with the Siletz Tribal Housing Department. Once eli- gibility is determined, the application may be forwarded to CTSI area offices to meet client need. The area offices may meet the client need by utiliz- ing stores that accept CTSI purchase orders, other local stores or farms. 3. A receipt letter will be provided to the applicant two business days from the date the application is received by CTSI. The applicant will be given 10 days from the receipt letter date to respond and correct any deficiencies. Other efforts to communicate with the applicant, to assist with completion of the application as soon as possible, will occur as needed. 4. The applicant will complete the Requested Food Items Form attached to the application. Once approved for services, 477 SSP will coordinate with the applicant a date and time to pick-up their groceries from a local store. 477 SSP will purchase the items online for pickup or delivery by the client. Applications are available on the Tribal website (ctsi.nsn.us, Coronavirus Updates & Resources) or interested per- sons can contact 477 SSP staff in any CTSI area office to receive an application via email or regular mail. Other important steps • Stay close to home. Avoid overnight trips. Minimize non-essential travel, including recreational day trips to places outside the community where you live. Travel the shortest distance that you need to for essential services. Plan to run essential errands during hours when fewer people will be there. • If you are sick, stay home, call your health care provider and follow their guidance. How it spreads • The virus spreads from person to person mainly through respiratory droplets an infected person makes when they cough, sneeze or talk. • Clean and disinfect surfaces that you often touch. Do so daily. These surfaces include: Tables Doorknobs Light switches Desks Keyboards Phones » Droplets can land in mouths or noses of people who are nearby – within about six feet. • If you are at risk for severe complications (older than age 65 or have medical conditions) you should stay home, even if you feel well. Fever Chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea • It does not spread easily between animals and people. Everyone should take these prevention steps • Wash hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water. If you cannot use soap and warm water, use hand sanitizer (60-95% alcohol content). Sinks Faucets Toilets Countertops Handles • Cover coughs and sneezes with elbow or tissue. If you use a tissue, throw the tissue away and wash your hands right away. • Do not touch your face. • Stay at least six feet away from people who you do not live with. • Wear a cloth, paper or disposable face covering when you go out. A face covering may help stop the spread of the virus as more people are out and about. application, call 541-484-4234 or email Jenifer Jackson at jeniferj@ctsi.nsn.us or Cathy Ray at catheriner@ctsi.nsn.us. • If you are in public and start to have symptoms below contact your health care provider. Otherwise, go home and self-isolate. » COVID-19 may spread from people who do not show symptoms. • The virus may also spread by touching surfaces or objects that have the virus on them. CTSI is initiating a water/ sewer relief program. For an You can get this document in other languages, large print, braille or a format you prefer. Contact the Public Health Division at 971-673-0977. We accept all relay calls or you can dial 711. Continued on page 2 Be safe. Stay home if you can. Wear a mask if you can’t. Social distance out in public. Exercise a little patience. Remember – we’re in this together. PUBLIC HEALTH DIVISION Page 2 of 2 OHA 2681 (6/2/2020 July 2020 • Siletz News • 9
