Spilyay Tyrnoo, W arm Springs, Oregon
Page 10
M ay 21, 2 0 0 9
Social Security brings new service to reservation
Springs?
Answer: Social Security is in
troducing a free, video-on-de
m and service option that allows
Warm Springs residents to inter
act face to face with an agency
representative.
C o n v ersatio n s tak e place
through a secure line, but are not
recorded. In addition to Internet
and toll-free telephone service,
this new technology offers an
other way that people can con
duct business with Social Secu
rity.
By Dave McMechan
Spilyay Tymoo
Tribal m em bers no longer
have to travel to Bend in order
to speak face-to-face with a rep
resentative o f the Social Secu
rity Administration.
T he administration last week
presented its new video service
center, located in conference
room 2 in the BIA area o f the
tribal adm inistration building.
T h e serv ice is available o n
Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
T he video service center is
one o f only two in the Seattle
region o f the Social Security
Administration (SSA), the other
one being in Kenai, Alaska.
T h e SSA v ideo c e n te r in
W arm Springs is the first one to
be located on an Indian reser
vation. T here are only 36 total
in the U.S.
T he video service center will
be very helpful for tribal m em
bers w ho receive SSA services.
T he problem the center ad
dresses is that o f having to travel
to Bend each time a tribal m em
bers wishes to speak face-to-
face with an SSA representative.
Now, a person can sit in front
o f the video service m onitor,
and see and speak with the SSA
person in Bend. T he SSA per
son can also see the person in
W arm Springs.
This allows for face-to-face
conversations regarding any So
cial Security question or issue
that a tribal m em ber may have.
T he system is very easy to
use, and requires no com puter
skills, said Carol Maartense, ad
ministration district manager.
“Anyone can do it,” she said.
“You simply sit down and talk.
T his will save long trips and
som etim es long w aits in o u r
Bend office.”
Theresa Quade, manager o f
the Bend Social Security office,
said, “T he use o f the video ser
vice equipm ent provides an
other option the public can use
to access Social Security person
nel w ho can assist them in filing
Question: W ho can use this
new system?
Answer: Anyone can easily
use this video system. Simply sit
down in front o f the m onitor
and talk directly with the repre
sentative. N o com puter knowl
edge is required, and there are
no buttons to push.
A room is set aside for you
to have a private, confidential
interview. A contact person will
m eet you and direct you to this
area.
O nce that person turns on
the screen, you may conduct
your interview w ithout needing
to do anything else. I f you wish,
family m em bers or social work
ers may also accompany you to
the interview.
Dave McMechan/Spilyay
Councilwoman Bernice Mitchell uses the new video system in the tribal administration
building to talk with a Social Security representative in Bend.
a claim, reporting changes or an
swering questions.”
T he system was p resented
last Thursday, May 7. O n hand
were Tribal Council and m an
agement; and SSA representa
tives from Bend, Eugene and
Seatde. T he following are are
som e q uestions and answ ers
that help explain the new SSA
video center:
Q u estio n : W hat is Social
S e c u rity ’s
n ew
v id e o
conferencing system in W arm
Question: W hat are the ben
efits o f using this technology?
Answer: The greatest benefit
is savings. By visiting the video
conferencing location in W arm
Springs, you will n o t only save
money on travel expenses to the
nearest field office, b u t you’ll
also save time traveling and wait
ing in line. It’s that convenience
that makes this exciting new ser
vice option so appealing. In just
a few minutes, you can be speak
ing direcdy w ith a representa
tive, as, i f you were right .across
the desk.
Q u estion : W hat kinds o f
business can be conducted us
ing this system?
Answer: Many key services
are offered. You can file for re
tirement, spouse’s or even dis
ability benefits; apply for extra
help with Medicare prescription
drug costs; request p ro o f o f
incom e letter or Social Security
statement; and change your ad
dress o r phone number.
Although requests for new or
rep la c e m e n t Social S ecurity
num ber cards can be made, cer
tain proofs m ust be sent to the
Social Security office for verifi
cation.
A list o f acceptable identity
and o th er docum ents can be
found on the w ebsite: www.
Socialsecurity.gov.
I f you are considering dis
ability benefits, you may prefer
to apply online by completing
the “A dult Disability and Work
History” report. You can do this
at: w w w .so cialsecu rity .g o v /
disabilityreport.
Q u e stio n : C an a p e rs o n
make an appointm ent to file for
benefits at the W arm Springs
site?
Answer: Yes! Call us toll free
at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule.
A confirm ation letter will be
mailed indicating the time and
location o f the appointment. It
will describe w hat to do w hen
you arrive. This notice may also
ask that you bring certain docu
m ents with you that are needed
to process your benefit appEca-
tion.
Q uestion: W hat happens if
the documents are needed?
Answer: D ocum ents can be
held up to the camera so that
the Social Security representa
tive may view them. However,
they may also need to be sent to
the office for verification.
Q uestion: W hen and where
is this new service option avail
able? ....
Answer: Service is available
on Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m.
at the Bureau o f Indian A ffairs/
W arm Springs Agency, located
at 1233 Veterans Street. T he ser
vice is also available on Ene at
www,socialsecurity.gov; or by
calling 1-800-772-1213.
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