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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 1988)
ME8 SOCIAL SERVICES TRIBAL HOUSING PROGRAM SERVICES AGING COUNCL (Continued from page 7). Specifically, NICOA advocates for improved health care services, including the development of specialized geriatric health services; better mental health services, mental health education, and adult protective services; suitable and comprehensive in house services, including home health, chore and maintenance services; and increased transportation services. OTHER ISSUES NICOA is also seeking to increase the presence of tribal leaders, Indian elders and their advocates on task forces, advisory committees, councils and commissions which make decisions affecting Indian elders and their fami lies. It also proposes that knowledgeable Indians be placed in decision-making and policy-making positions within programs serving Indian populations. Within Indian communities, NICOA pledges to promote meaningful roles, quality services and an environment of compassion for Indian elders. It will explore ways, to form and foster groups including AARP chapters -that promote the well-being of American Indian elders and advocate on their behalf. RECOMMENDATIONS TO LEADERS Among the many actions steps outlined in the position papers, NICOA particularly urges federal, state and private leaders, as appropriate, to: "reaffirm and reinforce existing treaties and obligations; "raise awareness of the Indian elder population as being "at risk"; "work for passage of the Indian Health Care Improve ment Act; "create an "Indian desk" within all federal agencies administering programs which impact on the Indian population; and, "recognize and allow for in-home care services con tracted to the tribes and provided by trained tribal personnel, which would be certified and eligible for Medicare reimbursements, just like any other home health care agency in a given state. Since NICOA's Board of Directors approved the position statements at their meeting last December, they have been sent to various members of Congress and state legislatures, and to national aging organizations. They will be formally presented to NICOA's member ship at its national conference in October. "Reprinted from "Highlights", newspaper of the American Association of Retired Persons, July 1988. I would like to take some time to explain to all of you ' how the housing program works. The housing improvement program, commonly call HIP was created to help Indian families by providing a way for them to have safe and decent housing. There are four categories of assistance available under the HIP. Category "A" is for repairs to a home that cannot be made standard. (Standard means structurally sound with adequate facilities and meeting applicable codes of the area in which it is located.) A maximum of $2500 is available to the home for such things as roofing, win dows, doors, etc. Once the repairs are made there is no further assistance available to these homes. They are to be burned or demolished as more suitable standard housing is made available to the occupants. Category "B" is for repair to bring a home to standard condition. This category is to repair homes that are good solid older homes that need repair to make them comply with local codes and ensure they will last another 25-30 years. The work performed under this category is foundations, roofing, plumbing, electrical, and insula tion. The maximum expenditure under this category is $20,000. The house must be in standard condition when the repairs are completed and cannot be served again. Category "C" is a program to provide down-payment assistance to those who want to purchase a home. To qualify for this grant you must be a first time home buyer and cannot own other property. The home your purchase must be a standard home, mobile homes do not qualify for this category. The amount of this grant is $5,000 or 10 percent of the purchase price plus closing costs, whichever is less. The person receiving the grant must be able to arrange financing through a lending institution in order to finance the balance left after the grant is applied. Category "D" is a category to provide new homes to those in need of such and who cannot obtain a home in any other manner. The maximum amount of this grant is $45,000 and can be used to construct a new home. There are no grants available under this category at the current time. The first step in obtaining help from the HIP is to fill out an application and get it on file in the housing office. When you return your application be sure to include all the necessary information or it will not be processed. Applications are rated and ranked by a number of criteria that generate points in a scoring process in which the highest scores are placed on a priority list for service as soon as funds are available. The HIP operates under a set of fairly complex regula . tions so it is seldom that service is available in less than 6 12 months. , . . . , If you are thinking of applying to HIP for assistance, do it now because the longer you take, the longer you wait. Current funding for HIP is very low so not many people are being helped but we have hope that things will improve in the near future and we will be able to help many of you get the housing you need. Sincerely, Dave Bailey ) Y 1 S mmm mm "ii ' . - jf V I y " II .v . H " I J . I v " -3- ft ' -J 1 - " f h'l . , y- SiJelz and Grand Ronde elders visit during recent Junciieon together.
