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Veronica Gaston wins National Poetry Contest
"A Pondering Poet"
I am writing this at a time
When everything I write
Should only be told in rhyme.
In visions that come at night
I keep an open mind,
Images of life and light.
And therefore I have hope:
For it's truth you must find
In riddles, twisted like a rope.
Shall I rid the riddle for you?
There is no need to hurry,
the moon and stars grow dark.
If I were to think you'd worry,
That would break my heart.
For it's communication
that keeps us all apart,
In such a way that can be received?
In the poems that were not believed
Upon the mysteries which bind the past.
Veronica Eileen Gaston
Tribal member Veronica Gaston won an
award from the National Library of Poetry
Organization in Washington, D.C. for her
poem (at left). Her winning poem will be
printed in the next edition of the National
Library of Poetry collection. Veronica is
the daughter of Donna Casey and Owen
Pichette, and granddaughter of Blanche
Lillard.
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Job Opportunities and
Basic Skills (JOBS)
The JOBS program is one that assists people that are on
cash grant from Adult and Family Services with employ
ment and training needs. The goal of the JOBS program is
self-sufficiency. A tribal member that is in this program
may choose to work with the state or the Tribe. Grand
Ronde has the only Native American JOBS program in the
state of Oregon. Support services can be given to clients
that are in job search, JOBS activities, or training accord
ing to each clients Employment Development Plan. The
JOBS program goal is for you to become employed and to
eliminate all barriers from obtaining that employment.
The support services that can be provided are:
0 Day care (provided through Grand Ronde Education
Department while in JOBS program)
0 Work clothing (when starting a new job)
0 Bus passes
0 Mileage
0 Car repair (limited)
0 Fees and licenses
0 Car insurance (start-up fees)
0 Rent and deposits (relocation to obtain employment)
0 Utilities assistance
We serve the Six County Service Area with an office in
Grand Ronde, and outreach offices in Salem and Portland.
The JOBS program works in close contact with Adult and
Family Services.
The JOBS program assesses your skills as well as barri
ers to employment. After the assessment has been done, a
plan will be developed to help overcome any identified bar
riers and to obtain the skills necessary for employment.
There are many paths to self-sufficiency that you and the
EmploymentTraining Counselor can explore.
To schedule an appointment call Sheila Elliott at 1 -800-775-0095
ext. 3, or 879-2034.
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CHS has a few new changes that you should know
about. We suggest you keep this for your refer
ence. By now you have received your ODS health
plan application in the mail. We would like to en
courage all tribal members in the Six County Ser
vice Area who don't have another insurance (other
than Contract Health) to apply for the ODS plan.
This will not affect your Contract Health coverage in
any way as long as you still follow all the Contract
Health guidelines as follows:
Ilf you live in a 25 mile radius of an IHS Clinic you
must choose them as your primary care provider.
2 You must call in all appointments as soon as you
know about them for pre-authorization. This will
be a little different now. When you call in, we will be
typing the actual vendor claim authorization while you
are on the phone, so it will be your responsibility to
have the exact provider information when you call or
we will ask you to call back from your provider's of
fice the day of your appointment for authorization. At
the time of the call we will give you the authorization
number. That number will only be good for that exact
date of service to only that provider. If you miss your
appointment, reschedule it, or go to a different pro
vider then it is your responsibility to call us to get a
new number. We will not use the same authoriza
tion number for another date of service or to an
other provider. If you do not call, the bill could be
denied for no notification and you would be respon
sible to pay for it. This process will help us with accu
racy and speed up the payment process.
3 It will also be your responsibility to let your pro
vider know that you have another insurance be
sides Contract Health, so they can bill them first and
bill CHS second. You need to make sure that your
provider accepts your insurance and is your primary
care provider, or you will need a referral from your
primary care provider.
4 The same time line is still in effect that all appoint
ments must be called in as soon as you know about
them, preferably in advance. All emergency room vis
its and hospital admits must be called in within 72 hours
of the date of service.
5 If you are admitted into the hospital and have no
other insurance other than CHS then you will be
required to apply for the Oregon Health Plan as an
alternate resource. We will not be able to pay any of
your bills for that hospital stay until we either receive
a denial or acceptance from Oregon Health Plan. If
you fail to comply with this rule in a timely manner
your bills for this hospital stay and supporting bills
will be denied.
6 All dental visits will be treated the same as medi
cal visits with this exception: we will only autho
rize one exam and cleaning every six months. We
will require a pretreatment plan from your dentist for
all other dental work needed and we will return it to
them with the services that will be covered. You will
still need to call in each date of service for an authori
zation number.
7 At this time Dr. Gerritz is an ODS Primary Care
Provider, even though he is not listed in your book
of providers. Also, Chemawa Indian Health Clinic
providers are ODS providers, so you can choose them
as your primary care provider.
If you have questions, call Julie Little, Penny DcLoc,
or Teri Holsclaw at 1-800-775-0095 or 879-2009.
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