Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde; Grand Ronde, OR
About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 1998)
THE REVIEW The Six County Service Saga: the challenge of meeting members' needs 6 1998 Direct Service Budget Funds Tribal funded programs restricted to 6 or 10 counties (6.62) (66.63) Tribal funded programs available to all members - L FederalState funded program restricted to 6 or 8 counties (26.75) Available to All Members Emergency Assistance (Tribal) Health Security Program Elders Health Security Pension Program Disability Program Member Benefit Education & Training Services (Tribal) Housing Down Paymt.' Assistance Tribal Funds Restricted to six county area Health Deferred Services Elder Outreach Mental Health By Oscar Johnson The Six County Service Area, cer tain Oregon counties that some of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde's member services and pro grams are restricted to, has been a topic of contention for many tribal members especially those not lucky enough to reside in the area. Since Spirit Mountain Casino opened in 1995, the Grand Ronde Tribe has seen health and social ser vices for all members, regardless of what county they live in, mushroom from nearly zero to more than 66 per cent showing that the Tribe is striv ing towards its strategic plan to en sure "a fair distribution of resources among tribal members in different situations and locations." Yet recent community meetings held outside Grand Ronde show many agree with Portland area mem ber, Jon George, who says those out side the area sometimes feel, "like they're being penalized for where they live. It's sad to see that a tribal member would be denied services." Tribal officials, however, stress that it takes time to make changes and say member awareness of changes that have already taken place is also needed. They note that historically, mem ber services were restricted to the Six County Service Area because it was mandated by the 1983 Grand Ronde Reservation Act, the law which re stored the Tribe to its federally rec ognized status. The Act states that, "in the case of federal services available to members of federally recognized Indian tribes residing on or near a reservation, members of the Tribe residing in the following counties of the state of Or egon shall be deemed to be residing on or near a reservation." The act goes on to list Washington, Marion, Yamhill, Polk, Tillamook and Multnomah counties. "Any funds that come from federal programs like the BIA (Bureau of In dian Affairs) or IHS (Indian Health Services), explains the Tribe's Execu tive Assistant, Chris Leno, "is man dated to stay within the six counties." But some members are still denied tribal services and question why county restrictions still apply now that the Tribe no longer has to rely on fed eral dollars for the bulk of its pro gram funding. Currently, services such as child care, Elder services, mental health, employment and emergency home repair programs are entirely funded by tribal revenues but are still re stricted to certain counties. Most programs that are restricted to specific counties are confined to the Six County Service Area, but a few are extended to cover eight or ten county areas. "I don't really understand stuff like that," says 62-year-old Robert Rife, a Prineville member recently turned down for an Emergency Housing Repair assistance because he lives outside the program's 10 county ser vice area. "All I know is I can't get anything." Despite the shortcomings of re stricting the Emergency Housing Re pair program to 10 counties, the Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Author ity (GRTHA) has actually managed to expand the program's original ser vice area, says GRTHA Director, Linda Lay den. "We feel we made a step by adding four counties (Benton, Clackamas, Lincoln and Linn)," says Lay den who explained that since GRTHA must in spect the homes to be repaired, pro duce cost estimates, work contracts and monitor repairs it is not feasible to take on projects in far away lo cales. Similarly, Acting Executive Of ficer, Greg Archuleta, says the Tribe has also managed to extended the Housing Down Payment Assistance program beyond the Six County Ser vice Area but adds that many services such as the Tribal Before and After School Child Care and the Elder Out reach programs are community based programs. The facilities, personnel and re sources needed to run these pro grams in far away counties are be yond the Tribe's current capacity and many programs also include tribal dol lars because the federal funds are in adequate. Instead of simply extending exist ing services to other areas, he says tribal officials have used an "incre mental approach" whereby member input has lead to implementing new programs that are available to all members such as members' benefits, scholarships, health security and pension. The majority of the Tribe's member services are available to all members, according to budget figures given by Archuleta. He says even tribal mon ies 'preserved in trust funds are set aside so accrued interests will fund programs that benefit all members. Currently, 24 percent of the Tribe's revenue comes from the federal gov-' ernment for programs such as clini cal and medical services, drug and alcohol treatment and pharmacy ser vices which are restricted to certain counties. About 51 percent of 1998 tribal expenditures will go directly to mem ber services such as health, educa tion, housing and pensions which are available to all members regardless of where they live. Of this amount, 15 percent is restricted by county and 36 percent goes to services for all members. The remaining 49 percent is com bined with federal funds to cover non direct costs such as tribal govern ment, natural resource management and community development, Archu leta says. "As we do look at expanding pro grams and services, the Tribal Coun cil will look at making those services available to all members wherever they live," Archuleta says. "I think at the Community Meetings it was expressed how grateful people were for how we were able to make ser vices available to everyone." He also notes that tribal policy mak ers have to balance members' sug gestions for expanded services with suggestions for building infrastruc ture in Grand Ronde. According to voting results taking from recent community meetings held in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend and Grand Ronde, the 100 or so members who voted chose build ing infrastructure in Grand Ronde as Employment Services Senior Services Tribal BeforeAfter School Care Education Youth Services Restricted to ten county area Housing Emergency Assistance Major Rehabilitation Deferred Loans FederalState Funds n. Restricted to six county area Contract Health Care 5 Dental Pharmacy Medical Services , .. RadiologyLab " ' ' . "" Mental Health (IHS) Community Health Care . . General Assistance Social Services Block Grant Vocational Rehabilitation Senior Services Community Services Block Grant Alcohol & Drug Prevention (State) Social Services (BIA) Domestic Violence Family Services Block Grant Education & Training Services (BIA) Johnson O'Malley Childcare Development Childcare Grant IHS Sanitation Improvements Restricted to eight county area Alcohol & Drug Outpatient the seventh important priority. While the Six County Service Area was a popular topic for discussion at most meetings, when the votes were tallied it ranked only as the No. 12 priority. Voting seemed to depend on where members lived with Bend members casting all of the 12 votes against the Six County Service Area restrictions and along with Portland members casting no votes for Grand Ronde infrastructure. But it is hard for Rife to reconcile the complex issues tribal officials have to juggle in order to comply with voter's needs and his own need to fix a leak ing roof before the fall rains set in. "I don't know what to say," shrugged the Elder. "I just need help. "
