eastern shoshone p.l. 102-477 narrative report shoshone. 2016 to 2017 ar..nar_.pdfeastern shoshone...

Eastern Shoshone P.L. 102-477 Narrative Report

October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2017

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EASTERN SHOSHONE P.L. 102-477

NARRATIVE REPORT

MISSION STATEMENT

ALL TRIBAL APPLICANTS, RECIPIENTS OF TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE

FOR NEEDY FAMILIES AND LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, ARE

ENCOURAGE, ASSISTED AND REQUIRED TO FULFILL THEIR

RESPONSIBILY TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN BY PREPARING FOR

ACCEPTING AND RETAINING SUCH EMPLOYMENT AS THEY ARE

CAPABLE OF PERFORMING TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT.



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The Eastern Shoshone Tribe P.L. 102-477 Plan is fully integrated in all stages and consistent

with statutory and regulatory requirements for each program.

Implementation and integration of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe P.L. 102-477 services provides

training to better serve the client or that client’s family needs with vocational training, on-the-job

training components, including work experience activities, youth activities, work supportive

service to enter, re-enter or retain unsubsidized employment, child care for families in need of

daycare for their children, financial assistance and barrier removal from welfare to work.

INTERGRATED 477 PROGRAMS

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL)

Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

Adult Comprehensive

Supplemental Youth

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES (HHS)

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

Native Employment Works

Child Care Development Fund

Discretionary & Mandatory

INTERIOR/BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS (BIA)

Job Placement Training



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TPA/Welfare Assistance

ADULT SERVICES

The Eastern Shoshone 477 Employment & Training Work Experience services are subsidized in

the public sector or in a private non-profit agency. The work situations are temporary, and not

necessarily expected to directly result in unsubsidized employment for the participants. The

purpose is to provide work experience, to develop occupational skills, customer service skills,

and good work ethics and to help with their life management skills.

The Work Experience placement does not exceed 6 months or 1000 hours, and all work

experience assignments are geared toward career orientation and eventual job placement. Work

experience activities are paid for work actually done and the wage rate is minimum wage or the

prevailing wage rate for similar positions at that job site.

In FY 2014-2015, FY 2015-2016 and FY 2016-2017; the EST 477 On-the-job-training (OJT)

programmatic barrier continues to lack in finding employers that are interested in placing

participants into subsidized employment due to tribal budget cuts and working hours.

Occupational Training included in providing supported services for two (2) participants; tuition

for both individuals in taking the Certified Nursing Assistant classes through the Fremont

County BOCES. Another participant in examination fees for the State of Wyoming Certified

Nursing License.

SUCCESS STORIES

In FY 2016-2017 there were six (6) individuals hired after their training hours were completed.

Six (6) other individuals completed their training hours

Wind River Indian Health Service – IT Assistant

Shoshone & Arapaho Drug Court – Secretary

Wind River Indian Health Service – Health Records / 90 Day Contract

Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority – Carpenter

Wind River Indian Health Service – Maintenance Assistant / 90 Day Contract

Eastern Shoshone Tribe Business Council – Secretary



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YOUTH SERVICES

Summer of 2017 began with sixty (60) applicants applying for Summer Youth Employment.

Applications were screened for eligibility and thirty-one (31) youths were selected. A Pre-

employment drug test was scheduled for all applicants that were considered eligible. The Eastern

Shoshone Human Resource Department confirms and authorizes youth applicants for

employment.

The Youth Program started with an orientation with an introduction of the 477 Program and

Staff. Required paperwork (I-9’s, W4, Employability Development Plans) Rules of conduct was

completed for hiring process.

Presenters from the Legal Aid of Wyoming, Fremont County Alliance Against Domestic

Violence and the Eastern Shoshone Department of Family Services.

Youth employment allowed the participants to develop and enhance work ethics, leadership,

conflict resolutions, life management skills, and valuable experience.

An end of the year picnic was held for all EST 477 Summer Youth participants. Completion

Certificates and incentives was awarded for all participants that completed the youth program.

Again the 477 Summer Youth Program was successful thirty (30) participants completed with

one (1) participant employment objective was not achieved.

CHILD CARE SERVICES

The EST 477 Child Care Services assists families that are making the transition from welfare to

work through educational and training programs; parent/s could not participate if this program

did not help them through those costly and trying times in achieving lifetime goals. It also

provides for families that are working full time and still meet the low-income criteria.

The Eastern Shoshone Child Care Services served fifty-seven (57) families and eighty-four (84)

children during the FY 2016-2017. Eligible children were under the age of thirteen (13). The



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care provided was a total of twenty-nine (29) providers. Fourteen (14) Center Based providers,

nine (9) Family Child Care Home providers, six (6) Group Home providers and the 477 Child

Care does not provide care in the Childs home.

Four (4) State Licensed Daycare Centers, four (4) Group Home and four (4) Family Child Care

Home providers were approved for services to families needing services for their children. One

(1) Licensed Center Based Daycare closed its doors due to unseen circumstances.

The EST 2015/2018 Plan Child Care Services definitions based on case by case, child care will

be provided to applicants who have accepted an internship, on-job-training or attending college

off reservation land. The applicant (parent) must maintain permanent residence within the above

stated service area and return to said within a year or completion of internship, OJT or college.

(A state licensed childcare center must be used. Time Limit: 1 year.

The EST 477 Child Care Services assist families that are working, attending a job or educational

training or a child who needs protective services. Teen parents that are not TANF eligible and

attending High School full time on regular basis.

An agreement between the EST 477 Program and the Cradle Board to Crayons Tribal Daycare to

provide services to families that are required to attend 477 cultural or educational classes,

workshops or meetings as a drop off services on specific days arraigned by their case managers

or by the Family Formations office.

The Eastern Shoshone Child Care provided an Infant/Toddler Heartsaver CPR course for eleven

providers each received their certificate to meet the health and safety requirements.

In FY 2017-2018 the Eastern Shoshone 477 Child Care Services have been attending on-line

webinars and will be attending CCDF Conferences and Trainings to meet the Health and Safety

Requirements and Standards.

EDUCATIONS SERVICES



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Central Wyoming College in Lander WY offers High School Equivalency Credential classes in

Fall and Spring sessions, students have the opportunity to enroll in either semester consisting of

2 sessions being held. Each student must attend daily for seven (7) weeks this gives students one

on one with instructors, each student that enrolls has a $25 registration fee (fee waivers is

available based on need) students are given a student card allowing them to have access to all

student activities held at Riverton and Lander Colleges.

EST 477 participants still can utilize the Eastern Shoshone Learning Center for GED prep classes

at their own pace. The GED exam includes four individual subtests in the subject areas:

Literacy, Math, Social studies, and Science. Participants have the option to take one or the four

GED subtest (modules) when they feel ready to do so, but must complete the entire GED battery

within two years.

SPECIAL SERVICES FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS

The Eastern Shoshone 477 Program’s General Assistance served one hundred seventy-four

(174) individuals one hundred twenty-two (122) were employable and fifty-two (52) were

unemployable all one hundred twenty-two (122) individuals had a self-sufficiency plan in place.

The main objective has been to provide direct cash assistance services to all federally recognize

tribal members of the Wind River Indian Reservation. These low income individuals are

encouraged, assisted and required to fulfill their responsibilities by preparing for accepting and

retaining employment or education in order to become self-sufficient. These individuals have

been encouraged to utilize the one-stop services provided by the 477 Program. These direct

serviceable contact opportunities provides a means for these low income individuals to emerge

from their dependency of welfare in order to become more productive and independent

individuals.

The Eastern Shoshone 477 Program requires all incoming and current clients to complete the

477-intake application and sign an Individual Responsibility Contract plus develop an Individual

Self-Sufficiency Plan which focuses on the elimination of personal barrier preventing self-



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sufficiency. The EST 477 Program Welfare Assistance services have intensified the client

requirements which have improved the client compliancy level. In conjunction with Indian

Health Service has improved the quality of services for those individuals who are seeking Social

Security Disability benefits. There have been several individuals who are seeking disability who

have been referred to the Red Feather Vocational Rehabilitation to determine the level of

disability. Those individuals who have been seeking Social Security Disability benefits have

been providing medical and Social Security status documentation to the Eastern Shoshone 477

Program to remain in compliance with the Welfare Assistance requirements.

A financial prediction did not foresee the constant growth in participants during FY16. The

federal funding has been exhausted which is a true indicator the Wind River Reservation is in

need of more federal funding in order for the General Assistance to continue to provide for the

participants basic needs. This unfortunate circumstance of the rise in cases is due to

unemployment, poor job market and Tribal per capita payment decreasing 50% from 2016 to

2017.

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families goal of the Eastern Shoshone Temporary

Assistance program is to work to move financial assistance recipients from welfare to self-

sufficiency (work), with opportunity for life changing choices that will protect their personal

dignity, pride, and cultural identity.

In fiscal year 2016/2017 - Cash Assistance recipients were served in benefits in the form of cash

assistance to eligible participants in meeting the basic unmet needs of TANF. Services are

provided to single, two-parent households and child-only cases.

Monthly cash assistance amounts are based on the State of Wyoming’s Temporary Assistance

for Needy Families payments. The cash grants are based on the size of the household.

Once services are identified for Cash Assistance the adult(s) first meet with the 477 Intake

Specialist collecting all documentation for the entire family to determine if the family meets the

eligibility requirements for program services. The adult(s) then meets with a benefits specialist



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for a full interview of all income and resources if any, to determine the level benefits available to

the family. The adult(s) then meets with an assigned 477 case manager to create a plan focusing

on the 3 main objectives of Employment, Education/Training or Other Objectives for the

client(s). Clients are required to follow the plan, submit monthly eligibility reports and

timesheets for work participation (20 hours per family per week) and to meet with their case

manager once every month. Child only cases meet with Case Managers once every three

months. GA and other 477 cases also required to meet with their case manager once every three

months.

To meet minimum work participation rate requirements for each assistance recipient, the Tribe

chooses to offer all the allowable and countable work activities per week, per family, to be 20

hours of qualified activities

Once services are identified for Cash Assistance the adult(s) first meet with the 477 Intake

Specialist collecting all documentation for the entire family to determine if the family meets the

eligibility requirements for program services. The adult(s) then meets with a benefits specialist

for a full interview of all income and resources if any, to determine the level benefits available to

the family. The adult(s) then meets with an assigned 477 case manager to create a plan focusing

on the 3 main objectives of Employment, Education/Training or Other Objectives for the

client(s). Clients are required to follow the plan, submit monthly eligibility reports and

timesheets for work participation (20 hours per family per week) and to meet with their case

manager once every month. Child only cases meet with Case Managers once every three

months. GA and other 477 cases also required to meet with their case manager once every three

months.

The Maintenance of Effort-MOE (with the State of Wyoming Department of Family Services)

to provide financial, technical and administrative support to the E. Shoshone Tribal P.L. 102-

477 TANF Program has continued to remain in good standings.

October 2016/February 2017 the Eastern Shoshone 102-477 Program held their annual Clothes

Shopping for TANF school age children. For eligibility for children to get the 1st Distribution in

October 2016 a school verification is required proving each child has attended school ten (10)



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consecutive days from the first day of school in August and the family case must be in good

standing. A $300 Kmart Shopping card was dispersed for each eligible child. The eligibility for

the 2nd distribution in February 2017 school grades and attendance was required. Students had

to have a grade of “C” average and above, absence five (10) days or less, a $200 Kmart

Shopping card was dispersed for each eligible child and the family case has to be in good

standing. On both clothing distributions 477 staff were stationed at the store for

parents/guardians to return all shopping receipts.

In May 2017 the Shoshone Bannock 477 Human Services in Fort Hall, Idaho held their 2nd

Annual TANF/GA Conference and invited our 477 Staff and clients. Seven (7) 477 Clients

attended. There was a wide variety of topics that covered local resources as well as topics that

our 477 Program can implement into our services.

September 2017 the 477 Program held a 477 Program Orientation for the Cash Assistance

Clients on policies on Monthly Eligibility Reports, Work Participation Hours, Supportive

Services, Penalties/Sanctions, and School Age Clothing explaining the 2nd Distribution policies.

Provided information on future workshops and trainings.

The Family Resource Outreach is among the family services provided to strengthen families

and is dedicated to educate the clients within regards to cultural activities of the Eastern

Shoshone Tribe. The department also provides a reading program, cultural classes and

education/health sessions classes, which are hour long to educate the clients on social, health and

economic issues.

The Family Resource Department held numerous activities which are listed in the Services area

below. The client receives an Incentive for either Attendance or Completion and in some cases,

both. It depends on the activity which is scheduled.

The Family Resource Department encourages client participation in the sessions being provided.

Cultural activities are held every other month and many of the clients are offered this opportunity

to become part of the classes to learn the art and creation of the cultural projects. Once the client

has completed their project(s) in the current activity, they receive a Completion and an

Attendance Incentive.



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The Education Sessions provided are based on a monthly health chart and depends on the topic

such as, for example; Healthy Living, Cent$ible Nutrition, Prediabetes and Diabetes Awareness,

Alcohol Prevention, Child Abuse Prevention, Breast Cancer Awareness, Sun Safety, Infant

Information on Immunizations, Meth “The Path to Spiritual Ruin, Addiction-Road to Recovery,

Growing Resilience (How to garden that impacts family health in Wind River Reservation),

Winter Activities for Youth, etc. Sessions are to promote awareness of precautions, if affected by

any of these within their family circle. Other Activities included awareness of infants such as a

session held for New Mothers or Families that had new additions titled “Newborn/Infants &

Toddlers Child Care Part #1 & Part #2. This topic covered immunizations, car seat safety, the

Women Infants & Children Program (WIC), Kid Care (Medical Insurance), Learning Activities

to do at home with their children.

The Family Resource Department also holds community activities such as the 477 Annual

Community Day, Prevent Child Abuse Walk, Tribal Health Fair, Annual Easter Egg Hunt,

Christmas Activity, Halloween Carnival, Flea Market, and the Reading Club.

The P.L. 102-477 Family Resource Outreach Services had many activities that took place over

the course of the year.

Services included:

Marriage and Family Strengthening

Cultural Classes

Maximize Resource Availability in 477 Program

Cultural Supports for Family Unity

Literacy Reading Program (For Children Only)

Educations Sessions

Health Awareness

Food Bank Assistance



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The Food Bank Assistance is food donated by the National Relief Charity (NRC) from Rapid

City, SD deliver quarterly and items are boxed and given out on a first come, first served basis to

477 Needy Families. The 477 Office does not have the storage to keep donated food and is given

out, as items are boxed and ready.

During FY 2016/2017 the Family Resource held Cultural Classes advertising for Native Artist

Instructor’s to teach clients of different projects whether the client chooses to continue the skill

to earn a few dollars. Classes are chosen based on the project that the client had no knowledge

of, but learning the fundamentals.

Basic Sewing Class

Ribbon Skirt Making (Class #1)

January through March 2017 a mandatory six (6) weeks Centsible Nutrition Class “Helping

Families Eat Better for Less” was scheduled for new TANF clients to attend. Students learn

“Food Safety”, “Menu Planning”, “Healthy Alternatives” and “Budgeting”. Every week students

have hands on meal preparations of various recipes from the Centsible Nutrition Cookbook. The

477 TANF had thirty-eight (38) clients complete all earning a certificate for this class, while

fourteen (14) dropped from the class and five clients (5) was excused due to attending college

courses or for medical reasons. The 477 Program will continue with more classes’ in the

upcoming months, the University of Wyoming Centsible Nutrition also has changed the

curriculum increasing to eight weeks of classes and also updating the cook book.

June 2017 the Eastern Shoshone 477 Program held its 8th Annual Community Day. The day

consisted of games (tribal stick hockey, spear throwing, tug of war, racing), a flea market, and

donated items; household items, toys and books from the National Relief Charity (NRC) out of

Rapid City, SD are free to the community.



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June-August 2017 Youth activity/Matinee/Movies children were taken to the movies once a

week, the 477 Program purchased popcorn and a drink for the children in attendance.

July 2017 the 477 Program held a First Annual Bike Rodeo for Youth ages four (4) to twelve

(12) years old. The Fremont County Injury Prevention, Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health Program

and Eastern Shoshone Housing Authority volunteered or donated a bikes for the different age

groups. Centsible Nutrition provided healthy snacks for the kids, the Fremont County Hi-Way

Patrol came out to talk about the importance of Car Seat Safety and to demonstrate the vehicle

roll over crash for individual’s that don’t wear a seat belt.

Safety Demonstrations

Obstacle Course

Free Helmets to the First 60 kids

Free Water Bottles

Free Healthy Snacks for Children and Parents

SUPPORT SERVICES

The 477 Program Supportive service payments are not automatic nor an entitlement. Each

request is examined to determine if the participant has met all the criteria for the supportive

service, and that the supportive service will assist the family to achieve self-sufficiency.

The need has to be specific and identified in the Client’s Plan for Self Sufficiency or stated as a

barrier to employment and directly related to an approved plan activity or employment

opportunity and is the last means within which to meet the need.



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Supportive services are provided to participants for continued employment or to gain

employment. Contracts are necessary for certain Supportive services such as rental agreements

and training programs. Breach of contracts will be recouped or deducted from cash assistance

grants or payroll wages.

Sixty-one (61) Participants were assisted with support services ranging in:

Work Clothing/Uniforms

Equipment/Work Tools

Rent and Deposit/Delinquent Rent

Child Care

Public Transportation/Mileage

Vehicle Repairs

Driver’s License

Basic Needs – New Baby

Clothing for School age Children (Early Head Start to High School)

Grooming, Medical and Dental

Professional license

Automobile Insurance (No High Risk)

Current and Delinquent Utilities (delinquent considered as 1 time only)

Food (Participants on the Food Stamp program are case by case)

Emergency (Case by Case)

EASTERN SHOSHONE TRIBE LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Eastern Shoshone 477 Program provides services for the Low Income Energy Assistance

Program for eligible households that reside on the Wind River Reservation. In FY 2017 the

Eastern Shoshone Tribe was funded $126,939. Serving 128 Households in Electric, Gas, Propane



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and Wood Services. We have approximately seven (7) utility vendors/providers that serve the

Wind River Reservation.

In December 2016 the EST LIEAP program held a Weatherization Class. The Eastern Shoshone

Housing Maintenance Employees instructed the class. The 477 Program Head Maintenance

constructed a demo of a door and window to show the clients how to weatherize their windows,

doors and tips on weatherization to keep energy cost down, participants received a

weatherization kit after completing the class.

In September 2017 a EST LIEAP held a public meeting for FY 2018, there were a total of

fourteen (14) individuals that attended. A powerpoint was shown and questions and concerns

were responded to after the presentation.

EST 477 STAFF TRAINING

August 2017 Eaglesun TAS V5 Upgrade and New 477 Lite Training was set up for three days

for the 477 Staff. This training reviewed the proper processes for entering data into TAS and

provide the program with data entry monitoring reports. To provide the program with the 477

Program the tools necessary to ensure proper data entry practices and accurate Federal

Reporting.

eastern shoshone p.l. 102-477 narrative report shoshone. 2016 to 2017 ar..nar_.pdfeastern shoshone...

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