Winnebago Tribe of

P.L. 102-477 Annual Report FY 2015

The Winnebago Tribe ofNebraska is located in the northeastern corner ofNebraska, 26 miles southeast of Sioux City, , and 70 miles north ofOmaha, Nebraska on state highways 75 and 77. The reservation consists ofover 40,000 acres and is located in both Nebraska and Iowa. The Winnebago Tribe ofNebraska is a federally recognized Indian Tribe with an enro llment of 5,530 members, 1,704 members reside on the . The Winnebago P.L. I 02-477 program has a service area which includes Thurston and Dakota Counties in Nebraska and Woodbury County in Iowa. The Winnebago P.L. I 02-477 program consists of the following: • Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) • General Assistance (GA) • Summer Youth Employment Program (WlA Youth) & Workforce In vestment Act (WIA Adult) • Native Employment Works (NEW) and Jobs, Placement & Training (JPT) • Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) The Service Area currently identified fo r General Assistance, WIA Youth, WIA Adult, Native Employment Works and Jobs Employment & Training is the Winnebago , located in Thurston County, Nebraska, all partic ipants must meet eligibility guidelines. Services are available for enrolled members ofall Federally Recognized tribes residing on the Winnebago Reservation in Thurston County, Nebraska. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) is available to enroll ed members ofany federally recognized tribe residing within the boundaries of the Winnebago Reservation and to households where the head of household and one or more children are enrolled members ofthe Winnebago Tribe and that reside in Thurston County in the State ofNebraska outside of the Omaha and Winnebago reservation boundaries. TANF is a lso provided to enrolled members ofany Federally Recognized tribe residing in Dakota County in the State of Nebraska and Woodbury County in the State of Iowa with the exception ofenrolled members of the Tribe ofNebraska. Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) services are available for enroll ed members ofall Federally Recognized tribes residing within the boundaries ofthe Winnebago Reservation in Thurston County, Nebraska, Dakota County, Nebraska, and Woodbury County, Iowa. Each ofthese programs is a vital part of the community and ultimately assists families in becoming self­ sufficient. There are times when fami lies fa ll upon hard ships in the ir li ves, and these programs are here to assist families in overcoming these hardships.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) The TANF program has two case manager positions, as we combined Woodbury and Dakota Counties in January 2015, utiliz ing the employment and training coordinator to assist with services provided. The second case manager serves Thurston County. The maximum amount of cases assigned to each case manager is 50 cases. Each case manager is responsible fo r developing an employability development plan (EDP) with their c li ents. Most clients have goals of obtaining their high school diploma/GED, achieving higher education and job search. The TANF case managers work with the foll owing educationa l partners: Little Priest Tribal College in Winnebago, NE, and Sioux City, IA; Step-Up, which is a triba l partner program providing services in Winnebago, NE, and Sioux City, IA; Western Iowa Tech in Sioux City, IA; and Northeast Community College in South Sioux City, NE. Each of these providers offers low cost tuition, which makes it more affordable for c lients to attend. The Step-Up program offers paid training in the healthcare field, including: Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Dental Assistant, etc. They also offer paid training in Early Childhood Education and Industrial Mechanics.

ll P age Although each TANF client can access these educational services, transportation continues to be a major barrier for clients. Without reliable and affordable transportation, the clients often are deterred from attending GED and college classes. Unless clie nts obtain private transportation or have access to public transportation, this wi ll continue to be a barrier to their self-sufficiency goals. One of the large t employers for the Winnebago community is the tribally owned casino, Winna Vegas. The tribe provides an employee transit system which allows employees to catch rides to and from work for a small fee; however, the transit system is not available during all shifts and child care becomes a barrier for swing and overnight shifts.

General Assistance (GA) The General Assistance Program provides financial assistance to individuals who meet the program guidelines. The GA monthly caseload averages 40-45 clients. C li ents can receive an amount up to $222.00 per month and are required to complete 20 hours each week participating in the fo llowing activities: searching for employment, attending workshops, attending college/GED classes or providing a community service. C lients must adhere to the ir case plans to remain eli gible. Thi s program is necessary to assist individuals that are out of the workforce due to layoff, pending disability, or have been unsuccessful in obtaining employment. The ultimate goal for GA clients is self-sufficiency, including: clients seeking and maintaining employment and/or obtaining a hi gher education. Some of our GA clients have had pending di sability cases with the Social Security Administration for up to two years depending on their medical situation. There are several barriers that GA clients face in becoming self-sufficient. Although the tribe does have tribal transportati on, it ma inly serves Winna Vegas Casino employees. Therefore, transpo1tation is a major barrier for GA c lients seeking self-sufficiency. Another barrier i that most job opportunities within the Winnebago reservation require a GED/High School diploma at minimum, and several clients lack this. Those that do not have a GED must attend GED classes until they complete. If the client feels they possess a learning disabi lity, we refer them to Vocational Rehabilitation in South Sioux City, NE.

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) - WIA Youth & TANF The Summer Youth Employment Program is offered to youth ages 14 to 18 years of age residing on the Winnebago reservation who meet the income and GPA requirements. This program provides youth with training and job skills that will help them when they are ready to enter the work fo rce. There is an adequate number o f tribal programs that are willing to supervise youth participating in the SYEP. The Youth WIA funds we receive are minimal, and assisted 1 youth throughout the 2015 summer. T ANF funds al lowed services to be provided for 20 youth. Youth are the future of the Winnebago Tribe, and the SYEP assists students in the service area with gaining job skills that can be used later in the Tribe's workforce. All participants must meet GPA and attendance requi rement to be eli gible, which further encourages their success in school.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA Adult) & On the Job Training (OJTI Workforce Investment Act assists unemployed and underemployed clients with e mployment and training services. Case management is coordinated fo r clients to access educati on, training, and job success preparation. Workshops and trainings are offered monthly with topics such as housing, basic budgeting, employment success skills, G ED, and parenting.

On the Job Training is another vital program fo r the Winnebago community. This program allows employable adults to receive job tra ining while working and earning income. Before placement can occur, OJT pa1ticipants must be considered j ob ready, successfully pass a UA and may be required to pass a federal background check. After placement, OJT pa11icipants are paid the federal minimum wage of$8.25/hour for up to 40 hours each week for a maximum of3 months or until full -time employment is gained. The Social Services Program had 0 active OJT placements fo r FY 201 5, but the program continue to have

21 P age clients fill out applications for OJT placement. Funds previously used for OJT placements are used fo r an Employment & Training worker to assist c lients with employment and training needs. A database of OJT applicants is in development so we can better assist employers in the community in find ing the right match w ith our clients/potential employees.

Native Employment Works (NEW) Native Employment Works assists unemployed and underemployed clients with employment and tra ining services. Case management is coordinated for clients to access educati on, training, and job success preparation.

Jobs, Employment & Training (JPD Jobs, Employment & Training assists unemployed and underemployed cli ents with employment and training services. The major focus has been on overcoming barriers to employment which are identified through the employability development plan. These are short term services that genera lly last three to six months. C lients can also receive coordinated case management to access education, training, a nd j ob s uccess preparation.

Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska recognizes that high quali ty early childhood programs a re vital in the first fi ve years of a child' s li fe to establi sh a fo undation fo r success and lifelong learning. Educare Winnebago is based on the best early educati on practices that will ensure school readiness. Educare Winnebago partners with the Winnebago C hild Care Develo pment Fund program, Winnebago Head Start, Buffet Early Childhood Fund and Winnebago Tribe. Educare Winnebago o ffers full day, year-round programming for birth - 5. It is a licensed center and fo ll ows all of the rules and regulations set fo rth by the State o f Nebraska Health and Human Services. The li censed capac ity is 191 children. There are 16 classrooms, a li brary/teacher workroom and cultura l resource room, confe rence room and a training a rea. Seven classrooms are designated fo r Head Start/Pre-k and 9 c lassroom are designated for children birt h - 3. The current enro llment at the center is 183 children. O n December 10, 201 4, Educare Winnebago was awarded the Early Head Start-Child Care (EHS-CC) Partnership grant. This grant has all owed Educare Winnebago to open two previously unfunded c lassrooms; these two c lassrooms serve a n additional 16 birth-3 children. At Educare Winnebago, each classroom has three teachers; an associate-lead teacher with an AA in early childhood, and two teacher a ides with a high school diploma and training hours in child develo pment. There are fi ve lead teachers who hold a bache lor' s degree. Educare Winnebago has several employees who are taking c lasses at Little Priest Tribal Co llege to pursue an associate degree in Early C hild Educati on. To accommodate employees, severa l Little Priest T riba l College c lasses are held on site. There are two associate lead teachers who are working on their bac he lor' s degree in Early Childhood. Teachers and Support staff undergo training in the fo llowing area during the school year: In fant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale CIT ERS-R), Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R), Teaching Strategies Gold, " Safe with You" Series-child abuse, child neglect, sudden in fa nt death syndrome, and shaken baby syndrome, C lassroom Assessment Scoring System (C LASS), positi ve c limate, and lesson planning. Educare Winnebago will be hosting the Nebraska Early Learning G uidelines training series in th e fu ture; this seri es is a requirement of Nebraska child care licensing and offers va luable in fo rmation and resources to classroom teachers. All trainings will he lp employees work towards a Child Development Associate (CDA), if they arc not working on an associate degree or hi gher. To provide continuity of care, the primary teachers will remain with children fo r 3 years, from age bir1h to 3 years old. A second team of caregivers remain with children from ages 3 to 5 years. Educare Winnebago will ma intain low staff/child rati os. In fa nts and toddlers rati o w ill be 3:8 per classroom and preschool c lassrooms will be 3: 17 per classroom. Lower rati os and the continuity o f care will minimize transitions to support secure relationship development.

3I Page Educare Winnebago utilized many tribal programs throughout the year. Vision and hearing screenings were provided at no cost to the children who attended either center. The Winnebago Ho-Chunk Renaissance program visits th e center daily and teaches our young children the and culture. The Early Learning Initiative (ELI ) program also teaches the children the Winnebago language and culture. This program creates and provides cultural resources and training to the classroom teachers. Children also participate in the Devereux Early Ch ildhood Assessment (DECA) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), Preschool Language Scale (PLS-5), lnfantrroddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS-R), Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS-R), and Bracken School Readiness As essment (BSRA) ; these assessments are completed by the Munroe Meyer Institute /Uni versity of Nebraska Medical Center. The CCDF program also provides short-term child care services to Woodbury County (Iowa) and Dakota County (Nebraska) TANF participants. Child care is provided fo r job search, training, or employment. All child care prov iders are licensed and abide by the rules and regulations of the State of Iowa and Nebraska.

The Winnebago P.L. I 02-477 Program conti nues to work on bui lding and maintaining relationships with tribal and non- tribal programs that offer services to client work ing towards self-sufficiency. Service providers and Programs that the Winnebago P.L. 102-4 77 program partners with include: Little Priest Tribal College, Western Iowa Technical Community College, Northeast Community College, ATL/\S Program of Winnebago, Winnebago Tribe Higher Educa ti on Department, Vocational Rehabilitati on, Winnebago Behavioral Hea lth, Winnebago Hea lth Department, Winnebago Drug and Alcohol Program, Winnebago Drug Dependency Unit, Iowa Department of Human Services, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Goodwill-S ioux City, lA, and Winnebago Child Support Program. It is important that we maintai n good working relationships with each of these programs in ord er to better serve our clients and assist them in becoming self-s ufficient. The Winnebago P.L. I02-477 Program remains located at the Human Services bui lding located in Winnebago, NE. The program is in need of office and storage space. A tra ining room was created to accommodate additional work hops and training opportunities that includes both the computer lab and the training area. It would be ideal to have a larger training room for client workshops and trainings and a separate computer lab. One long term goa l is seek fundin g for a space the speci fi cally meets the needs of the program. In the meantime, the new training room works much better for training purpo es and we will continue to offer more workshops and trainings such as on-site GED prep to assist program participants.

Respectfully Submitted, e,twe&aVJJe!ir Chiara Cournoyer Social Services Program Manager (P.L. 102-477 Coord inator)

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