General Assistance

Burial & Emergency Assistance

College Student Assistance

Job Vocational Training

To receive an application please contact our offices at (907) 364-2916

1021 Glacier Ave, Juneau, AK 99801

General Assistance (GA) is a program that provides financial assistance payments to an eligible Indian for essential needs, which are food, clothing, shelter, and utilities.  Additionally, the following apply:

  • The applicant must reside in the service area

  • Must not receive financial assistance from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Alaska Temporary Assistance Program (ATAP) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI);

  • Must have insufficient resources to meet the basic and special need items defined by the Bureau standard of assistance;

  • Must apply for assistance from other Federal,State, borough, or local programs for which they may be eligible concurrent with applicant on to the Bureau (tribal) general assistance;

  • The goal of the General Assistance Program is to increase self-sufficiency. Each General Assistance recipient must work with the tribal social service worker to develop and sign an Individual Self-SuffiCiency Plan (ISP). The plan must outline the specific steps the individual will take to increase independence by meeting the goal of

  • All applicants with dependent children are required to apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and follow TANF

  • Eligibility reviews are to be completed by the tribal social service worker every three months for individuals who are not exempt from seeking or accepting employment; every six months for all recipients and whenever there is a change in status that can affect a recipient’s eligibility or amount of assistance.

  • The tribal social service worker must also conduct a re-determination evaluation to assess the need for continued financial It is to include a home visit (where appropriate and possible); an estimate of income, living circumstances, household composition for the month for which financial assistance is to be provided and appropriate revisions to the case plan and the Individual Self-Sufficiency Plan (ISP).

The following are the maximum payment standards for the Burial Assistance & Emergency Assistance components of your Welfare Assistance program as directed by the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs, effective December 12, 2000.

Maximum Payment Standards

Burial Assistance $2,500.00 per burial

Emergency Assistance $1,000.00 per household

Burial Assistance

Burial Assistance is provided when no other resources are available. Other resources include: State General Relief burial assistance, Tribal or Native Corporation assistance.

Eligibility is based on the resources/income of the deceased. If the resources of the deceased were less than $2,500.00 in the month that he/she dies,the person may be eligible. If the deceased has resources that are available to use toward funeral costs, for example $500.00, the maximum amount they could be eligible for would then be $2,000.00. Please review the regulations at §20.325 which addresses income and resources.

Funeral Food

Assistance of up to $400 is allowed & is not in addition to the $2,500 payment standard. The food is used to prepare a meal for attendees of the funeral. In order to receive the assistance for Funeral Food the deceased must first have qualified for the BIA Burial Assistance. Payment is made directly to vendor where food will be purchased and receipts must be submitted to the welfare worker.

Emergency Assistance

Emergency Assistance is provided when no other resources are available (i.e., FEMA) and may only be used for essential needs (food, clothing, shelter, utilities) and other non-medical necessities. Applicants must also demonstrate they have applied for assistance from other resources such as the American Red Cross. Please review the regulations at §20.329.

 

The Douglas Indian Association’s College Student Assistance (CSA) program provides financial aid to enrolled DIA Members who are attending, or plan to attend, an accredited college or university in the pursuit of an Associate degree or higher. We fund full and part-time attendees; the minimum part-time attendance is 6 credit-hours per term. Undergraduate students must maintain a 2.0 GPA or better. Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or better. Provisions are also available for students with a documented disability. Contact this office for further information.

Recognizing that the CSA program is supplemental in nature, tribal members are encouraged to take advantage of all other financial aid programs to assist with college costs. Contact your Financial Aid Office or go online to www.fafsa.gov to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Financial Aid Form (FAF), or www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov to learn about available resources.

Eligibility

Funding is based on the BIA Self Determination Scholarships for Higher Education with Douglas Indian Association. Members who reside in, originate from and/or are enrolled with the Douglas Indian Association (DIA) are eligible to apply.

Tribal members enrolled or eligible to receive services from IRA Councils or Associations within any of the following communities will be referred to that community for higher education services: Angoon (Angoon Community Association), Hoonah (Hoonah Indian Association), Hydaburg (Hydaburg Cooperative Association), Kake (Organized Village of Kake), Ketchikan (Ketchikan Indian Corporation), Klukwan (Chilkat Indian Village), Metlakatla (Metlakatla Indian Community), Petersburg (Petersburg Indian Association), Sitka (Sitka Tribe of Alaska), Skagway (Skagway Traditional Council) or Yakutat (Yakutat Tlingit Tribe). If you are unsure about your enrollment, please call this office for assistance.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Received or post-marked on or before May 15 annually.

 

The job placement and Training program assists eligible applicants in obtaining job skills so they can secure employment and become self-sufficient.

  • Training may not exceed 24 months of full-time actual training hours.

  • Registered Nurse training may not exceed 36 months of full-time actual training hours.

  • Training must lead to permanent and gainful employment

    Eligibility

    • Applicant must reside in Douglas Indian Association’s service area.

    • Applicant must show financial need (difference between available resources and cost of training.

    Schedule and attend an appointment with the DIA’s Social Services to:

    • Review application and documents

    • Determine eligibility for the following programs

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) was enacted in 1978. … Established minimum federal standards for the removal of Native American children from their families. Required Native American children to be placed in foster or adoptive homes that reflect Native American culture.

Purpose

The Douglas Indian Association (DIA) Indian Child Welfare Program services are in accordance with the tenets Ind ian Child Welfare Act and exercising the Tribe’s right to intervene in State Court child custody proceedings involving involuntary rem oval of children enrolled to or eligible for enrollment to DIA; and to work to prevent the breakup of Alaska Native Indian families by ensuring that permanent removal of an Indian child from the custody of his/her parent or Indian custodian shall be a last resort.

Authority

Congress declared that it is the policy of th e United States to protect the best interests of India n children and to promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and families.  The Indian Child Welfare Act authorizes federal funds assistance to federally recognized tribes to operate Indian Child and Family Service Programs for prevention of child abuse and neglect and to prevent the unwarranted  removal of Indian children from the custody of his parent(s) or Indian custodian.1 Funds are provided to tribes through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Human Services.

Contact Us

For more information contact:

Alyssa Cadiente-Laiti-Blattner, Family Case Worker

Phone: 907-364-2916        Fax: 907-364-2917

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