Social Services: A Journey of Give and Take

The Narragansett Indian Tribes Social Services Department is a program offered by the
Tribe to provide tribal members with general assistance services. The tribal website advertises
offering general assistance in the form of bill payments, holiday gift cards, burial expenses,
housing assistance, clothing vouchers, and unemployment stipends. In reality, the tribe offers
limited services and limited funds to a small fraction of tribal members on a first come, first
serve basis. The Social Services department is run by one director and the office is staffed with
two secretaries. A tribal needs assessment was last conducted ten years ago by the tribes Indian
Health Services and the findings were never shared publicly, according to tribal councilwoman
Chastity Machado. Social Services had tried unsuccessfully to implement and maintain various
programs throughout the years but never had success.

The tribes social services have always been underfunded and the programs we do have
are very few according to councilwoman Chastity Machado. The director is viewed in a
different light depending on whom you ask. Councilwoman Machado believes he is a good
director and that he is often overpowered with decisions being handed down to him by both
Tribal Council and the Chief. Tribal employees Sierra Spears and Pearl Brown believe the

director is ineffective in running social services, that he does not pursue other financial avenues,
and makes no attempt to implement needed programs. The tribe has as much as an 85% low
income/poverty rate that is not being addressed properly. Housing is deemed the largest issue
within social services as the service area is limited and the cost of living is too high for those
living in poverty.

The social services department is faced with bad leadership and management.
Individuals seeking services should have to submit to mandatory drug screening, counseling, or
community service according to interviewee Sierra Spears. The tribe as a whole is run
ineffectively and it has a trickledown effect on every department according to interviewee
Pearl Brown. The current programs that social services offer are ineffective as they do not truly
help those in need. The criteria of who receives goods or services and when, needs to be
established for the betterment of the tribe according to Pearl Brown, head chef for the tribes
senior center. She feels that change is needed for the betterment of the tribe as a whole. Tribal
employee Sierra Spears believes that ineffective leadership inhibits people; the hindrance causes
people to not want to do anything but put their hand out. That mentality needs to force
stipulations to be in place for how often a family can be serviced and they need to show proof
that they are trying to better their lives. With a clear game plan, knowing which avenues to take,

and laying the groundwork (Sierra) social services could create positive change for the tribal
people.

The social services department currently provides LIHEAP, the low income energy
assistance program. Once a year, the tribe provides payment on whichever type of home heating
individuals have in the amount of $600 total per tribal household. They also provide tribal
members with one holiday gift-card in the amount of $25 to Stop and Shop. When a tribal
member passes away, the family can apply to receive $2,500 to help cover the cost of burial
expenses. In tragic circumstances such as the loss of a child, families may petition for more
money to cover funeral home expenses. In limited emergency situations, housing assistance in
the form of rent, mortgage, or security deposit payments may be made pending need and how
much of an emergency it is.
The website also includes distributing clothing vouchers. According to interviewee Pearl
Brown, the director provides Wal-mart gift cards for clothes to low income tribal families, she
stated that she knew he use to do it in the past but she is not sure if it is still done. She also
informed me that he used to provide families with food vouchers as well, and still provides the
elders with food vouchers to use at the local farmers markets for fresh fruits and vegetables. The
social services department even allows the United Way 211 bus, which is a referral helpline for

anyone in need, to come in and work with tribal families. The final program implemented
through social services according to their website is unemployment stipends. Individuals denied
through RI unemployment but who meet the tribes guidelines are allowed to call in and receive
$200 monthly from October until April only. The small amount is to encourage finding gainful
employment and not relying on the tribe for long term assistance.

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Federal grant funds are currently used to keep social services up and running and to
provide the current programs. With the rising economy, more people are in need and the federal
funds remain the same. The tribe is faced with the decision to cut programs, provide less
assistance but offer several services, or to service fewer families with a greater capacity. To run
social services, the director has to plan each year what to keep, what to cut, and how to budget is
divided up. The director bases each year on the past year and budgets based around that. The
social services department should be used to provide services that benefit the greater amount of
tribal people and taps the full potential of the program. No tribal member should have to go
underdressed, unemployed or underemployed, hungry, or without basic necessities. It is within
the tribes history to care for and maintain its members and help make them the best they can be.
Together the tribe can help tribal members become self-sufficient and less dependent on help
from others.