Editor, Daily Press:

This letter is in response to the letter published on July 16, 2008, from Joe Brownell, regarding his son’s contact with Cherokee Nation Human Services. It would be a breech of confidentiality for us to discuss specifics of any case information in a public forum. However, we feel it is necessary to address claims made in the published letter.

Mr. Brownell expressed concern that his son applied for emergency assistance and did not receive it. Not everyone who applies will be eligible, often because of criteria related to residency, income, age, disability, or when they do not provide the required information needed to determine eligibility. None of the assistance programs in CN Human Services have eligibility guidelines based on blood quantum or skin tone, as Mr. Brownell suggested. However, all of our programs require a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood card, and some programs require a Cherokee Nation citizenship card.

Our services are sometimes limited by an applicant’s residence. Most programs administered by the tribe require that the applicant live within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Cherokee Nation. Mr. Brownell also stated he feels “federal assistance” to the Cherokee Nation is not being equally distributed. It is difficult to interpret what he means. However, we can tell you each person’s situation is evaluated individually to determine if any of our programs are appropriate for their needs and that they meet eligibility requirements. If the applicant is not eligible, we try to give them referrals to other resources that may assist in meeting their needs.

All the programs we administer come to us with eligibility policies from our funding source, be it federal, state, or tribal funds. That means those who apply for assistance must meet the guidelines of eligibility that we are mandated to follow. If the Cherokee Nation did not follow these policies, it would jeopardize the funding for our programs, and ultimately funding could be lost so that none of those seeking assistance could be helped.

Unfortunately, some applicants for assistance have unrealistic expectations and expect to leave with cash in hand. Direct payments to applicants are not always possible nor the best way for us to assist them. Often the best assistance we can provide is referral to other more appropriate services, both inside and outside the Cherokee Nation. Some of those resources might include programs that provide access to food or rental assistance or temporary shelter services.

Often the best solution for resolving the need is a commitment for learning a skill or job training. Each person’s situation is unique, but all solutions require both the person making application and our staff to work together to help the person become self-sufficient or overcome the challenge that has brought them to seek assistance.

Thank you for allowing us to clarify our processes. Anyone with questions about Cherokee Nation Human Services is welcome to contact me at (918) 453-5787.

Norma Merriman, Group Leader

Cherokee Nation Human Services