Consumer Services has over 1,000 applicants submit for CARES Act supportive services
By DANA HERNANDEZ
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — The Consumer Services Program has been working hard on the supportive services for the CARES Act since applications were released August 28. The assistance they are currently serving is energy, utilities, rent/mortgage, internet, phone, childcare, food/ household items, gas, home ventilation and rehabilitation.
Speaking with the manager of Consumer Services, Dustin Davis who explained there are two types of services being offered, a one-time assistance and a monthly assistance. One time assistance is utilities, rent/mortgage, internet, phone, ventilation, and rehabilitation. The monthly assistance is childcare, food/household items, and gas.
Davis says, “I am very excited that we had over 1,000 people apply for assistance and is way more than I thought would apply. This is only the first two weeks, so it could just be the beginning.”
Some things Davis wants to stress is for applicants to fill out the application for the entire household and list everyone regardless if they are tribal members or not. Davis said if the applicant has bills that aren’t in their name and the bill is in a name of a non-tribal member, they can still have that bill taken care of as long as they are listed on the application as a member of that household.
He also said they have been getting a lot of W9’s, quotes, and other documents with no name to a client. Davis stressed they want to make sure people have a name listed on their documents in order for them to process the application.
Davis noticed there is one assistance people have not been taking advantage of, which is the solid waste, water, and septic bill assistance. He said this includes accounts that are up to date and paid, and is a $200 benefit that people are missing out on.
Davis said they can’t do car bills, car repairs, car insurance, tires, clothes, and student loans because it is not COVID-19 related to council rule. He said, “What is on our application is only what we can do, except the rehabilitation, because that was added to our services after we put out the applications.”
Davis said the food/household items and the gas assistance has been delayed for those who are seeking to shop at stores like Walmart and Winco. They are currently working on those gift cards to be ordered. “Once we get them properly catalogued we will distribute them to the people,” said Davis. Also, there will be a limited amount, and Davis said he will make an announcement on Facebook once the gift cards are available.
He also said he has food/household items and gas vouchers available right now for people who are okay with shopping at The Fort Hall Trading Post and the Enterprise Gas Stations. Those who have a completed application can pick up their vouchers at his office at building 39, Shoshone Drive the Consumer Services Program, in the house next to Sho-Ban utilities and across from Fish and Game.
The program has recently changed the amount to the food/household items. This is due to the amount gift cards allow and they could not do the $50 increments. A one person household changed from $150 to $200 and a five person household changed from $350 to $300. Next month the amounts may also change, because the first month is determining how many people they actually need to assist.
Davis said they are assisting out of area tribal members with a direct assistance of $1500, the out of area are those further than 150 miles. “The logistics to get financial information from those vendors who live outside our area is almost impossible. So, it’s easier for them and us to do a one-time assistance. They also have to fill out a CARES application and send us their rent, power, internet, and phone bills that relate to COVID-19,” said Davis.
He also said, ventilation and rehabilitation has been a very popular subject for our tribal membership and there is now a limit of $3,000-$5,000 with this assistance. They want to try and serve as many tribal members as possible because they have been receiving some big bills. Davis advised that whoever has turned in an app with them for rehab, they will get them as fast as they can, even though the Planning Department is also doing the Rehabilitation assistance now.
Applicants will need to write rehab on their application and submit a quote. Quotes for rehab work must be from a licensed and certified plumber, electrician or contractor. Davis advises to not start the job until they have received and processed their application. If contractors are already doing the work and they didn’t get an application, they will not pay it.
The program is also working with TERO approved vendors. Davis has one approved vendor, BAM Electric who has been busy with ventilation and electricity repairs for home improvement.
Davis said, “Please if you know an elder that needs help and needs an electrician, Blue Hayball at BAM Electric is usually a guy I like to turn to. If people need some suggestions, I do have a vendor or two that can do the same type of work.”
Davis said appliances is also a popular assistance, and they are able to do washers, dryers, stoves, fridges, freezers, and water heaters. The appliance must be failing or not existing. Applicants will need to submit a quote for the appliance, and there is now a limit of up to two appliances. They are prioritizing elders and disabled applicants. They are requesting applicants to choose appliances that are cost effective and energy efficient. “We’re not looking for top of the line, as long as the appliance gets the job done then that’s all you need,” said Davis.
Davis said how it works is they would cut a check to the vendor that you’ve received a quote from and you would take that check to that vendor for the appliance. He also stated Consumer Services is not responsible for delivery and installation.
The software for the student support services is still being processed and they are reaching out to those seeking this service. They are also working with finance to get approved to purchase phone cards as well as other things. He is hoping to get approved in the next week or two. Davis said the Tribes usually don’t allow these purchases, and are working with finance to change the rules.
“I just want to throw this out there that please be patient, I know people have been waiting and I apologize for not getting back to people due to so many things that took me away from my office,” said Davis.
Davis said applicants can call and check on the status of their application. There are three stages of the application process: those that haven’t been entered into the database, those that are entered, but are waiting to be reviewed, and those that have been entered, reviewed, and determined.
Applicants should have received a call, and if they haven’t received a call and it’s been two weeks since they submitted their application. They can call Dustin at (208) 478-3709, Krissy Johnson at (208) 478-3979, or Michelle Figueroa at (208) 478-3861 to check the status of their application.
Emails can also be sent to Krissy Johnson who is the primary front office person at kjohnson@sbtribes.com or Dustin at ddavis@sbtribes.com, who says, everything will be forwarded to Krissy at the front office.
