Kodiak Area Native Association FY 2016 2015 to 2016.Nar 508 Comp.pdfReporting Period: 10/1/201 5 – 9/30/2016 Page 2 of 13. ... Coalition (KHSC), and the Transition Age Youth (TAY)

Kodiak Area Native Association FY 2016

Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) Pub. L. 102-477 Narrative Report

Introduction

The Kodiak Area Native Association (KANA) was formed in 1966 as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation

providing health and social services for the Alaska Natives of the Koniag region. The KANA service area

includes the City of Kodiak and six remote Alaska Native villages (Akhiok, Karluk, Larsen Bay, Old

Harbor, Ouzinkie, and Port Lions) encompassing ten federally recognized Tribes of Kodiak Island. From

the date of incorporation, KANA has been governed by a Board of Directors with varying representation

from each of the villages, including one representative from the “at large” Native population on Kodiak

Island. The KANA Board of Directors is governed by its members.

The Mission Statement of the Kodiak Area Native Association is as follows:

To elevate the quality of life of the people we serve.

477 Program Elements

The KANA 477 Program serves the Tribes with a variety of programs depending on the authorizing

resolutions. Some tribes manage their own Education, Job Placement & Training or Johnson O’Malley

Programs while others authorize KANA with resolutions to provide these services. While some programs

may have separate management entities, the overall goal of KANA’s 477 Program is to integrate services.

Currently these services include:

BIA Job Placement & Training (JP&T) Scholarships (HE) Johnson O’Malley (JOM) General Assistance (GA)

DOL Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Comprehensive

Supplemental Youth Services (SYS) HHS Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) Native Employment Works (NEW)

KANA’s 477 Program is supplemented by and incorporated in the same building with other KANA Community Services division programs including Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation (TVR), Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Infant Learning Program (ILP), Title VI: Elder Meals Program, and Economic Development. Additionally, KANA maintains strong partnerships with many regional Tribal Councils, the Kodiak Island Borough School District (KIBSD), Kodiak College, local non-profit organizations, and a multitude of businesses within the Koniag Region.

KANA’s Child Care Assistance Services

Reporting Period: 10/1/2015 – 9/30/2016 Page 1 of 13

Kodiak Area Native Association FY 2016 Any person within the Koniag Region who meets the definition of American Indian or Alaska

Native may be eligible for KANA’s child care services. KANA provides child care assistance to eligible

parents and/or legal guardians in the form of KANA issued Certificates of Authorization, authorizing

attendance- or enrollment-based child care at one of the following forms of care provider settings: Center

Based child care, Licensed Home or Group care, and Registered Exempt/Home care.

• Direct Services: The CCDF portion of KANA’s 477 Program provided funding for 28 families

and 50 children in the form of child care assistance during the reporting period, a 56% and 55%

increase over FY15 respectively. Of those children, 21 were ages 0 to 3 years, 12 were ages 4 to

5, and 17 were ages 6 to 12. This funding provided access to affordable and reliable child care,

enabling parents to gain or maintain current employment or to continue with educational

programs. During the child care assistance application process, the Employment, Training and

Support Services department staff assisted parents with finding an appropriate provider, clarifying

the certificate approval and issuing process, and working with parents to ensure that co-payments

are being made to providers. Additionally, staff provide warm introductions to Licensed Care

providers when families are seeking services for the first time. This process decreases the

intimidation and overwhelming feelings often reported by families seeking child care they feel

comfortable with and can trust.



• Parent and Provider Education: KANA’s 477 Program sends out monthly parent and Child

Care Provider letters that highlight program outreach efforts, upcoming Child Care Provider

trainings, and feature family-involved, child-focused activities.

The 477 Program also held Provider Chat Trainings with co-presenters Renee Lipps, State Local

Administrator of the LeeShore Center, James Benedict, State of Alaska Community Care

Licensing Specialist, and KANA Infant Learning Program’s Occupational Therapist, Rebecca

Bjorke. During these events providers were given training and updates on various aspects of child

care including any changes to the State’s or KANA’s processes, upcoming requirements for State

Licensed Providers, and providers were also given time to troubleshoot and discuss concerns. A

total of 7 direct trainings were provided in 2016 and topics included; Green Dot, Supervision and

Group Sizes, Billing Rates, Toxic Substances, Self-Care, Building Routines, and Universal

Precautions. More than 20 licensed and approved providers were in attendance consisting of over

181 cumulative attendees.

KANA’s Child Care Program continued working with the Kodiak Early Childhood Coalition

(KECC) to participate in the annual Kodiak Children’s Fair. Additional trainings were made

available through coordination with other KECC contributing organizations as part of this year’s

Children’s Fair. The Fair is an annual event where Kodiak families can learn about available

community resources and also provides access to vital information about childhood development

and beneficial activities for children.

• Partnerships and Community Action: The Employment, Training and Support Services

(ETSS) staff hold positions on several local coalitions that are dedicated to promoting social

services and improving the conditions and availability of child care in Kodiak. These include the

following coalitions: the Kodiak Early Childhood Coalition (KECC), Kodiak Human Services

Coalition (KHSC), and the Transition Age Youth (TAY) Coalition. KANA’s 477 Program

continues to be active in assisting these community partnerships and addressing community needs

that arise from the awareness brought about by these groups. This reporting period, ETSS met

and communicated with other Kodiak community programs such as the Alutiiq Museum, Brother

Francis Shelter, the Sun’aq Tribe, the Kodiak Public Library, Kodiak Borough School District,

and the Kodiak College in order to provide wraparound employment and training opportunities

for adults and youth.

KANA’s Education Programs


Kodiak Area Native Association FY 2016 KANA’s 477 Program provides post-secondary services for eligible Natives throughout the Region. It is

our goal to provide eligible students with the ability, via financial assistance and career counseling, to

pursue all levels of higher education. The focus is to assess, counsel, and assist clients in preparing for

self-sufficiency through provisions of a variety of educational and funding opportunities.

• Scholarships: KANA’s 477 Higher Education Program provided fourteen scholarships to

eligible Tribal members enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited college, university, and

vocational school or training program. Of these, two successfully completed and achieved a

certificate and four are actively pursuing their degrees. These four higher education students are

currently working towards degrees in the fields of Psychology, Accounting, Business

Administration, and one is double majoring in Nursing and Dietetics.

• Johnson O’Malley: KANA’s 477 Program operates preschool programs in two of Kodiak’s

remote villages: Akhiok and Port Lions. At the school operated in Port Lions, the teacher is

provided with appropriate trainings, lesson plans, and supplies as needed. During this reporting

period, the 477 Program continued to supply the preschool with crafts and small educational gifts

for three children between the ages of 3 and 4 during school and holiday events.

Akhiok has a Preschool at-Home Program that consists of a monthly mailing of easy-to-follow

lesson plans, necessary paper and printed materials, and supplies for each month's crafts and

learning activities which are packaged specifically for each family’s number of children. The

program served four children between the ages of 3 and 4, and each monthly families’ packets

include:

o 20-23 Daily Lesson Plans Organized in Day to Day Order Around a Monthly Theme

o 40-50 Take-Home Projects Per Child

o Necessary Supplies for Crafts and Activities

o Daily Physical Activities

o Thematic Calendar Decorations

o

o Instructions to Make Learning Games

o Health and Safety Activities

o Cooking Suggestions

o Parent Letters and Tips for Parent Participation



Feedback from families indicated high approval and preference for the at-home preschool

materials provided, and all families recommended keeping the curriculum provider for the

FY2016 school year. Additionally, culturaly specific curriculum provided by the Native Village

of Afognak was distributed to families and teachers for use.

KANA’s Employment & Training Programs

KANA’s employment services include job readiness activities, job development, job placement, support

services, and other work-first activities as they may apply to welfare reform and work participation

activities. The goal of employment services is to provide participants with effective and appropriate

employment and educational activities leading to economic self-sufficiency. Thirty-one businesses were

assisted in this reporting period. Assistance included: 27 youth summer work placements to 12 different

business, and training for 19 Licensed Child Care businesses regarding quality of child care services

delivered and other professional development topics.

• Job Placement and Training Services: ETSS coordinated a training opportunity for one client

to receive an OSHA 10 hour certification. ETSS staff collaborated with the Kodiak College and

Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation to plan for implementations of new maritime-based workshops

and training programs, both in town and in villages around the island. ETSS developed a new

training position titled ETSS Administrative Assistant Intern. This new position provides

guidance and training for eligible participants in the areas of office management and

administrative assistance, two areas identified by the department as high turnover positions across

the community. Each Intern/Trainee works part-time as a temporary employee and received direct

training on Microsoft programs, customer service, organization branding, standard office

equipment use, and regular ongoing feedback managerial performance feedback. During this

reporting period, two Interns successfully completed the program and one applied and was

immediately hire for a vacant Administrative Assistant position upon completion. ETSS placed

two Sterilization Technicians in KANA Dental as training positions to be Dental Assistants. Each

of the training placements resulted in promotion to Dental Assistants and full-time permanent

employment. An additional result of these placements has been the Dental Program’s expressed

desire to continue such training placement in the future.

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act & Supportive Services: The KANA 477

Program supported 20 adult and 30 youth participants in work activities including vocational

training, job readiness skills, educational goals, and support services as needed. The ETSS staff



continued to assist these clients with job coaching and support services such as training and

required work clothes to facilitate future successful outcomes.

KANA’s 477 program provided diverse supportive services to participants such as:

o Providing appropriate clothing for interview and employment;

o Providing appropriate gear necessary for employment (steel-toe boots, rain gear, etc.);

o Assistance with purchasing text books and other educational materials;

o Admissions and testing fees for GED and college classes;

o Providing hygienic products for interviews and initial employment;

o Transportation to and from training and employment activities.

The ETSS Employment Center consists of seven laptop computers with a printer and dedicated

high speed internet located in their own dedicated room. This allows for parents to bring children

to job search activities, trainings, or workshops, as well as allows for ETSS to conduct group

workshops and/or training sessions. Workshops focus on a variety of topics such as job searching,

resume building, interviewing, budgeting, and other skills that increase clients’ abilities to meet

the expectations of the job market in attaining employment and to maintain self-sufficiency. This

year KANA 477 added the following training tools, LyndaPro license with Lynda.com. Through

LyndaPro ETSS Staff can default to experts on topics such as specific Microsoft manipulations,

budgeting tips, business management, and customer service. This has expanded the breadth of

trainings that can now be delivered with confidence in validity and reliability. During the

reporting year the Employment Center saw 155 cumulative users, a 58% increase from FY15.

The following graph illustrates the calendar year cumulative record of Employment Center use.



ETSS and members of the Kodiak Island Housing Authority continue to meet regularly as needed

to case conference on shared clients and to leverage existing resources for training and education

opportunities. This has resulted in decreased bureaucracy for participants and an ability to better

achieve shared program goals regarding participant self-sufficiency. These discussions have

generated a faster acting safety net, created better paths to utilizing combined program resources

without duplication, and helped participants simplify individual steps to self-sufficiency. Areas of

critical training and referral are routinely identified in these meetings and have contributed to

training and workshop topics, as well as identified gaps in services.

• Supplemental Youth Employment and Training Program (SYETP): The Supplemental

Youth Employment and Training Program was developed to help low income and/or at-risk youth

gain exposure to employability skills, work ethics, and job experience by partnering with

community agencies and businesses to develop work placement opportunities. In FY15 SYETP

began operating year-round, allowing each eligible youth to complete 100 hours of work

experience anytime during the fiscal year. During FY16 the program continued to operate year-

round and youth work hours were increased to 150 hours per youth.



There were 27 youth participants during this reporting period. Youth were placed at various

participating businesses that were located both in the city of Kodiak as well as in the villages

throughout the Koniag Region. Some barriers to employment for participating youth included:

o Long days for first-time workers,

o Difficulty reporting to work early,

o Transportation,

o Stringent work laws,

o Lack of parental support.

Participating youth and their supervisors completed evaluations of the program, identifying what

they “liked” and “didn’t like” about their experiences, and how they could apply those lessons to

future career search decisions. The SYETP strives to provide interesting and relevant work

assignments to the participants based on their skills and interest assessments, and with

consideration given to the feedback received each year. For those youth that struggled in their

work placements or were not able to succeed in their placement, phone and face-to-face meetings

with work placement supervisors were arranged to build feedback and identify areas of struggle.

This information was then used to provide feedback to the youth and in guiding future trainings

and placements for those youth. Employers all reported high satisfaction with the program, even

when a youth placement did not work out.

Continuing in FY16, an ETSS Case Manager traveled to seven communities and a logging camp

in the spring and fall for face-to-face opportunities to build relationships with Native youth and

provide program specific information. The Case Manager worked in each school setting to

provide career pathways guidance counseling, resume building, a career interest assessment, and

an interactive training of employment soft skills to approximately 54 high school youths. The

interactive employment soft-skill training focused on Professionalism in Todays Workforce,

Enthusiasm, Networking, and Problem Solving & Critical Thinking. The Case Manager further

provided career specific information on education and training options within Alaska.

ETSS staff partnered with 13 other local vendors and community partners to assist in the

planning, preparing, and delivery of the Transition Age Youth (TAY) Event. In November of

2015 28 rural high school students traveled from six remote villages to Kodiak and participated in

a four-day event entitled Sun'arausqat Katurgwiat, "The Young People’s Gathering Place.”

Through a series of activities and events, students discovered what their career and educational



interests were and began to develop a portfolio that will guide them as they explore possible

careers, vocational and higher education, self-employment, work experience and internship

opportunities.

The event commenced with an opening that included Alutiiq cultural activities and exercises that

focused on leadership. The second day students engaged in a “Get Real Financial Activity” –

which was a fun, hands-on way to learn about managing personal finances. Community members

and credit union staff assisted students in making decisions about everyday expenses and provide

financial advice to help them maintain a budget. The youth also engaged in a scavenger hunt

hosted by the Kodiak College which resulted in students discovering what the college has to offer

and helped them to become familiar with the campus. Field trips included a tour of the Alutiiq

Museum and the Public Works department. A Youth Banquet ended the each day’s events and

included Alutiiq language, presentation on Alutiiq Culture, a performance from the Kodiak

Alutiiq Dancers, and a special guest motivational speech from “Litefoot.”

The third day began with a tour of Kodiak Island Housing Authority’s Life Builders facility,

followed by a presentation by Northern Industrial Training. Later that evening the students

participated in the Kodiak Island Scholarship Fair, a community event hosted by the Kodiak

College. This event was created to educate students about the numerous scholarship options in



our community. Over thirty vendors were in attendance and over three hundred community

members attended this event.

On the last day, the students participated in the Kodiak Career and College Fair, a community

event hosted by the Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education, where local employers

representing various careers, the military, education, and training options were available to our

students. Vendors at this event numbered 28. The students enjoyed the event and filled out

engagement sheets for each activity. The goal is to continue to guide youth participants

throughout their high school years to ensure they have a well thought out and meaningful career

path forged prior to exiting high school.

Identified Barriers to KANA’s 477 Program

• Employment Opportunities:

o The fishing industry has dominated the Koniag Region for years; however the fishing

industry has changed. Local residents who were able to gain year-round employment on

fishing boats or in fishing canneries, or were able to make enough in a summer to support

them for the year, now find they are unable to maintain financial stability through the



year. This continues to lead people to change job paths or seek new employment

opportunities. Kodiak Island has limited resources and industries and therefore limited

employment opportunities, namely in rural village settings. The 2016 salmon fishing

season marked one of the poorest biomass returns in recent history, resulting in an influx

of job seekers with limited diversity in work experience. In a Sept. 19 letter to U.S.

Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, Alaska Governor Walker said

fishery failures that occurred this summer 2016 in the Kodiak, Prince William Sound,

Lower Cook Inlet, and Chignik areas are having a "significant impact on those who

depend on the fishery for their livelihood" and asks for the "soonest possible review" due

to the economic importance of these fisheries. In Kodiak, fishing remained closed during

70 percent of the pink salmon run, and the catch of 3.2 million fish was 28 percent of the

expected harvest. The estimated value to fishermen, Walker wrote in his letter, is $2.2

million, compared to a five-year average of $14.6 million. This resulted in a vacuum,

sucking up the low-experience and low-credential jobs available, and leaving only those

employment opportunities requiring degrees, advanced certificates, and/or extensive

experience in the field.

• Alcoholism and Addiction Problems: Many of our ETSS participants struggle or have

struggled with substance use and abuse issues. These issues are difficult to overcome and present

large barriers to attaining and maintaining employment and self-sufficiency. Employers can even

be hesitant to work with participants who have overcome these barriers simply due to the

participant’s history.

• Rural Villages: While participation by our village residents is a goal, it is often difficult to serve

the remote villages adequately because of extremely limited resources in the villages and the high

cost of providing services to these locations. These trips take time and money to plan and

administer effectively. Weather is always a factor during fall and spring outreach, and in the

summer many village residents are commercial or subsistence fishing on boats or at remote sites.

In addition, village trips last only one or two days each and this is a narrow window to work with

the village residents and provide a full range of services and benefits.

• Department Updates/Staff Development: KANA ETSS transitioned to new staff and an

expanded structure beginning in FY 2013, focusing on capacity building, retraining, service

delivery, and program renewal plan preparation. Time that was being devoted to cross-training



and program reorganization during this transition period is once again going to beneficiaries. Plan

revisions and clarity continue to be discussed regarding quality improvement and implementation

of services to KANA beneficiaries. Eaglesun Tribal Assistance Software and Chrystal Reports

training has become an annual measure of upkeep to the implementation of services and to

streamline participant tracking and reporting. The consolidation of several years of information,

practices, and department management visions has been a primary focus of the program manager,

and remains and ongoing endeavor. This process is expected to continue, culminating in the

FY18-20 plan, and having been achieved without adverse impact to program participants and

KANA beneficiaries.

The ETSS Manager attended Bridges Out of Poverty Trainer Certification training in April of

2016. The trainer certification allows for the ETSS Manager to deliver staff, organizational, and

partner trainings directly. The framework creates a viewing lens for assisting those individuals

experiencing poverty, focusing on structuring programs, services, processes, staff, organizations,

and communities that are sensitive and aware of the actual needs and experiences of those in

poverty. The training has been directly delivered to all of KANA 477 and TANF staff to date.

Some results of the training include, decreased bureaucracy at all levels of programming,

increased case management activates (e.g., more phone calls, sending and retrieving documents

on participants’ behalf, increased reminders and discretion, etc.), and decreased observation of

compassion fatigue by staff.

The ETSS Manager continued to dedicate time to the continuation of knowledge, procedures, and

general business by documenting multiple department-wide resources. Annual report deadlines

and instructions, client application processes and documentation, and Case Manager

Responsibilities are all being successfully documented to ensure the continuation of services

provided under KANA’s 477 Plan. Policy and Procedure documents continue to be refined and

solidified in a manner to further facilitate this goal, and to decrease the amount of research and

time spent in repeatedly making the same decisions regarding spending allowances and client

handling. Check lists and cover sheets outline case files in a manner to allow for ease of internal

audits to maintain compliance.

Summary

During the FY16 reporting year, KANA 477 Program(s) achieved the following;



o Development of increased village-based KANA Approved Child Care Providers and

training

o Increased Children in Licensed and Approved Child Care by 56%

o Delivered Child Care Provider training to approximately 80% of State of Alaska

Licensed Providers in the community

o Provided six Higher education scholarships and funded two preschool programs

o Assisted 20 adults and 30 youth in employment activities

o Partnered with the local College and Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation program to

carryout maritime training courses and workshops to four communities around the island

o Introduced the ETSS Administrative Assistant Intern training position with two

successful completions and one resulting in permanent full-time employment

o Placed two Sterilization Technicians as Dental Assistant Trainees, both of which resulted

in permanent full-time employment and promotions within the department

o Increased Supplemental youth participants by 500%

o Assisted 31 businesses with employment, quality improvement, health and safety, and

general training

o Partnered to bring together 57 youth, more than a dozen community organization

partners, and 36 businesses and training providers for the Transition Age Youth

“People’s Gathering Place” Event


Documents

Kodiak Area Native Association FY 2016 2015 to 2016.Nar 508 Comp.pdfReporting Period: 10/1/201 5 – 9/30/2016 Page 2 of 13. ... Coalition (KHSC), and the Transition Age Youth (TAY)