COVID-19 Update

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases. Symptoms may appear  2-14 days after exposure. Watch for these symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

If you or someone in your household has any of these symptoms, please call the Dena’ina Wellness Center (DWC) at 907-335-7500 before entering DWC.  Staff will work with you to decide the best course of action.

Seek medical attention immediately if you develop  emergency warning signs  for COVID-19. Emergency warning signs include:

• Trouble breathing.
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest.
• New confusion or inability to arouse.
• Bluish lips or face.
• This list is not all-inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

Take the following steps to further STOP THE SPREAD:

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds and avoid touching your face. Use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol when hand washing is not possible.
• Avoid touching other people and objects as much as possible and apply disinfectant to work and play areas and clean all contact areas on a regular basis.
• Stay at home and practice social distancing which means keeping at least six (6) feet of distance to help prevent the spread of germs.
• Help regarding questions or concerns is only a phone call away. Please call the Dena’ina Wellness Center at 907-335-7500 if you have further questions.

Dena’ina Wellness Center

We continue to offer services to our beneficiaries at the Dena’ina Wellness Center during the COVID-19 crisis. Please contact us at 907-335-7500 to schedule an appointment for Primary Care, Dental, Behavioral Health and Optometry services.

Primary Care

• Onsite services are being limited to urgent and emergent visits.
• “Routine” visits and prescription refills for established patients are being provided through telemedicine.
• Onsite COVID-19 rapid testing is available to beneficiaries presenting with COVID-19 related symptoms and as requested by providers.

Dental and Optometry

• Onsite services are being limited to urgent and emergent visits.
• Optometry services for contact lens and prescription glasses for established patients are being provided telephonically.

Behavioral Health

• Services including group meetings are currently being provided through telemedicine.
• An onsite clinician is available to provide urgent services at the request of Primary Care.

Physical Therapy

• Services are available through a referral from Primary Care.

Wellness

• Services including the use of the gym are suspended until further notice.
• The greenhouse is closed to the public. The greenhouse coordinator has started this year’s crop.

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Tyotkas Elder Center

Tyotkas Elders’ Center is closed to the public until further notice. Staff will continue to prepare meals for delivery to those on the Tyotkas Elder Center list. To make arrangements for meal delivery to Kenaitze Tribal Elders and to those on the list, or for assistance, call 907-335-7280.

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Na’ini Family and Social Services

• Domestic violence and sexual assault advocates are available. For assistance, call 907-335-7628 or 907-690-2257.
• To make a report of harm to children or vulnerable adults, call 907-335-7628  or 907-690-2257.
• The food cache is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For assistance, first call 907-335-7600.
• General assistance, energy assistance, burial support and essential needs applications are available for Alaska Native and American Indian people. For assistance, call 907-335-7600.
• Family preservation services, including assistance to at-risk families are available. For assistance, call 907-335-7600.

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Early Childhood Center and Yaghanen Youth Program

Face-to-face education programs have been suspended through July 31. Tribal leadership is working on educational opportunities to support distance learning.

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Transportation

Limited transportation services are available. For transportation services, call 907-335-7212.

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Administration Building

The Tribe’s administration building on Willow Street is temporarily closed to the public. For assistance, call 907-335-7200.

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Educational Fishery

The Tribal Council continues to monitor and address the status of the educational fishery in response to the ever-changing number of positive COVID-19 cases. For the most up-to-date information, assistance or questions regarding the educational fishery, please call 907-335-7203.

Effective immediately, the following restrictions apply to the permittees who are scheduled for the net in July:

The Tribal Council has reaffirmed its decision to have the Fishery staff continue to fish the net and process the fish, as time permits, for the permittees who have scheduled the net in July.

The Fishery staff will be contacting each permittee to determine how they would like their fish processed and to arrange pick up in a timely manner.

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Tribal Court

The Tribal Court building is temporarily closed to the public. Hearings are being held telephonically. For assistance with Tribal Court, call 907-335-7233.

Indian Housing Block Grant – Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act COVID-19 Housing Assistance

The Kenaitze/Salamatof Tribally Designated Housing Entity has a program for qualified Alaska Native and American Indian people to help with COVID-19 prevention through affordable, safe and sanitary housing.

The maximum request for assistance is up to $1,000 per qualified applicant and is limited to the heads of household in the TDHE’s service area. The TDHE’s service area includes Kenai, Soldotna, Sterling, Nikiski, and Kasilof north of the Kasilof River. The program offers:

• Mortgage Assistance - provides mortgage payment assistance to qualified applicants
• Rental Assistance - provides rental payment assistance to qualified applicants
• Utility Assistance - provides utility payment assistance to qualified applicants

Completed applications must be received by the Housing Department no later than 5 p.m. Alaska Time on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.

Applications are available at https://www.kenaitze.org/assistance/housing/ or at the Kenaitze/Salamatof Tribally Designated Housing Entity office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is located at 1001 Mission Ave., Suite A, in Old Town Kenai.

For more information please call 907-335-7231.

Imminent Threat CARES Act Grant Program

Kenaitze Indian Tribe is applying for the HUD Indian Community Development Block Grant CARES Act Imminent Threat Program, which is specifically intended to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.” If Kenaitze receives the grant, imminent threat funding will be available to Kenaitze and Salamatof Tribal Members 18 years and older, living in Kenaitze/Salamatof Tribally Designated Housing Entity service area, and who are head of a household. The following documents describe opportunities for citizen participation:
Project Description Summary
HUD Implementation Guidelines

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 home page is updated frequently with resources for individuals and the community, along with information for travelers.
• The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services Coronovirus Response Hub provides resources, links to Alaska Health Mandates and case counts.
• Health Mandates Issued for the State of Alaska are updated daily.
• Coping with Stress offers Alaskans tips for well-being.

• What Tribal Members need to know
• Supporting our Elders
• Caring or someone with COVID-19
• Preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the home