Welcome to the office of Tribal Relations 4th Quarter Newsletter
We are pleased to welcome you to our fourth quarter issue of the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) Newsletter for the State Fiscal Year 2024! The main purpose of this newsletter is to provide a communication forum for tribal staff, programs, and tribal members to learn and stay up to date on current news and information from DES. Your comments, suggestions, and feedback are always welcome at ksteffen@azdes.gov.
DES has seven divisions including the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) and administers more than 50 programs and services to comprehensively meet the needs of our communities, serve diverse populations, and ensure everyone has the opportunity to overcome barriers and strengthen individuals, families, and communities for a better quality of life. This newsletter will increase awareness and ensure tribes are informed of the DES resources available. We hope you will enjoy reading the OTR Quarterly Newsletters, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Notable Highlights and Updates
Division of Benefits and Medical Eligibility (DBME)
MyFamilyBenefits (MFB)
MyFamilyBenefits is a free, easy-to-use online portal, for individuals receiving Nutrition and Cash Assistance to help manage their benefits. Once registered, Arizona families have a secure way to access case information and other resources. Participants can track the progress of their application and have access to multiple resources to help manage their benefits.
Participants will be able to view the status of their case, benefit amounts, report changes, upload documents, and view notices. They will also be able to find information on how to apply for benefits, complete their Mid-Approval Contact forms and so much more.
Help spread the word about this benefit to our communities in hopes of streamlining the participants process and may help decrease their call wait times and assist in minimizing the office lines! You can view a step by step guide on registering and using MyFamily Benefits here, or watch this video:
60th Anniversary of SNAP
Did you know? August 31st marked the 60th anniversary of SNAP. SNAP continues to be our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. The Food and Nutrition Service recently released a new report on SNAP household characteristics for fiscal year (FY) 2022. One of the key findings of the report is that four-in-five (79 percent) of SNAP households included either a child, an elderly individual, or a non-elderly individual with a disability.
Check out this interesting on article on the history of SNAP by clicking here!
Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
Outreach on the Tribal Nations from the DDD Newsletter
The DDD Tribal Liaison, Annette Yazzie, visited several communities across the state to educate parents, families, and tribal stakeholders about the DDD program.
On July 31, 2024, the Division Tribal Liaison presented a DDD Overview to the Cocopah Indian Tribe's tribal staff.
On August 16, 2024, the liaison also presented an overview to the Native American Cancer Advisory Board, which included tribal members from various tribal communities.
On September 12, 2024, the Hopi Behavioral Health event brought the Hopi families together to discuss behavioral health services and suicide prevention within their community.
Child and Community Services Division (CCSD)
Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) Monthly Newsletter
Gerrie’s Gazette is AzEIP’s monthly newsletter with early childhood related topics, resources, events, family and provider stories.
Contact
Please get in touch. The OTR Team can provide additional information and resources from DES. If you have any questions or inquiries, an OTR staff member will always be happy to help. Feel free to contact us by clicking on the "request assistance" or "OTR Staff" buttons below.
If you have suggestions for future newsletter information and/or areas of interest not included in this issue, you can email ksteffen@azdes.gov.
Credits:
Created with images by brent coulter - "Sonoran Sunset" • Jeremy Janus - "Colorful Sunrise on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Arizona" • KRoberts - "White Tank Mountain State Park Near Phoenix Arizona"