Social & Family Services
Caring for our citizens by supporting strong individuals and families
STA offers culturally centered programs to promote physical and mental wellbeing, help victims of crime, and promote child safety.
The Child Advocacy Center is a place where a child of eligible adult and their non-offending caregiver can visit following a concern of abuse, neglect, or harm. At the CAC, a team of professionals including family advocates, forensic interviewers, medical providers, child protection, law enforcement, mental health clinicians, and prosecutors coordinate services around the best interest of the child. Sitka Tribe operates the CAC in Sitka, with funding support from the U.S. Department of Justice, and is a developing member of the National Children’s Alliance.
Alaskan and Native American Indian children living in Sitka may be eligible for assistance with childcare costs. Our program allows for eligibility without income or co-payment requirements. The program plays a vital role in supporting tribal families and child development by facilitating caregiver employment, training, education, and wellbeing of participating families. We want all tribal children to have access to quality early childhood education and a safe and healthy learning environment. Childcare is available with state licensed facilities and tribally approved In-home and Relative care providers.
Childcare Cost Assistance Application
The Tribally Approved Relative and In-Home Care Program will allow parents to hire their relatives (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) or other trusted adults provide childcare in either their home or the child’s home following Tribal approval.
If you are or know someone who is interested in this program, please contact the program manager Cathlene Adams at cathlene.adams@sitkatribe-nsn.gov for an orientation and application meeting.
As part of the approval process, applicants will work with the Tribe to create policies and procedures for a safe childcare environment, complete health and safety requirements such as a site visit, and will complete mandatory trainings including First Aid and SIDS prevention. The approval must be renewed annually and caregivers are strongly encouraged to continue their education and safety training.
STA remains committed to providing high quality, innovative early learning experiences and this program is a testament to that commitment.
Families are invited to join our new Relative and In-home Childcare Program. The program allows families to have more individualized care and flexibility for both the child and the family.
Indian Child Welfare Act
Forty-five years after passage of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Alaska Native and American Indian children are still disproportionately likely to be removed from their homes due to child welfare concerns. In Alaska, approximately 55 percent of children in state custody are Alaska Native. Sitka Tribe of Alaska has a robust program to prevent child abuse and neglect. We are committed to ensuring that Tribal children who are removed from the care of parents remain connected to family, Tribe and culture.
If STA determines that removal from home is in the best interest of a Tribal citizen child, STA will assume guardianship in Tribal Court if it is feasible to do so. In instances when intervention by the state is required, the Tribe’s ICWA caseworker and attorney work in collaboration with the Alaska Office of Children’s Services or an out-of-state caseworker to reunify the child with their parents when this is possible and in the child’s best interest. When family reunification is not possible, STA will work with the state to place the child with other relatives or another Tribal family.
In rare instances where placement with a non-Native family is determined to be in the best interest of a child, STA will execute a cultural connection agreement to protect the child’s right to an ongoing relationship with their culture and Tribe.
STA’s ICWA partnership with the state was recognized by the Harvard Honoring Nations program in 2018. The Tribe was recognized by the U.S. Children’s Bureau in 2019 with an Adoption Excellence Award.
STA has an ongoing need for Native households willing to offer safe, supportive, loving homes to Tribal citizen youth on a temporary or permanent basis.
Call 1-800-478-7307 or visit the Alaska Office of Children’s Services, for more information.
Tribal Court
SS staff can be a resource to families navigating guaridanship through tribal court.
Sitka Tribe of Alaska offers workshops and activities designed to build strong families. Our offerings include several programs developed by the Native American Fatherhood and Families Association specifically for Indigenous people. Our seasonal family activities include marine excursions, subsistence gatherings, and traditional arts.
Our seasonal programs for families emphasize and reinforce Lingít culture. Summer activities include wildlife cruises and beach excursions, giving adults and children the opportunity to harvest plants and berries. In other seasons, we provide opportunities for families to engage in traditional arts.
STA offers regular cohorts of Fatherhood is Sacred,Ⓡ Motherhood is Sacred,Ⓡ and Linking Generations by Strengthening Relationships.Ⓡ These 12-week programs to strengthen families and relationships are specifically designed by and for Native people. STA offers these programs free of charge to all members of the community.
STA also offers wellness activites throughout the year, including yoga every Monday from 6-7pm at Yoga Union, which is open to all and free of cost to Tribal Citizens. We also offer Sound Healing sessions for Tribal Citizens, in both group and individual settings. Fill out the Souund Healing Intake Form here.
To learn more, visit the STA Events Calendar
Life is full of financial challenges. Sitka Tribe of Alaska is here to help. We provide many types of financial support to eligible individuals and households.
Not sure where to start?
Tribal citizens are encouraged to contact the STA Social Services Department at (907) 747-7293 for more information on financial assistance programs.
*Note: some programs for Sitka residents require minimum of six months’ residency
STA accepts applications for Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance from income-eligible Alaska Natives and American Indians who provide documentation of residence in Sitka. The amount of monthly assistance depends on household size and income.
Eligibility: Low income STA citizens in Sitka
STA has bus passes available for local transportation needs. For more information on eligibility, please email us or call (907) 747-7293
Alaskan and Native American Indian children living in Sitka may be eligible for assistance with childcare costs. Our program allows for eligibility without income or co-payment requirements. The program plays a vital role in supporting tribal families and child development by facilitating caregiver employment, training, education, and wellbeing of participating families. We want all tribal children to have access to quality early childhood education and a safe and healthy learning environment. Childcare is available with state licensed facilities and tribally approved In-home and Relative care providers.
Families are invited to join our new Relative and In-home Childcare Program. The program allows families to have more individualized care and flexibility for both the child and the family.
Eligibility: AN/AI children in Sitka
STA may provide up to $500 in flexible emergency assistance per year to income-eligible Tribal citizen households in Sitka. Adults in the household who are able to work must be working or looking for work. STA staff will assist applicants in identifying and applying for additional sources of assistance.
Sitka Tribe may provide up to $250 in financial assistance for purchasing work clothing to income-eligible Tribal citizens in Sitka. Applicants must be employed or have a written offer of employment.
Sitka Tribe will make a single payment to a vendor, such as a funeral home, to help cover funeral costs for Tribal citizens. The amount of assistance depends on available funding, and may range from $500 – $1,500. Requests for funeral assistance must be made within six months of death, and must be accompanied by a death certificate.
STA Tribal citizens and other households with at least one Alaska Native or American Indian member in Sitka may be eligible for financial assistance with home heating costs from the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP). The amount of assistance depends on household income, household size, fuel type, and the annual availability of federal funds.
STA also provides limited assistance with repair of home heating equipment to households that are eligible for LIHEAP.
Please email us or call (907) 747-7293 to learn more about home heating repair.
If you have applied to any of the programs on this page and have been denied assistance, you may appeal the decision by following our appeals procedure. Please be mindful of the timelines and requirements for appeals outlined in the procedure.
Sitka Tribe and SAFV also collaborate to provide transitional housing for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Participants in this program receive supportive services and rent subsidies while rebuilding their lives.
For more information on eligibility for these programs, please contact SAFV, (907) 747-3370.