Health & Social Services Committee Approves Increase in Customer Benefit Payments

Navajo Nation Program for Self Reliance (NNPSR) Customers will receive a welcome surprise with their November benefit payment - an increase of anywhere from 10 to 25 percent.

On September 9, the Health and Social Services Committee (HSSC) of the Navajo Nation Council approved revisions to the NNPSR Family Assistance and Employment Support Services Policy Manual.

A major revision included was the NNPSR’s Payment Standard increase, which was introduced to the HSSC in March 2008.

At that time, Roxanne Gorman, NNPSR Dept. Manager III, informed the committee that customer benefits have remained at the same level since 2000. Meanwhile, prices on food and gas continue to rise.

“I’ve heard from customers who have had to make hard choices between paying for gas to get to appointments or buying food for their children,” she said. “When provided a choice like that, they will choose to take care of their children.”

Mrs. Gorman explained that a majority of NNPSR customers are single mothers and they have a deep desire for their children to succeed.
Mrs. Gorman reminded the Delegates that the NNPSR does its part to guide, advise and compel customers to pursue a career path.

The amount each benefit group receives depends upon a number of factors including earned and unearned income. From the time the idea was first presented to the HSSC, it took several months to make the benefit increase possible.

First, legislation revising NNPSR policies to allow the increase had to be reviewed by several offices and placed upon the HSSC agenda.
In addition, changes had to be made to the database used by the NNPSR to raise the payment standard.

Mrs. Gorman credited Anthony Dineyazhe, Senior Projects and Programs Specialist, for leading the initiative as the head of the Policy, Research and Data Section.

Much of the research supporting the increase in the NNPSR Payment Standard was performed by Dr. Konstance Shirley, Statistical Research Analyst, who created the report that was presented to the HSSC.