Child Support Agency
The Penobscot Nation Child Support Agency is now back to the original hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm. In person meetings need to be made by appointment.
PNCSA is accepting new applications for child support. You can pick an application up at 2 Down Street, Indian Island ME 04468 but please call ahead to make an appointment.
You can mail completed applications to PNCSA, P.O. Box 446, Old Town, ME 04468 or drop it off at 2 Down Street, Indian Island, ME 04468.
If you owe child support please send in a check or money order payable to PNCSA and mail to P.O. Box 446, Old Town, ME 04468
Awendela Williams (FKA Dana), PNCSA Program Coordinator
Phone: (207) 817-7355
E-mail: [email protected]
Nastassja Graves (FKA Francis), PNCSA Case Aid/Administrative Coordinator
Phone: (207) 817-7356
E-mail: [email protected]
noli-pəmαwəsolətipəna (All Our Relations Thriving)
(207) 745-6644
Thriving families are the foundation of a strong Nation. We are dedicated to helping Penobscot families thrive through partnerships with parents, and by enhancing the collaborative effectiveness of people and organizations committed to promoting healthy families. We strive towards a community of mutual support, compassion, and joy.
General Assistance
- This program exists to provide financial assistance to eligible community members residing on the Penobscot Reservation in an effort to promote personal growth and financial independence. This program is administered by the Community Services Coordinator
- Recipients who are able-bodied will obtain gainful employment that affords them a living wage.
- Recipients who have a physical and/or mental disability will obtain financial benefits through entitlement programs such as Social Security, Social Security Disability or Supplemental Security Income.
- There are residency requirements for an applicant to receive benefits from general assistance.
- An unmet need needs to be determined through the application process certain circumstances do allow for emergency assistance.
- Other resources available to an applicant need to be utilized such as food stamps, emergency crisis, LIHEAP, TANF, WIC, Unemployment Comp, Veteran’s benefit and others.
- Job searches will be preformed by adult members of the household who are able to work to the satisfaction of the case worker.
- Individual case plans will be used by each recipient and followed or sanctions of ineligibility will be given
- There are residency requirements for an applicant to receive benefits from general assistance.
- An unmet need needs to be determined through the application process certain circumstances do allow for emergency assistance.
- Other resources available to an applicant need to be utilized such as food stamps, emergency crisis, LIHEAP, TANF, WIC, Unemployment Comp, Veteran’s benefit and others.
- Job searches will be preformed by adult members of the household who are able to work to the satisfaction of the case worker.
- Individual case plans will be used by each recipient and followed or sanctions of ineligibility will be given
Child Care Center
The Penobscot Nation Children’s Center provides a safe, developmentally appropriate environment for young children, which nurtures the growth of the whole child while supporting cultural and family values. We promote individualized learning based on the uniqueness of each child, and recognize that parents are the prime educators of their children. We strive to provide a stimulating early care and educational experience that promotes each child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development and fosters the child’s desire for lifelong learning.
PNCC serves children from 6 weeks through their 6th birthday. After they turn 6, they will be eligible to attend the Penobscot Youth Program. We offer full-time, part-time, half time, and quarter time slots. Please see our handbook for more information or call (207)817-7461.
Food Pantry
The Food Pantry is 501C non-profit organization. It is open twice a month and on an emergency basis. The purpose of the program is to provide food to low income/needy Families. Population that is served incudes: Indian Island, Old Town, Argyle, Bangor, Milford, Bradley and Greenbush.
Notice: Last day for the food boxes delivery was on Friday, March 18, 2022. Starting Friday, March 25th you will need to pickup your own food box. Limited to 4 people at a time until further notice face mask and gloves are required. The Food Pantry is open every Fridays.
Schedule Time:
Seniors: 10:00 am to 11:00 am
General Public: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Any questions call: 817-7492
Independent Living
- Population: primarily youth age 14-17 current or former foster care, any youth having received services through the Department of Social Services, or any youth within the Penobscot Nation community.
- This program provides: cultural and wellness activities (i.e. shawl and drum kits), student support services (i.e. drivers education), independent living skills opportunities (i.e. financial literacy and team building workshops) and cultural connection monies for children in foster care to visit their community.
Adult Guardianship
- Guardianship is obtaining the legal authority to make decisions for another person.
- If there is an appropriate willing family member to take the responsibility does not seek guardianship instead they assists the family
- Responsibilities of the Guardian
- Medical consent/treatment
- Providing all basic necessities food, shelter, clothes & personal items
Adult Protective Services
- Penobscot Nation established their own Elder/Adult Protection Law and it was enacted by general meeting, this law keeps Penobscot Citizens safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
- Abuse means the infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or cruel punishment that causes or is likely to cause physical harm or pain or mental anguish; sexual abuse or sexual exploitation; or the intentional, knowing or reckless deprivation of essential needs. Abuse includes acts and omissions.
- Neglect is denied as a threat to an adult’s health or welfare by physical or mental injury or impairment, deprivation of essential needs or lack of protection from these.
- Exploitation is the illegal or improper use of an incapacitated or dependent adult or that adult’s resources for another’s profit or adventages.
Foster Care
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act provides funds for states and tribes to provide foster care, transitional independent living programs for children, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance for children with special needs.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families (IV-B)
The services are designed to help State child welfare agencies and eligible Indian tribes establish and operate integrated, preventive family preservation services and community-based family support services for families at risk or in crisis.
Elder Services
- Population Served: Penobscot tribal members ages 55 and older living in Penobscot County
- Congregate Meals:
- Health Promotion and Wellness:
- Information and Referral( services such as heating assistance and FarmShares).
- Outreach
- Transportation
- Other Services
Youth Program & Teen Center
The Penobscot Nation Youth Program’s mission is dedicated to enriching children’s lives through providing a safe, caring and structured environment. The program will provide youth with programs that address the emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral development of youth. The program seeks to assist children in developing life skills, communication skills, responsibility and how to interact with others through meaningful activities. Our goal is to provide our youth with the skills to learn and develop into productive members of the tribal community and society as a whole.
Child Welfare/ICWA
Program Mission: Preserve and strengthen Penobscot families by preventing out-of-home placement whenever possible, maintaining family ties, reunifying families, and providing kinship/tribal permanency plans for children who cannot return home. We strive to provide Penobscot children in custody with access to culturally appropriate services that help them to grow up safe and healthy.
Li-HEAP Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program
- Basic Benefits
- Li-HEAP has a defined service area for Penobscot individuals and families.
- Applications are taken from October to March for assistance.
- Benefits are based on a matrix that considers income/household size, energy used and dwelling.
- The coordinator of this program is the Community Services Coordinator.
- ECIP A & B (Emergancy Crisis Intervention Program)
- ECIP A is to keep clients from experiencing their electicity from shutting off or running out of fuel to during the winter months.
- ECIP B exsists to repair or place a client’s heating source when it is inoperable or malfunctioning. It has a $5000 lifetime maxium, when this has become a problem we have coordinated with the Housing Department to help our Li-HEAP recipient.
- Weatherization
- For this program we partner with Penquis (CAP) Community Action Program, our clients get much more assistance the agency has more resources from purchasing in bulk and having their own contractors to do the work.
- This Program reduces the energy costs of for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of the home while ensuring the resident’s health and safety
Burial Assistance
- The BIA assistance program is a one-time payment of up to $2500 towards burial/funeral expenses, for Penobscots who reside on Indian Island.
- An application must be made out, by an immediate family member by setting up an appointment with the Community Services Coordinator and providing
- Proof of Income
- Death Certificate
- Social Security Number
- Bill for Services
Child Support Agency
It is the goal of the Penobscot Nation to improve the lives of children, assist parents in their decision-making efforts, enhance family values to the benefit of family members and their tribal community, and strengthen tribal sovereignty through greater use of tribal institutions.