The Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma has integrated employment, training and related services through Public Law 102-477 in order to serve our Native Americans in the best way possible.

No additional dollars are associated with this law; however, it does allow the combining of resources, Department of Labor and the Bureau of Indian Affairs that results in lowered administrative costs and more dollars reaching participants as well as more served. Through cooperative agreements with neighboring tribes, the Pawnee Nation E & T service area includes all tribes in Pawnee County and Pawnee Tribal members in Payne County. (The HIED program serves only Pawnee tribal members, 1/8 or more blood quantum, no matter where they live)

The Pawnee Nation has adopted the following goals for its 477 program:

1. To integrate the tribe’s employment, training and related services in order to improve the effectiveness of those services.
2. To reduce joblessness among Indian people within the tribe’s service area.
3. To serve tribally-determined goals consistent with the policy of self-determination and self governance.
4. To facilitate the growth of business, investment and jobs on the tribe’s reservation. Special consideration will be given to using 477 resources, in ways allowable under this plan, which address this objective. This objective will have the highest priority for the use of available 477 resources.
5. To address the needs of Indian families within the tribe’s service area that are now dependant on public assistance. Specifically, the tribe will provide special services to enable such Indian families to receive the education and training they need to become permanently productive in the workforce.

All Applicants are required to go through the Intake/Application Process first. This will help us determine what component of the 477 services will best assist in reaching their goals. At Intake, an “Employment Development Plan” (EDP) is created for the client, a clear identification of all financial resources, and an outline of employment and/or training objectives needed in order to reach the objectives.