CTWS Health & Human Services Branch Programs
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Health and Human Services branch continues to provide critical intergenerational support across the reservation, coordinating essential safety nets that address basic needs, elder care, and child welfare.
Emergency Management Water Distribution and NeighborImpact
Operating out of the old school site, the Emergency Management Water Distribution program supplies clean drinking water directly to reservation residents. Program liaison Dorothea "Dot" Thurby explained that the service acts as a primary emergency response mechanism during community water crises and frequent boil-water notices.
Thurby also coordinates local intake for NeighborImpact, a regional nonprofit that maintains offices throughout Central Oregon, including Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, and Warm Springs. Working out of the Family Resource Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Thurby assists residents with applications for home weatherization, rent relief, energy assistance, and a specialized home repair program for military veterans. Beyond office hours, staff regularly assist with drug- and alcohol-free community events and logistical coordination for major tribal gatherings such as Honor Senior Day.
Warm Springs Senior Wellness Program
Established following the appropriation of Title VI Older Americans Act funding in 1978, the Senior Wellness Program delivers comprehensive nutritional and socialization services to reservation elders. Longtime director Wilson Wewa Jr., who has led the department since 1980, noted the program’s scope has expanded significantly from serving 67 elders at its inception to nearly 600 today.
The program provides congregate meals every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday to all community elders aged 60 and older. Wewa emphasized that the federally funded program is not welfare, but an entitlement designed to safeguard senior health. In addition to nutrition under Part A, the department leverages Title VI Part C caregiver funding to operate transportation for medical appointments, local shopping runs, outings to Portland, and weekly movie nights. These shared activities serve a vital preventive health function by combating social isolation, a primary risk factor linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Wewa also serves as an ombudsman and liaison for tribal elders residing in off-reservation nursing, assisted living, and memory care facilities across Cent
Children’s Protective Services
Warm Springs Children's Protective Services (CPS) intervenes in cases of child abuse and neglect to safeguard youth and stabilize households. Led by newly appointed director Elizabeth Hisatake, the department provides shelter, care, and legal custody management for children removed from unsafe
While intervention is the initial priority, Hisatake, noted the primary objective of CPS is family reunification. Department caseworkers collaborate directly with parents to resolve underlying household crises, connecting families to essential community resources, counseling, and limited emergency energy assistance to establish safe, self-sustaining homes. Staff experience ranges from veteran caseworkers to newer personnel, many of whom began their careers in local youth programs and tribal group homes.
Together, these Health and Human Services departments form a coordinated safety net, ensuring Warm Springs tribal members have access to clean water, reliable heating, nutritious meals, and secure homes.
Here is a link to this podcast: https://on.soundcloud.com/pmIGOEsxdoAmHd026P
The Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI), a federally funded initiative established by Congress in 1997 to support diabetes treatment and prevention across American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Following a lull in activity, the Warm Springs program is actively rebuilding participation. The initiative features a 16-week “Balanced Lifestyle” curriculum focused on coaching, education, and early intervention. Program leaders aim to secure formal accreditation as a recognized diabetes prevention program to establish billable services. Edmund Francis encourages community members to consult medical providers for blood tests, noting that prediabetes—indicated by an A1C level between 5.7 and 6.4 percent—often presents without obvious symptoms, and early detection is critical to preventing long-term complications.
Another program provided by the CTWS Branch of Health & Human Services is local shelter services. Francis, who has managed the Warm Springs Homeless Shelter for nearly four years, says the facility includes 10 double-occupancy units, three single units, and transitional units. The shelter provides daily meals, showers, and basic necessities. Intake is coordinated through targeted case management at the Family Resource Building to connect residents with broader assistance. In addition, a new heating and cooling shelter located across from the Behavioral Health Center will open soon, offering a dedicated daytime space for resources, counseling, and transitional support.
Beyond his dual roles in healthcare and housing, Edmund Francis remains actively invested in local community life. Originally from the Pueblo of Laguna in New Mexico, he first came to Warm Springs after training for wildland fire management and joining a hotshot crew. He previously coordinated the Warm Springs Community Garden next to the tribal administration building and currently serves as board president of Warm Springs Nation Little League, coordinating volunteer coaches and teams to keep local youth active in sports.
Hear the podcast version of this interview here:
