KUCB was happy to welcome the coordinator for the APIA Tribal Child Support Program, Malinda Beiler to the radio studio Tuesday morning for an Island Interview.
Beiler spoke with morning DJ Kellie Ashby about the Tribal Child Support Program (TCSP), how it works and who it serves.
Beiler said that that the purpose of the TCSP is to get support to the kids that need it, and that it serves as an alternative to traditional state-run child support programs.
Beiler said the TCSP program offers similar services to those run by the State, including paternity establishment, parent location and child support order enforcement, but she said are also some unique differences to the TCSP versus the state-run alternatives.
“We have some flexibility that the State of Alaska program doesn’t have,” Beiler said. “For example, we are able to accept non-cash support. If both parents agree, we can accept items like subsistence food, heating oil and firewood in the place of child support.”
She added that the TCSP is a very hands-on program and that caseworkers “do a lot of mediation and discussion with parents.”
Beiler said that the program is available to any resident within the Aleutian Island Reginal 10 communities.
“The most important thing I wanted to get across is that in addition to the 13 tribes along the Aleutian chain, the TCSP is available to any resident in this region,” Beiler said. “You don’t have to be a tribal member, as long as you reside here and you receive your mail here, you are eligible for this program.”
Beiler said that for more information, you can call APIA at 1-800-478-2742 or go to www.apiai.org.
To watch the interview in it's entirety, turn to channel 8 Wednesday at 7:30pm, 8:30pm or 10:30pm.
