COYOTE VALLEY BAND OF POMO INDIANS

The reservation operates its own police department and has an agreement with Mendocino County whereby the Tribal Police Department provides assistance and backup to the Mendocino County Sheriff and Redwood Valley Calpella Fire Departments for off-reservation calls and emergencies when needed.

The reservation is also home to the Coyote Valley Health Department, which provides transportation for Tribal members to off-reservation health facilities provides community health representatives to monitor the health of its Elders and provides in-home caregivers for Tribal Elders. The Health Department also provides Drug and Alcohol treatment services for Tribal members and others. Counseling services are provided as well as traditional sweats for healing.

The Coyote Valley Youth Center has its own day care, preschool and after school care programs, all of which are open to non-tribal members. The Learning Center, also open to non-tribal members, provides college preparatory classes and operates the Academic Program, which encompasses eight tribes over three school districts. Enrollment is over 1,500 students. Pomo language, culture and dance classes are taught at the Learning Center as well.

The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians Tribal Council has sanctioned and the Tribal Youth of Coyote Valley has formed a Youth Leadership Council that promotes the leadership, cultural, health, social and mental well being of Tribal youth both on and off the reservation. Students are encouraged to participate in Tribal Youth Leadership Council.

Through the Tribe’s education and recreation programs, the Drug Elimination Youth Activities Program was established. This program enables the Tribe to provide a wide variety of cultural, recreational and wellness activities for Tribal youth as well as non-tribal members. The organization offers safe and positive activities that encourage healthy behaviors, build on cultural knowledge and forms protective factors in children’s value systems to help them make the choice to remain drug and alcohol free. The “Little Warriors” program maintains a youth meeting series covering topics such as fire safety, teen pregnancy prevention, anger management, dispute resolution, staying clean and sober and other issues that relate to risky behavior.

In the Tribe’s effort to restore and preserve the Tribe’s cultural heritage, the Tribe offers and promotes many cultural activities including Pomo language research and curriculum development. Weekly cultural activities on the reservation include basket weaving, singing, dancing, and regalia making. Tribal youth also practice the traditional tribal stick game, an activity that has traveled through many generations of tribal members.