Hafa Adai, Tirow Wóómi, Welcome and thank you for visiting the official website of your CNMI Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, also known as DCCA. The DCCA is the home for a variety of services, eleven in fact. These range from social services – the Nutrition Assistance Program, the Division of Youth Services, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Child Care Development Fund and Child Care Licensing Program, the CNMI Respite Care Services Program, and the Office on Aging, to programs that promote and preserve cultural heritage – the Historic Preservation Office, the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture, and the Chamorro-Carolinian Language Policy Commission, to programs that facilitate community sports and recreation activities and promote good health – the DCCA Sports and Recreation Program. The department also facilitates a number of permanent sub-programs like the Garapan Street Market and the Seafaring Traditions Program. We are able to carry out our work through local funding appropriations, a variety of federal grants, and a very supportive private sector and community.
There are many exciting things happening at the department, including the implementation of the new Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility system and forthcoming Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system, the re-opening of the fully renovated Youth Shelter, the beginning of Respite Care services, the new Rota Arts and Culture Gallery, improved child care quality and services, new community arts programs and re-grant funding, the renovation of community and youth centers on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, new Senior Center programs, the completion of the Sakman open-ocean voyaging canoe, and significant site development and improvements to historic sites. The employees of the DCCA are here to serve you and to provide programs to directly assist families and improve our community. As we continue to work to improve on our delivery of services, we ask for your assistance to let us know how we are doing. Your input is immensely important to our work and planning.
Robert H. Hunter
DCCA Secretary