Human Services

405 Golden Lane
Reno, NV 89502
Phone:  (775) 329-5071
Fax:  (775) 785-8758

The purpose of Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Human Services is to provide family-centered and culturally sensitive protective services to children and adults of the Colony and to other federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes in the area.
A major component of the work done by Human Services is to maintain children in their homes or within the tribe in quality licensed foster homes and to address permanency for children within 14 months of removal.  Human Services also maintains Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) cases and provides economic assistance for indigent enrolled adult members. In addition, Human Services also can provide burial assistance to eligible members of any federally recognized tribe.

Some of the services and programs Human Services administers include:

  • Child protective services
  • Adult protective services
  • Adult guardianship case management services
  • Foster care licensing
  • Fiduciary – all wards
  • Indian general assistance
  • Crisis relief
  • Professional case management services and referrals.

James Ferguson-Lambert, MSW, Human Services Manager,
Phone:  (775) 329-5071, ext. 7930
Email: jferguson@rsic.org

Marcia Wadsworth, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 1311
Email: mwadsworth@rsic.org

Eileen Villasenor, Social Worker I
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 1314
Email: evillasenor@rsic.org

Maria Espinosa, Social Worker I
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 1316
Email: mespinosa@rsic.org

Meleseini Tuihalangingie, Case Manager
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 1305
Email: mtuihalangingie@rsic.org

Emily Cooley, Victim Service Coordinator
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 1312
Email: ecooley@rsic.org

Lori Gutierrez, Healing Path Coordinator  
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 7956
Email: lgutierrez@rsic.org

Joana Hicks, COVID Case Manager
Phone: 775-329-5071, ext. 7921
Email: jhicks@rsic.org

Â