Job Announcement: Senior Director of Indian Child Welfare Consulting

Casey Family Programs has posted the position of Senior Director Indian Child Welfare. Learn more and apply at http://www.recruitingcenter.net/clients/casey/publicjobs Casey Family Programs, an Equal Opportunity Employer, is a national operating foundation that provides and improves – and ultimately prevents the need for – foster care. We value a diverse and culturally competent workplace. Job Summary:  … Read more

Advocate Jeri Williams Testifies Before Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence

Jeri Williams [is] a member of the Klamath tribe and is a survivor of human trafficking. Williams has made it part of her life’s work to help others overcome the challenges she has faced. … She’s testifying … before U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to … Read more

Justice Officials Meet to Address Impacts of Violence on Native Children

[Montana U.S. Attorney Michael] Cotter and D-o-J’s Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Robert Listenbee, discuss the scourge of violence on some tribal communities and what’s being done about it. Listen to the interview at the Montana Public Radio website.

American Indian College Fund Wins $500,000 Grant for Early Education

The new grant will focus on engaging families and kin groups in the child’s educational process. “Education in tribal communities used to be very integrated with the socialization of children, teaching children how to be within a family and a community,” said Crazy Bull. “Over the years, families have lost that role, … but we’re … Read more

Resource: National Child Welfare Workforce Institute

According to their website, the National Child Welfare Institute’s (NCWWI)… … purpose is to increase child welfare practice effectiveness through diverse partnerships that focus on workforce systems development, organizational interventions, and change leadership, using data-driven capacity building, education, and professional development. NCWWI’s workforce development activities promote… Learning: Fostering continuous learning that is interactive, reflective and … Read more

Swept Away: An In-Depth Look at Oglala Sioux Tribe v. Van Hunnik

This on-going series from the Indian Country Today Media Network examines Oglala Sioux Tribe v. Van Hunnik, which charges South Dakota State and local Pennington County officials with violating the rights of Indian parents and tribes in child custody proceedings. Although the State of South Dakota appeared to be flagrantly operating outside the scope of the … Read more

AG West Delivers Remarks at the Thirty-second Annual Protecting Our Children Conference

Notwithstanding setbacks like the Baby Girl decision, we will continue to stand up for ICWA because, as we said in the Supreme Court, it’s “a classic implementation of Congress’s plenary [trust] responsibility . . . for Indians.”  You see, for us, standing up for ICWA means standing strong for tribal sovereignty.  “Nothing could be more … Read more

In re R.L.-P., A.L.-P., R.L.-P., and L.L.-P, February 13, 2014, (North Dakota)

Synopsis from Westlaw: Mother’s and father’s parental rights were terminated by District Court of Burleigh County, South Central Judicial District, Sonna M. Anderson, J., and they both appealed. Holding from Westlaw: The Supreme Court, Sandstrom, J., held that: (1) judicial referee’s fact findings were subject to Supreme Court review for clear error; (2) children remained … Read more

Molly O. v. State, Dep’t of Health and Social Services, Office of Children’s Services, March 14, 2014, (Alaska)

Synopsis provided by Westlaw: Department of Health and Social Services, Office of Children’s Services (OCS), took emergency custody of three children and petitioned to terminate mother’s parental rights. The Superior Court, Fourth Judicial District, Fairbanks, Douglas Blankenship, J., denied mother’s motion to join grandmother, and grandmother’s motion to intervene as the children’s Indian custodian. Grandmother … Read more

In re J.S. March 25, 2014, (Montana)

Synopsis provided by Westlaw: Department of Public Health and Human Services filed petition for legal guardianship, seeking to award guardianship of Indian child, who had been adjudicated a youth in need of care, to foster parents. The District Court, 20th Judicial District, Lake County, Deborah Kim Christopher, J., granted petition. Child’s father appealed. Holdings provided … Read more

“IV-E 101” Webinar on April 21, 2014

Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Children & Family Services in collaboration with Casey Family Programs invite you to attend a webinar: “IV-E 101” Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe was the first tribe in the United States to be approved to receive direct Title IV-E funds. In this webinar, Port Gamble representatives will give an  overview of the … Read more

Veronica’s Birth Mom Drops Challenge to Indian Child Welfare Act

Baby Veronica’s birth mother has filed a voluntary dismissal of a federal lawsuit against the Cherokee Nation and the U.S. government, which requested that parts of the Indian Child Welfare Act be declared unconstitutional, attorneys in the case announced Tuesday. Read the full article at the Tulsa World website and related articles at Indian Country … Read more

NICWA 2014-2015 Training Dates

2014-2015 Training Institute Dates ! September 8-10, 2014 – Portland, Oregon -ICWA Basics -Advanced ICWA -Positive Indian Parenting December 1-3, 2014 – San Diego, California -ICWA Basics -Advanced ICWA -Positive Indian Parenting April 23-24, 2015 – Portland, Oregon -ICWA Basics -Positive Indian Parenting ICWA Basics will be taught as a two-day course covering the basics of the … Read more

Representing Victims of Domestic & Sexual Violence from Tribal Communities (MN)

The American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence, in collaboration with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Office on Violence Against Women, is pleased to present a two-day training, The Fundamentals of Representation of Victims of Domestic & Sexual Violence from Tribal Communities, on May 15-16, 2014 in Minneapolis, MN. This interactive, … Read more