TICA Promising Practices in Indian Country Sheri Freemont

TICA: Promising Practices in Indian Country Sheri Freemont, Senior Director Sheldon Spotted Elk, Director

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Indian Children in out of home care 3

Geographic Areas of Current Work 4

Child Welfare Initiative Agreement Tribes • Navajo (AZ, NM, UT) • Sisseton Wahpeton (SD) • Salt River Pima-Maricopa (AZ) • Pascua Yaqui (AZ) • Tlingit & Haida (AK) • Kawerak Inc. (AK) • Tanana Chiefs Conf. (AK) • • • Port Gamble (WA) Osage (OK) Muskogee Creek (OK) Yakama (WA) Gila River (AZ) Salish & Kootenai (MT) Northern Cheyenne (MT) Spirit Lake (ND) MHA Nation (ND) 5

Capacity Building- Staffing • Lawyers are NOT going to solve child welfare, yet they are often put in the lead of the system. • What is qualified? Competent? Training curriculum identifying support network and permitting development. • Other Departments (Social Services, judiciary, housing, education, TANF) • Collaboration, spread duties, support decision making, trauma informed • In-house Counsel: Continuing education, advocate for best practices, resist temptation a “savior. ”

Capacity Building- Leadership • Commitment to Tribe’s vision and values • Expressly and explicitly prioritizing efforts • Open to education and dialogue, asking the tough questions • Root causes, trauma, economic development, justice, ethics, innovation and traditions • In house Counsel Role: know the field, know practices that are working, educate/collaborate (counsel the client)

Capacity Building- Funding • SSA, Title IV-E – State-Tribal IV-E Agreements • Tribal Court Improvement Program • Tribal TANF • Tiwahe Initiative

National Projects • ICWA Defense Project—Kate Fort • Tribal Leaders Convening • Tribal Social Services Directors Convening • Foster Care Recruitment/Retention