Indian Child Welfare Act Initiative

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Initiative is a multipronged effort to improve the delivery of child protection services to Native American families through better training for county staff and increased collaboration with tribal governments and other community stakeholders. Seeking to reduce the overrepresentation of Native children in foster care, the ICWA Initiative includes (1) new staff trainings on historical trauma and its impact upon families served by the child protection system; (2) changes to local practice to improve the courtroom experience for families; (3) increased use of voluntary arrangements for relative care; (4) new resources to help families obtain vital records as they exit the child protection system; and (5) regular meetings with stakeholders to receive feedback on current projects and generate ideas for new ones.