Indigenous Children, Youth, and Families Conference Follow-Up

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend the August 11-12 Indigenous Children, Youth, and Families Conference!

We were amazed and honored at all of the presenters that were able to come and share with everyone as well as the wonderful videos, songs and artwork that was submitted from our tribal partners.

For those who were not able to attend, may have missed part or want to relive it all over again, we have included links below to access recordings of the conference.

• How We Did It: Squaxin Island Outdoor Program 
• Program Evaluation and The LOVIT Way PEP
• Kinship Supports in Washington State
• Active Efforts
• The Indian Child Welfare Act in 2020
• Healthy Seven Generations: The Ripple Effect of Resilience
• Wednesday Welcome: The Journey to the Washington State Supreme Court
• Disproportionality of Native Children in State Foster Care
• Learning in Places in Times of Change 
• The Purpose of ICWA Courts and How to Support Them 
• ICWA and Legal Ethics
• Two Spirit 101: Mockingbird/Youth Voices

Again, thank you everyone for all of your hard-work and everything you do to help support our children, families and communities!

Please Consider Joining Us…

The Office of Tribal Relations would like to invite interested tribes and partners in joining us in a Qualified Expert Witness (QEW) Workgroup, on Monday, September 21, from 2-3:30 p.m.

This workgroup will work on the development of a QEW training for tribal members to help strengthen Washington’s compliance with ICWA by increasing linkages and supports to QEWs in ICWA hearings.

Join via Zoom
Join by phone: 253-215-8782
Meeting ID: 997 6164 4213
Passcode: 515671

Reminder: Plan of Safe Care – Seeking a Tribe for a Pilot Site

DCYF is seeking Tribal applicants interested in piloting a multidisciplinary model to implement plans of safe care (POSC) for infants born affected by substance abuse, withdrawal or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. 

Letter of interests are due August 28, 2020. 

For more information, please email Brandy Otto with the Office of Tribal Relations at brandy.otto@dcyf.wa.gov.

Juvenile Rehabilitation and Washington Intensive Service Evaluation

We recently held the first webinar for Juvenile Rehabiltation/Washington Intensive Service evaluation (WISe) titled: Turbo-Charging WISe Access and Engagement for Young People Involved with Juvenile Justice. 

For those of you who were unable to attend, here is a link to access the recorded webinar and PowerPoint slides: http://bit.ly/JRWISeWebinar.
Please note: the webinar recording begins slightly after the presentation starts (a couple of slides in) due to a brief recording issue and delay. However, the initial content slides are available to view in the PowerPoint. 

Information and Resources

• Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) received a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce. The grant is called Critical Transition Coaching Services (CTCS). Last month, JR staff provided an informational meeting to the Yakama Nation. This new grant is designed specifically for tribal affiliated youth where homelessness or unstable housing are present for a DCYF youth in JR or Foster Care.

• The Washington State Department of Commerce has begun notifying numerous organizations of an “Eviction Rent Assistance Program” that will be administered by community housing service providers. Read more.

• The National Indian Health Board, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has launched a new resource hub. Many Tribal individuals, families and communities have been impacted by childhood experiences causing physical and mental health adversities throughout their lifespan. However, with understanding and effort, individuals and communities can confront Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) for positive health outcomes. This information hub, launched by the National Indian Health Board, includes a "resource basket" designed for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals, families, communities, professionals and leaders to rummage through, harvesting resources. This Hub can assist Tribes to learn more about ACEs, research, tools and interventions. Visit the ACEs hub here.

• Prior to COVID-19, youth in care already faced academic challenges due to a lack of basic skills, frequent placement and school changes and greater special education needs. At the beginning of July, Treehouse, a non-profit that provides academic and other essential support to youth in care, assessed the impact of COVID-19 on the K-12 students it serves. The sobering results clearly demonstrate that foster students and their caregivers will need resources, advocacy and support to effectively engage in school this fall. Read more.

Upcoming Events

• Sept. 1, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Urban Indian Health Institute: Indigenous Evaluation Virtual Workshop. Learn more and register.

• Sept. 3, 12-1 p.m.: Front Porch Series: Elevating the Role of Cultural Responsiveness in Effective Teaching Practices. Learn more and register.

Funding Opportunities

• Accessing Choices in Educations (ACE): an ACE proposal must include more than one education option from which parents and students may choose, including: advanced, remedial or elective courses (including online); apprenticeships or training programs; concurrent or dual enrollment options; native language, history or culture courses; supplemental counseling services; tuition; summer or afterschool education programs, and student transportation needed for those specific programs; and many other education-related services that the tribe determines are needed in its community. Learn more. Read the Federal Register.

• National Indian Health Board: grants available to tribal schools. Applications due August 28. Learn more.

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