Welcome Mindy Flett, Tribal Child Care Licensing Consultant
ʔa x̣est sx̣lx̣alt (Hello, good day),
My name is Mindy Flett. I am excited to serve as the Tribal Child Care Licensing Consultant for the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) within the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). I am a proud, direct descendent of the Spokane Tribe of Indians. I was born and raised on the west end of the Spokane Indian Reservation where I also raised my family. Currently, we reside on the Aboriginal lands of our people in Davenport, WA. My husband and I have four children Katie, Jaden, Leslie, and Emma; and two grandchildren, Kynlee, and Amaree.
I was previously employed with DCYF as a Child Care Licensor and then as the Child Care Licensing Supervisor for the Spokane office for the past five and a half years. Prior to my work with DCYF, I served the Spokane Tribe for 15 years in various early learning roles, with much of that time spent as the Child Development Manager overseeing a Tribal Head Start, ECEAP, a Tribal-licensed Early Learning Center, a State-licensed Tribal Early Learning Center, CCDF Administration and self-licensure on the Reservation, and CACFP. I always joke that I couldn’t find a teaching job when I graduated college (apparently EVERYONE wanted to be a teacher then), and Tribal Head Start pulled me in to the early learning field and never let go. I am ever thankful for that blessing!
I am very eager to meet and work closely with all our wonderful Tribes in this new role! I look forward to learning from you all and how best I can advocate and support you in the amazing work you are already doing!
Please reach out if you have any questions or just to say hi; I would love to hear from you. Mindy.flett@dcyf.wa.gov
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Congratulations to Jeanne Olney, OTR’s new Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Compliance Manager
Jeanne has been OTR’s Region 4 Indian Child Welfare Consultant and Tribal Liaison for the past two years. She is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Nation and is a descendent of the Euchee Tribe from Oklahoma. Jeanne grew up on the Yakama Reservation in Central Washington and currently makes her home in Western Washington.
Jeanne looks forward to viewing practice from an ICWA compliance lens as well as learning the story behind the data. She will continue to serve our Tribal Partners and the larger Field Operations team with the goal of learning more about our strengths in ICW practice as well as identifying opportunities for growth.
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Child Care Partnership Grant Program (CCPG) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Additional funding available – $2.1 million for new round of CCPG for community-led projects to increase child care availability.
The Washington State Department of Commerce is supporting coalition-like partnerships that develop community solutions to address the shortage of affordable, quality child care in Washington. Commerce seeks to award grants to several organizations and entities to leverage collaborative community partnerships to assess and plan for expanding child care slots.
Funding can help develop local solutions and help prepare a community to competitively access funds for child care and early learning capital projects. Proposals may be up to 20 months (through June 30, 2025) and with a maximum award amount of $140,000. Grants cannot be used for capital projects or construction.
Eligible Proposers:
- Federally recognized tribes in Washington
- Local government entities
- Nonprofit organizations registered with the Washington Secretary of State as a nonprofit corporation and has a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) status with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Public agencies
Fully review the Notice Of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) (PDF) and then submit your proposal using the CCPG Proposal Form (Word) to respond to all required questions.
It is strongly encouraged to use the CCPG Proposal Form when you submit. Proposals are due by August 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
Sweetgrass Grants
Sweetgrass grants support public health programs related to chronic disease prevention and management. Part of the Community Grants Program, Sweetgrass grants award up to four grants of $10,000 to urban Native health and human services organizations and to urban Indian organizations with programming focusing on Indigenous approaches to chronic disease.
The Community Grants Program Request for Applications (RFA) encourages the use of American Indian and Alaska Native traditional, cultural, and regional knowledge in developing, implementing, and/or supporting chronic disease education, prevention, management, and survivorship initiatives among urban Indian communities.
Funding application deadline is August 1, 2023, at 11:59 p.m.
Visit Sweetgrass Grants – Urban Indian Health Institute (uihi.org) for more information about this opportunity.
American Indian/Alaska Native Gathering Session
DCYF has partnered with Kauffman and Associates, Inc. (KAI) on a Cultural Services Landscape Project. The goal of the project is to better understand the existing service landscape and unmet needs for six different target populations of children, youth, and families.
KAI will be hosting 90-min virtual gathering sessions this August.
The American Indian/Alaska Native gathering session is scheduled for Aug. 22, 2023, from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Please register in advance to attend this session.
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NAN's Native Women's Leadership Forum & Enduring Spirit Honoring Luncheon
Join the Native Action Network (NAN) for the 19th Annual Native Women's Leadership Forum & Enduring Spirit Honoring Luncheon, "Champions of Our Future,” on Sept. 14-15, 2023, at the Westin Seattle.
Anyone interested in issues impacting Indian Country and uplifting Native women leaders is welcome to attend. The forum is open to the public, and registrants come from many gender identities, cultural backgrounds, and professional affiliations.
Visit Native Women's Leadership Forum — Native Action Network for more information and to reserve your ticket.
Art of Belonging - Arts & Migrant Education Conference
Register for this upcoming conference in Yakima on Aug. 17-18. It promises to be inspirational and practical – with lots of ways to bring arts learning into the classroom. Visit Migrant Student Data Recruitment & Support for more information and to register. There is no registration fee and clock hours are available. Registration closes August 8.
National Tribal Opioid Summit
The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board will host this year's National Tribal Opioid Summit at the Tulalip Resort from Aug. 22-24. Attendees will be taking a stand to collectively address the fentanyl crisis.
This Summit will be a large working meeting with plenaries and breakout sessions structured to gather input from Tribal leaders, front line providers and responders, and community members. The first day of the Summit will address fentanyl issues within communities, the second day will highlight Tribal solutions, and the third day will focus on Tribal priorities to address the fentanyl crisis to federal officials.
Tribal leaders will lead discussions with federal representatives in four different tracks during this 3-day Summit. The tracks include:
- Culturally specific prevention initiatives
- Culturally specific care, treatment, and support services
- Tribal data
- Law and justice
The deadline to register is August 15. Visit National Tribal Opioid Summit | NPAIHB for more information and to register online.
Media Training for MMIWP Families Webinar
The Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) is offering urban Indian organizations, local grassroots organizations, family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Peoples (MMIWP), and local Native community members an opportunity to join their "Media Training for MMIWP Families" on July 28, from 1:00–2:00 p.m., on Zoom.
Presented by UIHI Director Abigail Echo-Hawk (Pawnee) and KING5 Investigative Race and Equity Reporter PJ Randhawa, this course will outline how to connect with local news outlets, how to effectively share information to maximize the likelihood of meaningful coverage, what to expect from local news coverage, and how to keep MMIWP cases “alive” in the news cycle.
Register online for this Zoom webinar.
ICW CFWS Social Services Supervisor 5 (SSS5) - Spokane North/DCYF
Position closes: 8/3/2023, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: ICW CFWS Social Services Supervisor 5 (SSS5) - Spokane North | Apply tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)
ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 2-3 (SSS3) - Smokey Point & Bellingham/DCYF
Position closes: 8/6/2023, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 2-3 (SSS3) - Smokey Point & Bellingham | Apply tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)
ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3) - Shelton/DCYF
Position closes: 8/7/2023, 11:59 p.m.
Apply online: ICW Active Efforts Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3) - Shelton | Apply tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)
Scholar Success Associate/Indigenous Education, Inc.
Open until filled
Scholar-Support-Associate-Position-Description.pdf (cobellscholar.org)
Federal Relations Associate/National Council of Urban Indian Health
Apply online: Careers | National Council of Urban Indian Health (recruitingbypaycor.com)
CPS Investigator/Suquamish Tribe
Open until filled
TCW-CPS-Investigator-JD.pdf (suquamish.nsn.us)
Provide Input on the Indian Child Welfare Act
The Department of the Interior (DOI), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) invite tribal leaders to in-person and virtual tribal consultations on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and federal agencies' roles in promoting federal protections for Native children and families. These tribal consultations are critical to ensure compliance with ICWA and strengthen its implementation. NICWA urges tribal leaders to provide their comments at one of the two tribal consultations in early August.
DOI, HHS, and DOJ will accept written comments submitted by email to consultation@bia.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023.
For any questions about preparing for the consultation, please contact Mariah Meyerholz, NICWA's government affairs and community development specialist, at mariah@nicwa.org.
New Tribal Request for Information To Support Tribal Child Care Programs
The Office of Child Care (OCC), Administration for Children and Families has announced the publication of a formal request for information (RFI) on the child care requirements, regulations, and processes for Tribal Nations that administer the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program. OCC looks forward to partnering with Tribal lead agencies to continue to build a stronger child care subsidy program that better meets the needs of children, families, and providers in Tribal Nations.
OCC will also host an in-person Tribal consultation on Nov. 29-30, 2023, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Prior to that consultation, OCC will host several webinars and virtual listening sessions for those affected by Tribal CCDF policies outlined in the Tribal RFI.
The public comment period for the Tribal RFI began on July 27, 2023, and will remain open through Jan. 2, 2024. Tribal CCDF lead agencies are strongly encouraged to review the RFI and to submit comments. Visit Regulations.gov for information on how to submit comments.
Get Involved This Back-To-School Season
It's nearly time for students to be heading back to school! Support youth this year by signing up to host a donation drive or peer-to-peer fundraiser. You can play a vital role in ensuring youth in foster care have access to critical resources and personalized academic support.
- Collect back-to-school essentials! Rally your community to collect quality school supplies, hygiene items, or clothes then coordinate time to drop these goods off. Check out the supplies needed in the Treehouse Store.
- Start a fundraising page! Fundraising helps meet the needs of this program.
Near Spokane and Vancouver? Back-To-School Pop-Up Shops focus on teens, allowing them to try on clothes and select supplies in person. See supply needs for Spokane and Vancouver and sign-up to host a donation drive.
Don’t have time to host a drive? You can always donate to fund Treehouse programs or buy backpacks from their online wish list and ship them directly to the Treehouse Store at 2100 24th Ave S, Suite 100, Seattle, WA, 98144.
Indigenous Arts & Music Festival
Taking place on Sept. 23, 2023, this all-day free event, hosted by the 12 Tribes Colville Casinos, is guaranteed to be a great time for the whole family!
This year’s event will feature live music, family friendly activities, food, and so much more. Visit Roots | Indigenous Arts & Music Festival - 12 Tribes (colvillecasinos.com) for full event information.
Photo courtesy of 12 Tribes Casino & Hotel
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Engaging Native Families Video
Engaging Native Families, created by the Capacity Building Center for Tribes, is a presentation recording of Dr. Marilyn Bruguier Zimmerman at the Child Welfare Virtual Expo 2020: Strengthening Families Through Prevention and Collaboration. Dr. Zimmerman serves as the senior director of policy and programs at the National Native Children's Trauma Center. In this 10-minute video, she discusses the historical considerations of trauma and shares trauma informed approaches to use when working with Native families.
All My Relations Podcast
All My Relations is a podcast hosted by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip, and author of Project 562), and Dr. Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) to explore our relationships— relationships to land, to our creatural relatives, and to one another. Each episode invites guests to delve into a different topic facing Native American peoples today. Listen to All My Relations Podcast on Apple Podcasts online or on Apple Podcasts.
Dedicated Crisis Line for American Indian and Alaska Native People
Washington 1st state to launch mental health crisis line dedicated to Indigenous persons | KOMO (komonews.com)
“In November, Washington became the first state to launch a mental health crisis line dedicated to American Indian and Alaska Native people. Callers in Washington can reach the line by calling 988 then pressing "4" to be greeted by one of the 13 counselors — all Indigenous people — who staff the phones.”
“Having fellow American Indians answer those calls is crucial, because those familiar with the culture can immediately decode some terms that others cannot, said Rochelle Williams, the tribal operations manager for Volunteers of America Western Washington, which oversees the call center.”
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St. Labre Launches Commission to Find Unmarked Graves on it Campuses
https://billingsgazette.com/news/local/history/st-labre-launches-commission-to-find-unmarked-graves-on-its-campuses/article_43113058-1609-11ee-ac96-8f16f4631bab.html
“Starting as early as 1819 with the Indian Civilization Act, the U.S. government campaigned to assimilate Indigenous peoples. Indian boarding schools administered by federal and religious authorities were a tool in that campaign. At their peak, according to recent academic research, hundreds of such schools dotted the country. It was the policy of many of these schools to impose European names on incoming children, cut their hair and forbid them from speaking their tribal languages. Coupled with strict assimilation policies, according to research from the U.S. Department of the Interior, were chronic cases of corporal punishment and sexual abuse afflicting children at the boarding schools.”
Jeanine Pease, former president of Little Big Horn College on the Crow Reservation: "So much of the history that’s been written about American Indians rests on the shoulders of male historians who tend to study the experiences of men, warriors and leaders, and so to look at the lives of children is a very important endeavor and privilege.”
Richard Littlebear, a commission member who also holds a doctorate in education and recently retired as the president of Chief Dull Knife College on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, attended a boarding school while growing up in Busby: “For many families, he said, their education was a traumatic experience, and he hopes the commission’s findings might be able to bring closure to some of the families sharing that trauma.”
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