NICWA News Fall 2012

NICWA NewsThe National Indian Child Welfare Assocation’sQuarterly Newsletter

Fall 2012

Service and Advocacy for Indian Children

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Dear Members and Supporters:

Welcome to the latest issue of NICWA News. I am pleased to report some very positive developments at NICWA. First, NICWA was recently honored by Oregon Business magazine as one of the 100 best nonprofits to work for in Oregon. In fact, NICWA was ranked twentieth in the medium-sized (20–49 employees) nonprofit category.

Our work in Indian Country continues to expand. Recently, a team of NICWA staff traveled to Alaska to further our very rewarding work with the Western and Pacific Implementation Center (WPIC) and participate in the 2012 WPIC Judicial Summit aimed at improving tribal child welfare and court systems collaboration. In Novem-ber, NICWA will host its annual golf tournament in California thanks to our location sponsor, the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians. I’ll also be attending two house parties in Oklahoma, the site of our 2013 annual confer-ence. I welcome the opportunity to meet with our members and supporters at these events.

While we have had many positive developments and accolades this quarter, we still encounter challenges in the work we do to protect our children and preserve our families. The contentious custody case in South Carolina and other negative press coverage in recent months require us to remain vigilant about educating the public about the importance of ICWA compliance.

For these reasons, I’m grateful for the support we received from readers like you. The work remains challeng-ing, but with your support we can continue to grow programs and services so that we can serve tribal and urban Indian communities better.

Sincerely,

Message From Executive Director Terry Cross

NICWA NewsPublished by the National Indian Child Welfare Assocation5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon, 97239P: (503) 222-4044 F: (503) 222-4007 www.nicwa.orgCOVER PHOTO: Cason Adams (Colville/Yakama)

What’s Inside the Fall 2012 Issue:

Letter from the Executive Director...................................................................................................p. 2NICWA Board and Staff...................................................................................................................p. 3NWF Expands.................................................................................................................................p. 4PhotoVoice Project..........................................................................................................................p. 5Where We’ve Been.................................................................................................................. .......p. 5 Upcoming Events............................................................................................................................p. 6 South Carolina Case Continues................................................................................................pp. 6–7Inside NICWA............................................................................................................................ .....p. 8NICWA “Best Nonprofit”...........................................................................................................,,,.....p. 9Membership Update & Donors..................................................................................................pp. 9–11Torres Martinez TANF........................................................................................................ ............p. 12WPIC Judicial Institute........................................................................................................ ...........p. 13Traveling Training Institutes................................................................................................ ...........p. 14Heart of the Matter: CASA of Cherokee County..............................................................................p. 15

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The National Indian Child Welfare Association The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is a national voice for American Indian children and families. We are the most comprehensive source of information and the only national American Indian organi-zation focused specifically on the tribal capacity to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect and related issues.

Board of Directors

Members Marla Jean Big Boy (Oglala Sioux) Patricia Carter (Nez Perce) Anita Chisholm (Absentee Shawnee) Paul Day (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe)Jennifer Elliott (Sac and Fox) Donne Fleagle (Athabaskan) Jocelyn Formsma (Swampy Cree)Debra Foxcroft (Tseshaht)

Linda Logan (Choctaw)Luke Madrigal (Cahuilla Band of Indians)Robert R. McGhee (Poarch Band of Creek Indians) Mary Tenorio (Santo Domingo)Derek Valdo (Acoma Pueblo)Gil Vigil (Tesuque)Jalea Walker (Smith River Rancheria, Tolowa) Jeffrey C. Whelan (Saint Regis Mohawk)

Board of Regents Brad Earl (Nez Perce descendent)David Powless (Oneida)Sherry Salway Black (Oglala Lakota)Don Sampson (Walla Walla)John Shagonaby (Potawatomi)Mike Tiger (Seminole Tribe of Florida)

Council of Elders Lola Sohappy (Warm Springs)William Clark (Cherokee)Don Milligan (Métis: Cree/Assiniboine, Yakama Nation, Kootenai)

Strategic Leadership Council Jefferson Keel (Chickasaw) Ernie Stevens, Jr. (Oneida)

NICWA StaffTerry L. Cross (Seneca) Executive Director

Melissa Clyde (Navajo) Senior Program Director

Sarah Kastelic (Alutiiq) Chief of Staff

Nicole Adams (Colville), Executive Communications ManagerMark Anaruk (Inupiaq), Community Development SpecialistKimberly Barber (Navajo), Fiscal Support SpecialistTia Begay (Navajo), Financial Services CoordinatorMelissa Bob (Lummi), Community Development SpecialistDebra Clayton (St. Croix Chippewa), Interim Event ManagerAlexis Contreras (Grand Ronde), Project SupportMonica Cox, BookkeeperCarmen Farmer, Operations SpecialistValorie Gaede (Shoshone-Bannock), Project SupportAshley Kay Harding (Navajo), Community Development SpecialistAshley Horne, Community Development Specialist

Nadja Jones (Comanche/Onondaga Nation), Senior Community Development SpecialistSarah Keefe, Development ManagerMee Seon Kwon, Executive AssistantJen Rountree, Development Assistant/Research AssistantMargie Sarna-Wojcicki, Member Relations ManagerMatthew Scott (Siletz), Executive AssistantDavid Simmons, Director of Government Affairs and AdvocacyAddie Smith, Government Affairs AssociateRudy Soto (Shoshone-Bannock), Youth Engagement SpecialistApril Ybarra, Project Support

PresidentMaurice Lyons (Morongo Band of Mission Indians)

Vice PresidentTheodore Nelson, Sr. (Seminole)

SecretaryRochelle Ettawageshik (Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians)

TreasurerGary Peterson (Skokomish)

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Native Ways Federation expandsThe Native Ways Federation is proud to announce the expansion of its workplace giving campaign to support national Native nonprofit programs serving children, families, tribes, and communities.

In 2006, NICWA partnered with six other national Native nonprofit organizations to form the Native Ways Federation. Native Ways founding members—the American Indian College Fund, American Indian Sci-ence and Engineering Society, American Indian Youth Running Strong, Association on American Indian Affairs, First Nations Development Institute, National Indian Child Welfare Associa-tion, and Native American Rights Fund—have developed and piloted this program with the generous support of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

The mission of Native Ways is to strengthen the circle of giving in In-dian Country by providing Native employers and employee donors a way to support nonprofits working on the issues they care about, and assuring donors that their donations are going to Native nonprofits that are making a real difference in tribal and urban Indian communi-ties.

Member organizations address a broad scope of work and focus on areas fundamental to the health and well-being of tribal and urban Native communities, including tribal sovereignty, legal advocacy, human rights protections, Indian child welfare and children’s mental health, economic development, addressing basic needs, education, youth development and leadership, and culture and language preservation.

“We have found that together we are stronger than we are apart,” said Terry Cross, the National Indian Child Welfare Association’s executive director. “By working together, we are able to be more effective and address more issues than we can by staying separate. Each organization has its focus, but we share information and often join to work together when appropriate.”

For employee donors, the workplace giving program—where employees have the ability to make charitable donations through a payroll system—provides an easy way to support programs benefiting Native communi-ties. For nonprofits, workplace giving campaigns are among the least expensive fundraising strategies, allow-

ing them to maximize their funding for their programs—especially those that receive little or no foundation or government support.

Native Ways is launching workplace giving campaigns at businesses and tribal governments across the country.

For more information or to inquire about hosting a Na-tive Ways campaign at your organization, please contact Jen Rountree, [email protected], (503) 222-4044.

The mission of Native Ways is to strengthen the circle of giving in Indian Country by providing Native employers and employee donors a way to support nonprofits working on the issues they care about, and assuring donors that their donations are going to Native nonprofits that are making a real difference in tribal and urban Indian communities.

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Spirit Mountain Community Fund sup-ports youth PhotoVoice projectThanks to the support from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, established by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, NICWA recently partnered with the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) in Portland, Oregon to engage youth in a new kind of research and advocacy project called PhotoVoice. Using photogra-phy, PhotoVoice helps young people become empowered to tell their stories and share their experiences in their own words and pictures.

Youth also learn how to present their stories to adults and to people that have the power to help make changes in the agencies that serve them and their communities. PhotoVoice projects have been used all

over the world to help young people and adults build on the strengths in their communities. Ultimately, partici-pants endeavor to help create positive social change that improves where they work, live, and play.

The first PhotoVoice class project was a huge success this summer, culminating in a community photo show in which youth talked to parents, services providers, and community members about their photos. The project will return to NAYA this fall.

PhotoVoice students (left to right) Amari, Ashley, Mako, Shenoa, and Thad

Where we’ve been January–October 2012As part of our mission, NICWA’s program staff provides training and technical assistance for communities throughout the nation. NICWA works hard to create technical assistance trainings that meet the needs of indi-vidual tribal communiities.

Here is where we’ve been so far in 2012. The red represents the communities NICWA staff members have visited since June, the blue, since January.

To request a training, contact NICWA at (503) 222-4044.

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NICWA Annual Golf TournamentNovember 12, 2012 The Country Club at Soboba Springs, San Jacinto, California

NICWA Training InstitutesDecember 4–6, 2012 Portland, Oregon • Making the Right Decision: Is Title IV-E Right for

Your Community? • Strengthening Policy and Procedures for Tribal

Social Services—A Writing Clinic • Positive Indian Parenting

NICWA Training InstitutesJanuary 7–8, 2013San Diego, California• ICWA Basics • Positive Indian Parenting

NICWA Training InstitutesJanuary 10–11, 2013Albuquerque, New Mexico• ICWA Basics • Positive Indian Parenting

NICWA Training InstitutesJanuary 14–15, 2013Minneapolis, Minnesota• ICWA Basics • Positive Indian Parenting

NICWA Training InstitutesJanuary 17–18, 2013Tulsa, Oklahoma• ICWA Basics • Positive Indian Parenting

31st Annual Protecting Our Children National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and NeglectApril 7–10, 2013 Tulsa, Oklahoma

Upcoming NICWA Events

To register for an event, please visit www.nicwa.org or contact Debra Clayton at (503) 222-4044 x137 or [email protected].

NICWA advocates for ICWA compliance in controversial South Carolina caseThe controversial case of Baby Veronica in South Carolina has garnered much national attention in 2012. As this case has proceeded through the courts, NICWA has worked with its partners to actively track its progress, offered support to Veronica’s family, worked with the Cherokee Nation, filed a brief with the South Carolina Supreme Court in support of the Indian Child Welfare Act and the Cherokee Nation, and fielded numerous media requests.

The facts of the case, as compiled by court records, provide deeper insight than what has been reported in the media. The case involves a Cherokee Nation father and a non-Indian mother who at one time were engaged and living in Oklahoma. The child, Veronica, was placed with a non-Indian couple in South Carolina pending their attempts to try to adopt her.

Veronica’s father was on active military duty at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, when her mother broke off their engage-ment while pregnant with Veronica. He and his family attempted to contact the birth mother during the preg-nancy, but the mother cut off communication a few months before Veronica’s birth. She began working with an adoption attorney in Oklahoma to adopt the child out to a non-Indian family from South Carolina, the Capobian-cos. The father was not informed of these plans until four months after Veronica’s birth and subsequent place-ment with the Capobiancos.

Oklahoma state law required notice be provided to the child’s tribe, the Cherokee Nation, but the notice pro-vided by the adoption attorney was not complete and not properly executed. It included a misspelling of the father’s name and the wrong birth date. This delayed the tribe’s ability to certify that Veronica was eligible for tribal membership and become involved until months after Veronica was moved to South Carolina. Additional

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paperwork required under the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children, giving authority to the Capo-biancos to relocate Veronica to South Carolina, only identified Veronica as Hispanic even though it was known that she had Indian ancestry.

When the child was four months old, Veronica’s father was served with notice of the Capobiancos’ intent to adopt. He was served in a parking lot outside the army base without counsel present just days from his de-ployment to Iraq. The father signed the paperwork under the impression that he was relinquishing his parental rights to the birth mother, but recognized soon after that it was asking for him to relinquish his parental rights for placement with the Capobiancos. The father asked for the paperwork to be returned to him and was denied by the server.

Immediately, he contacted the JAG attorney at the military base and began the process of challenging the pro-posed adoption. He was deployed to Iraq seven days after filing a stay of the adoption proceeding, where he served his country well and was awarded a Bronze Star.

The South Carolina District Court denied the Capobiancos’ petition to adopt and ordered transfer of custody to her father. They appealed, but the ruling was upheld by a lower appellate court in South Carolina. Veronica’s father assumed custody of his daughter on December 31, 2011, in a highly publicized handing over of Veroni-ca.

The Capobiancos then appealed to the South Carolina Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court’s deci-sion. In the state Supreme Court decision, the court said that there was no evidence that Veronica was not presently in a safe and loving home with her birth father. The Capobiancos have now petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.

This emotionally charged case has caused some to advocate for significant amendments to ICWA itself. NICWA remains committed to helping the public understand the complexities of ICWA and its application today. As NICWA Executive Director Terry Cross stated in his July op-ed that ran in The Oklahoman, “Those who are quick to call for ICWA’s undoing should consider the pleas of the approximately 2,000 American Indian parents who contact our organization each year, as well as desperate family members who feel powerless to stop the unwarranted removal of a child. No family should go through the pain of an unnecessary removal, not a birth family or a prospective adoptive family.”

In assessing this case, Joe Kroll, executive director of the North American Council on Adoptable Children stated, “The problem is not with ICWA. The fault lies with those who fail to follow the law’s intent and mandates at the outset of a potential adoption case and continue to ignore the importance of American Indian heritage to children. Indian children have a right to their culture, their traditions, and their tribes.”

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Inside NICWANew Staff Join NICWAMelissa Bob (Lummi) is the new community devel-opment specialist at NICWA. Melissa is a graduate of The Evergreen State College, where she earned both a bachelor of arts degree in printmaking and In-digenous art history, and her master of public admin-istration in tribal governance. Melissa has previously worked for the Sitka Tribe of Alaska and the Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts in Pendleton, Oregon. She also has worked in various capacities for the Lummi Indian Business Council, where she provided technical assistance to the Lummi System of Care team, and also assisted with developing the tribe’s new Behavioral Health Division.

NICWA’s new bookkeeper, Monica Cox, comes to the organization with over 12 years of experience in accounting and finance. Monica worked as the senior finance assistant at XO Interactive, Inc. in Beaverton, Oregon, for nine years where she managed billing, contract review, revenue forecasting, and accounts payable, among her many responsibilities. She has studied accounting at Portland Community College and Hartcourt Learning.

Mee Seon Kwon has joined NICWA’s staff as the executive assistant to NICWA Chief of Staff Sarah Kastelic. Mee Seon most recently worked as execu-tive assistant to Oregon’s Deputy Secretary of State Barry Pack, where she coordinated scheduling, convened meetings and staffed events, in addition to managing multiple projects and conducting research. Mee Seon also serves as a commissioner of the Or-egon Commission for Women, a governor-appointed position to advocate on behalf of women and pro-vide the governor and state legislature with pertinent information regarding issues affecting women’s economic, social, and political equality. She is a candidate for a bachelor of arts in political science at Portland State University, and in her free time works as a court-appointed special advocate in Washington County, Oregon.

NICWA is also pleased to welcome our new interns! Holly Partridge works with the Government Affairs Department, Carol Pato is our new development intern, and Maria Pfeiffer is our new membership intern.

Soto Named Youth Justice Leadership FellowNICWA Youth Engagement Specialist Rudy Soto (Shoshone Bannock) has been selected to par-ticipate in the second cohort of the Youth Justice Leadership Fellows Program of the Washington, DC-based National Juvenile Justice Network. During the year-long fellowship, fellows are taught about juvenile justice system structures and reform needs, trained in effective advocacy and organizing techniques necessary to achieve system change, and mentored by advocates who are already steadily advancing system reforms.

“It is an honor to participate in this fellowship be-cause I will serve as a voice and representative for our younger generation,” said Soto. “Unfortunately, many Native youth who struggle in the child welfare system end up crossing over into the juvenile justice system. My goal is to create awareness and bring at-tention to alternatives to incarceration and prevention programs so that we can keep more of our children within their tribal communities. In order to make a difference, we must work with others who share our interests.”

Soto has been a part of the NICWA staff since June 2011.

NICWA staff members Ashley Horne and Rudy Soto

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Membership UpdateSurvey results help strengthen membership servicesThanks to member participation in our annual membership survey this Sep-tember, NICWA gathered valuable feedback on how we’re doing. Our goal is to stay informed of our members’ needs as we plan programs and services, and to incorporate member input to add value to our selection of benefits.

Here is what a few members said they value most about NICWA member-ship:

• “[I value the] access to all of the educational materials, and just the ability to call myself a member of an organization that has NICWA’s values.”

• “I value the collaboration between the many different backgrounds to work together.”

• “[I value the] resource material and articles; expert advice and consulta-tions; and online trainings.”

Members also offered suggestions for new benefits, expressing a strong interest in a larger discount on conference registration, more information on job opportunities, increased webinar offerings, and regional trainings, includ-ing attention to region-specific issues. In specifying the topics they would like to see covered in future member publications and webinars, members indi-cated that ICWA compliance and working with state courts, children’s mental health issues, spotlights on positive outcomes and current research, and program management issues were among their priorities.

These highlights, along with the complete survey results, will provide valuable guidance in shaping NICWA’s membership priorities for the coming year. The online survey is now closed, but if you have any additional feed-back you would like to share regarding membership, please contact Margie Sarna, member relations manager, at (503) 222-4044 ext. 127 or at [email protected].

Dancing in the Square Pow Wow, Portland, Oregon

NICWA named one of Oregon’s 100 best nonprofits to work forFor the second straight year, NICWA has been included in Oregon Business magazine’s “100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.” Robin Doussard, editor-in-chief of Oregon Business, notified NICWA of the honor, citing the orga-nization’s success in “fostering an outstanding workplace.”

Nearly 5,000 employees at 169 nonprofits throughout the state participated in the project by answering 35 questions about workplace satisfaction such as benefits, management, trust, work environment, and career development.

Concurring with the survey results was Operations Specialist Carmen Farmer, a NICWA staffer of over 15 years.

“It’s one of the best places I’ve ever worked,” said Farmer. “I have a high degree of satisfaction with the work I do and the people I work with,” she added. “I feel appreciated and that I’m doing something worthwhile. I’m glad that this award will allow others to know about the positive things we do, and that the staff will see NICWA reflected that way to the outside community.”

Nonprofits making the list were honored during a celebratory dinner on September 27, 2012, in Portland. Or-egon Community Foundation President and CEO Max Williams provided keynote comments.

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New and Renewing Members June 1–September 30, 2012

Tribal MembersCoralAk-Chin Indian CommunityCoushatta Tribe of LouisianaOsage Nation Social Services

TurquoiseAllakaket TribeCitizen Potawatomi Nation, Indian Child WelfareCowlitz Indian TribeIndian Child and Family ServicesLittle River Band of Ottawa IndiansMakah NationMescalero Apache Tribe Early Childhood ProgramPueblo of AcomaSmith River RancheriaSusanville Indian RancheriaWampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) of Massachusetts

Organizational MembersCoralUniversity of Kansas School of Social Welfare

TurquoiseCarlton County Public Health & Human ServicesFour Feathers CounselingMichigan State UniversityNew York Council on Adoptable ChildrenNorthwest Adoption Exchange

Individual MembersAssociateTheodore NelsonManuelita OrtizSarah Saunders

CoralTerry CrossBarbara EagleLeola McKenzieDavid SimmonsCarol Watkins

TurquoiseAnita ChisholmCarmen FarmerRovianne LeighMelissa PhippsMary PrentissJoe A. QuetoneTamera C. ShankerPetra SolimonTeresita M. Tirona

AbaloneDaniel L. BarbaraDorothy BartonMartha BeardLaura L. BentleRachel BettencourtMarla Jean Big BoyTerra BransonAnna CampbellKelly CastelCorinne ChilsonSherrill Givens-DenleyWendy HarrisJulia JaakolaDorothy E. JordanMary McCarthyHelen NorrisBarbara PalantoneMichelle M. RobertsonDonna RussellMargaret Amy SchatkinTina J. SchubertDerek ValdoNatalie WiegelAlischia Wilcox

Bear Christensen and Mallory Jo Cozad

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NICWA staff recently hosted an informational and family portrait booth at the Dancing in the Square Pow Wow in Portland, Oregon.

Tribal DonorsBear River Band of the Rohnerville RancheriaCitizen Potawatomi Nation, Indian Child WelfareElk Valley RancheriaIowa Tribe of OklahomaKotzebue IRA CouncilMiami Tribe of OklahomaNative American Community Services of Erie and Niagara Counties, Inc.Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the PotawatomiOneida Nation FoundationPala Band of Mission IndiansPascua Yaqui Tribe of ArizonaPoarch Band of Creek IndiansPrairie Island Tribal CouncilSac and Fox NationSaginaw Chippewa Indian TribeTanana Chiefs Conference

Organization DonorsLocal Independent Charities of AmericaPortland General ElectricWisdom of the Elders, Inc.

Foundation FundersAlton FoundationAmerigroup Charitable Foundation

Individual DonorsAnonymousHenryetta BergstresserFannie L. BlackBruce W. BrownCatherine BryanMary A. CarterVictor ChandlerAnita ChisholmJason CrossTerry CrossNorman DaviesJay DudleyJohn EchoHawkMarcella ElkinsCarmen FarmerLauren FinkelsteinChristy FinselValorie Gaede

Myrna GoodenRichard GuestLowell HalversonNaomi L. HarringtonAl and Alice HiatBryan KrizekRichard LincolnJennifer LingCarol LocustMaurice LyonsMary Ann MattoonTobias MoranCarolyn MorrisonMorgan O’BrienRay RamirezMike RobertsMark D. SheltonPam SilasAnand K. SinghAnita SozaAmanda SpragueMary F. TenorioJack TropeJack M. ValpeyMarketa WaltersHelen WeberCynthia Young

Donors June 1, 2012–September 30, 2012

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Torres Martinez TANF invests in families with Positive Indian Parenting

The Torres Martinez Desert Ca-huilla Indian Tribe’s TANF pro-gram demonstrated their strong investment in building healthy fami-lies and communities by organizing a Positive Indian Parenting (PIP) training on June 25–27, 2012, in Hemet, California. The training was facilitated by NICWA staff.

The tribe is unique in that it is com-prised of both rural and urban Indi-ans. From offices located through-out their region, the tribe serves diverse populations on multiple reservations, from remote mountain communities, and from urban cen-

ters, according to Indian Child Welfare Act Program Manager Dennis June.

Reaching a geographically diverse population is just one of the many challenges the tribe’s ICWA program must face. June explains, “On the reservations, there is a strong sense of community support, but unemploy-ment and poverty levels are extremely high. There is at times a feeling of hopelessness with the clients. Drugs and alcohol are a problem, with most of our child protective service (CPS) referrals coming in as neglect due to these issues. Most of our families have parents that are young with many being single moms, with little or no support.”

June’s department is unique in that it is considered a part of the tribe’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Fami-lies program, or TANF. He states, “Just being on TANF makes the population we serve at risk due to poverty. Our urban TANF programs are just starting to provide a feeling of community.”

The PIP “train the trainers” workshop is a two-and-a-half day training that is designed to focus on the traditional and cultural strengths of American Indian families. It is a practical and culturally specific training program for Indian parents that value the use of extended family and oral tradition.

In the Positive Indian Parenting training, student trainers are taught how to experience the lessons from both the teaching and participant perspectives. The content and materials draw on the strengths of historic Indian child-rearing methods and blend traditional parenting values with modern skills. Storytelling, cradleboards, an emphasis on harmony, lessons of nature, behavior management, and the value of praise are included in the curriculum. As a result, Positive Indian Parenting continues to be one of NICWA’s most popular workshops, and one that resonates well with communities such as the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indian Tribe.

“The Torres Martinez staff was wonderful to work with,” says NICWA’s Debra Clayton. “They were a very co-hesive team that really cares for each other and understands the importance of their work. Their new PIP pro-gram will really contribute to and enrich the services they already give to their families in a culturally respectful way that will honor their tribal heritage.”

For June, the Positive Indian Parenting training is just one part of his larger plans for enhancing services to parents. He explains, “My goal is to establish ongoing parenting classes for all clients at all sites to help our families. Currently our families receive parent training from outside vendors. The addition of Parenting Classes will not only prevent CPS involvement, but most importantly preserve our families and the tribes we serve.”

Participants of the Positive Indian Parenting Training in Hemet, California

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When you receive training from NICWA...

• NICWA tailors the training according to your community’s specific needs, building from the strengths of your program and what you are al-ready doing well

• You work with NICWA to co-develop the goals you want to achieve and the challenges you hope to solve

• NICWA brings its expertise to your community, with curricula developed by experts in the field and trainers who understand the issues unique to Indian Country

• You choose when and where the training will take place and who will attend the training

• NICWA follows up with support services and encouragement after the training, to maximize the benefits to your community

For more information about the Positive Indian Par-enting Training and other on-site trainings that NICWA offers, please see our website www.nicwa.org or call (503) 222-4044.

Alaska WPIC delivers success-ful Judicial Institute in JuneauAs part of our final year as a technical assistance and training provider through the Western and Pacific Child Welfare Implementation Center (WPIC), NIC-WA staff were among the 120 individuals from Alaska and other parts of the nation who met in Juneau, Alaska, in August to participate in the 2012 WPIC Judicial Institute. Other attendees included tribal child welfare workers, tribal social services directors, State of Alaska Office for Children’s Services (OCS) rep-resentatives, tribal judges, and representatives from various fields.

Designed to increase tribal capacity to deliver services to families and children in their own homes in order to reduce the number of Alaska Native children who go into the state child welfare system, the WPIC program has focused on enhancing tribal and state court rela-tionships as the project enters its final year. Central to these efforts was convening the Judicial Institute.

The Institute was developed to create an experien-tial learning environment for the tribal participants. The structure of the Institute included eight learning groups, each of which consisted of a tribal judge, an Alaska Native mentor, a WPIC facilitator, a youth guide from Facing Foster Care in Alaska, and an OCS representative. These individuals provided teaching, facilita-tion, and guidance to Institute participants.

The Institute format included large and small group sessions focusing on specific issues tribal child welfare workers face daily in Alaska courts. These issues ranged from being forgotten in the court process to technology issues with telephonic hearings. In order to empower and build the participants’ confi-dence, WPIC Institute faculty provided instruction and skill-building opportuni-ties to better understand court terminology, clarify tribal roles in the proceed-ings, and represent the tribe as party to the case. These skills were further enhanced through role-playing case scenarios as well as discussing miscon-ceptions, misunderstandings, and questions.

Participants noted that after participating in the Institute they had more confi-dence about how to interact effectively with the court system. Sally Billy from Hooper Bay, Alaska, stated, “This is the best training I have ever been to. I have

learned so much.”

In addition, many participants were thankful for the structure and format of the event, as it catered to their specific learning needs. Naomi Chappel from Kiana, Alaska explained, “I was very moved by the whole expe-rience. I came back home with a better understanding of my role in the community. I envision our community coming together and being proactive in situations where preventative measures are taken to prevent our youth from ending up in state custody.”

WPIC Institute participants participate in role playing exer-cises

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NICWA Traveling Training Institutes coming soon to a community near you!In January 2013, NICWA staff will host training institutes throughout the country as part of its pilot Traveling Training Institute Program. Intended to increase participation in our training programs by decreasing the time, money, and travel that participants will need to expend in order to attend, the traveling institutes were devel-oped in direct response to high demand from NICWA constituents.

Explains NICWA Interim Event Manager Debra Clayton, “We have had so many requests in the past few years for our Indian Child Welfare Training Institutes to be taught locally near tribal nations, and we are excited to bring them to our constituents and our communities!”

NICWA will offer its most popular training institutes, Positive Indian Parenting and ICWA Basics, in San Diego, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Tulsa during consecutive weeks in January. “If successful, we will expand to more communities and add additional training topics in the future” says Clayton. “At the heart of our work is serving the communitites. To be able to bring these trainings to them is really important to everyone at NICWA.”

The early-bird registration rate is $350; regular registration costs $400. Group rates are available. Early bird registration deadlines vary, and are listed below.

• December 4–6, 2012: Portland, Oregon. Early-Bird Registration deadline: November 15, 2012.• January 7–8, 2013: San Diego, California. Early-Bird Registration deadline: December 19, 2012.• January 10–11, 2013: Albuquerque, New Mexico. Early-Bird Registration deadline: December 19, 2012.• January 14–15, 2013: Minneapolis, Minnesota. Early-Bird Registration deadline: December 27, 2012.• January 17–18, 2013: Tulsa, Oklahoma. Early-Bird Registration deadline: December 27, 2012.

To register, go to NICWA’s website at www.nicwa.org/training/institutes/ or call Debra Clayton at (503) 222-4044.

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The Heart of the Matter A focus on CASA of Cherokee County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is an organization of volunteers who give voice to the best inter-ests of children involved in child welfare proceedings, with the goal of securing safe, stable and permanent homes for them as quickly as possible.

“We are there solely for the child, and no one else,” said Sandy Macauley, recruiter, trainer, and advocate coordinator for CASA of Cherokee County, Oklahoma.

CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to advocate for a child. They visit the child at least once per month and observe and gather information from the child as well as adults in the child’s life, including parents, relatives, foster care providers, teachers, neighbors, and service providers to deter-mine objective and informed advocacy for the child’s needs.

CASA of Cherokee Country, founded in 1995, is one of six dual programs that serve both Native and state courts, with volunteer advocates in the 14 counties that make up the Cherokee Nation. Macauley explained that having a dual program only magnifies CASA’s ability to support the child’s best interests because Chero-kee culture is recognized, which generates greater understanding of the child’s life. “It’s good because a lot of our tribal kids are not in tribal courts, but in state courts,” she said.

Roughly 75% of the children that CASA of Cherokee Country serves are Native American, while a majority of the volunteers are Caucasian. Only about 30% of volunteers are Native American. “This can be chal-lenging because some of our volunteers may not have had any experience with Native Americans,” Macauley said.

So CASA of Cherokee Country makes bridging the cul-tural gap a priority by requiring cultural diversity train-ing. Each volunteer is trained by a tribal representative and learns how to recognize the difference between culture or poverty and abuse or neglect. Working closely with the tribe, CASA of Cherokee County uses tribal resources and relationships to ensure cross-cul-tural understanding. Macauley also supplements the training with resources from NICWA’s website, includ-ing training manuals Cross-Cultural Skills in Child Welfare and A Mission Not Impossible.

Macauley also shared her enthusiasm in participat-ing in NICWA’s 2010 Protecting Our Children National

American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect in Anchorage, Alaska, where she held a workshop on CASA dual programs, gathered resources, and made connections with fellow conference attendees, gaining knowledge and creative ideas. “It was a great experience,” she said. “I took a ton of information home.”

Nearly one in three of the children served by CASA volunteers in Cherokee County, Oklahoma are Native American.

Because it is a member organization, CASA’s volunteers are linked to NICWA as well.

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