NICWA NEWS Quarterly Newsletter • Spring 2017
LATEST
The
ICWA defense updates, new online course & much more inside!
INSIDE
A look at our 35th Annual Protecting Our Children Conference
NICWA
Message from the Executive Director Leaders for These Times Dear NICWA Members, Sponsors, Donors, and Friends, At the 2016 NICWA annual conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, Commissioner Rafael Lopez of the Administration for Children Youth and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services challenged us, the NICWA community, to be champions for Indian children and families. Quoting John F. Kennedy, he said, “If not us, who? If not now, when?” The November Presidential election results revealed deep divisions within our country. In these tumultuous and uncertain times, Commissioner Lopez’s clarion call for our leadership is more relevant and urgent than ever. NICWA is unwavering in our commitment to Native children and families and to tribal sovereignty and the responsibility of tribes to protect and care for their member children. While the political context in which we are working has markedly changed, our goals are the same. While our strategies, tactics, and some of our allies may change, we are going to lean into the work and redouble our efforts to ensure that the protections of ICWA stand, ICWA compliance is enforced, much-needed resources are directed to tribal communities for child and family services, and meaningful tribal/state collaboration is realized. Indian Country has a long and fruitful history of working with leaders and policymakers along the spectrum of political ideologies and parties. We work with Congress, the Administration, and the U.S. Supreme Court. We work on both sides of the aisle. We will continue to educate and work with whatever leaders are in power, and we will work with any partners who are trying to advance the wellbeing of children and families. We will pray for our country and our leaders, and we will work tirelessly for the healing of our nation. In this political environment we are being called on to lead, to protect the voiceless, and to advocate for what we know our children, families, and communities need. We have no choice but to step forward. We trust the Creator will make the way. Our Native values, our original instructions, and our lived experience of resilience are gifts that the world needs, now more than ever. With gratitude for your leadership and advocacy,
Sarah Kastelic
NICWA News is published by the National Indian Child Welfare Association 5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97239 P: (503) 222-4044 F: (503) 222-4007 www.nicwa.org
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
CONTENTS
Message from the Executive Director 2. Under One Sky 3. NICWA Advances Efforts to Protect ICWA 5. Cherokee Nation Becomes Youth M.O.V.E. Chapter 6. NICWA Launches Online Course 7. The Heart of ICWA 8. First Kids 1st 9. Research Department Update 10. Collaboration in Action 11. NICWA Cares This Holiday Season Spring 2017 | 3 12. New and Renewing NICWA Members 13.
Under One Sky
Weaving Love, Culture, and Traditions into Every Home
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he National Indian Child Welfare Association is proud to host our 35th Annual Protecting Our Children National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect on April 2–5, 2017, in the sunny San Diego area of Southern California. This year’s theme: “Under One Sky: Weaving Love, Culture, and Traditions into Every Home,” focuses on creating a loving and safe space for our children. The theme focuses on the role culture and tradition play in creating healthy and loving children and families. This year we are expecting over 1,000 participants to join us for our four-day conference attracting child welfare advocates from all across North America.
The event will be held at Harrah’s Resort Southern California, which is owned by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. It’s great to be at a tribally owned property! The hotel is a 55-minute drive from downtown San Diego, and Rincon will offer a complimentary shuttle from and back to the San Diego airport to the hotel to make transportation easier for participants. The conference will cover a wide range of topics, with over 70 workshops. Some highlights include workshops on Indian Child Welfare Act basics, working with substance-abusing families, successful strategies and challenges with child welfare in an urban setting, and suicide prevention. The workshops are divided into four main tracks: child welfare, foster care, and adoption services; children’s mental health; judicial and legal affairs; and youth and family involvement.
Volunteer at Conference
The conference will hold general sessions with keynote speakers and panelists who will speak on pressing issues in the field of Indian child welfare. We anticipate one of the most popular plenary sessions will be our Monday morning session, which will feature local Native, Southern Californian youth sharing their lived experiences in and out of foster care. Helping and supporting our youth begins simply with listening. We invite you to learn from Native youth by listening as they share about their experiences in the child welfare system.
NICWA is still looking for volunteers to help support our conference. We need volunteers like you to make it happen! Help us make conference a success by providing support in one or more of these areas: set-up and wrap-up, registration, staffing the information desk, greeting guests at the general session, and serving as a workshop monitor. Volunteers who commit to at least eight hours of service can then attend the rest of conference workshops and sessions at no cost. New this year, we will also offer a special discounted rate for volunteers who would like to attend the banquet.
Tuesday night, NICWA will hold its dinner banquet, which is a highlight for many participants who appreciate the conference both as a place of respite and as a way to connect with their peers across the nation. This year’s banquet will feature comedian Tatanka Means who will share his sketch called “Laughter is the Best Medicine.” The banquet will also feature our annual paddle raise fundraiser, include the presentation of our Champion for Native Children award, and NICWA will draw the coveted raffle prize. This year’s raffle grand prize will be a trip for two to visit New Orleans. We invite you to join us on April 2–5, 2017, and attend your choice of workshops, listen to plenary sessions, enter our raffle, shop at our NICWA store, visit the membership table, attend special sessions for affinity groups, such as legal professionals and adult adoptees, be a guest at our banquet and membership reception, and go digital with our new app. If you find any spare time, don’t forget to visit the hotel’s lazy river for an inner tube ride, take the free shuttle to a nearby mall, and eat at one of the many amazing restaurants on site. We look forward to seeing you there! National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
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Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
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Host Sponsor!
t is an honor to announce that our host tribe for our upcoming annual conference will also be our host sponsor! Thank you, Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians. We are humbled by your support of our work! Established in 1875, the Rincon Band of Luiseño is a sovereign government, recognized by the Constitution of the United States, federal law, and court precedent. As such, the tribal government has many responsibilities and powers equal to city, county, state governments, and even the federal government, with which tribes have a government-to-government relationship. The band traces its Southern California ancestry back 10,000 years, and the tribal council governs 500 members with jurisdiction over a 6,000 acre reservation in Valley Center, California. Rincon owns Harrah’s Resort Southern California (which is the location of NICWA’s conference this April, pictured below) and uses profits from this and other commercial enterprises located on reservation, to fund government services and economic diversification on behalf of the reservation and Rincon people. Engaged in an economic partnership with neighboring communities, the Rincon Band shares its good fortune with North County San Diego, through tribal government donations to worthy causes that contribute to the welfare and health of the region. In addition, the Rincon tribal government provides increased fire and police protection to the surrounding communities with a state-of-the-art fire station and contract with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for extra law enforcement protection. For additional information about our host sponsor, go to www.rincontribe.org.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
“
Native people have a unique task of overcoming
the past and the sobering statistics that haunt reservations. We must find ways to treat the trauma, health, mental, and social problems that pass from one generation to another. We must give our children love, mentoring, and positive examples. We must educate all of our families on how to raise healthy, resilient children. It behooves each and every individual to take responsibility for creating a world where our children are loved, where their needs are met, and where they are valued for their unique strengths and gifts.
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-Bo Mazzetti, Chairman of the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians
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NICWA Advances Efforts to Protect Indian Child Welfare Act
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s opponents of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) continue to challenge ICWA in the courts and in the media, NICWA and several of our partners have increased our efforts to defend this most crucial law that serves the best interests of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children and families. In December 2016, NICWA met in Portland with the ICWA Defense Coalition partners (NICWA, the National Congress of American Indians, the Native American Rights Fund, and the ICWA Appellate Project at the Michigan State University College of Law) to discuss both short-term and long-term strategies to protect ICWA. The Coalition is also reaching out to other organizations, both in and outside of Indian Country, who are interested in helping to support the project and protect ICWA. The big news in January of 2017 was that the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) denied review of an ICWA case out of California referred to as the Lexi case which involved a Choctaw child in foster care. The non-Indian foster parents, who temporarily had placement of the child until she was ordered to be placed with relatives, filed a petition last October asking SCOTUS to review the case (in re Alexandria P.). The child and her extended family endured almost four
years of unnecessary appeals brought by the foster parents who were determined to maintain custody of her. The attorney for the foster parents, Lori McGill, also represented the non-Indian adoptive couple in the 2013 SCOTUS ICWA case (Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl) and has been actively challenging ICWA cases in different states. We expect ICWA opponents to continue their efforts to get another case before SCOTUS, so if you notice any ICWA cases going on appeal in your area or with your tribe, please contact NICWA so we can track this type of litigation.
One of NICWA’s partner organizations is the American Bar Association (ABA) Center on Children and the Law. The center provides legal education and technical assistance to courts and legal professionals that practice child welfare law. The center has developed helpful ICWA compliance and education tools for state courts and legal practitioners and recently published a full issue of their practice journal, ABA Child Law Practice, which focused on opportunities to improve ICWA practice and compliance. NICWA staff Shanna Knight and David Simmons were some of the co-authors of the issue that shared information on state-tribal collaboration examples and highlighted the new NICWA Heart of ICWA video series. We are grateful to the center and their Every year, NICWA provides onsite training and technical assistance to dozens staff, especially Scott Trowbridge, for helping develop this opportunity of communities in the U.S. and Canada. Here is where we’ve been since our and look forward to more ICWA Winter 2016 issue. partnership opportunities in the future.
Where We’ve Been
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
Spring 2017 | 6
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n December 2016, the Cherokee Nation Youth M.O.V.E. (Motivating Others Through Voices of Experience) group became officially recognized as a chapter of the national organization, making it the first Youth M.O.V.E. chapter in the state of Oklahoma, and the fourth tribal chapter in the country. The Youth M.O.V.E. model was adopted by advocates at Cherokee Nation in response to the recognition that youth voice and youth input was largely absent from the services that youth received, particularly with respect to mental health. Juli Skinner, associate director of Cherokee Nation’s Helping Everyone Reach Out (HERO) Project, explains that, “Youth M.O.V.E. empowers youth with leadership development, structure, and support in empowering our youth to become active participants in the services that affect them. Therefore, we felt working to develop a chapter in our tribal community was the best fit for us.”
Cherokee Nation Becomes Youth M.O.V.E. Chapter One indication of the school’s support for the group is the accommodation that has been made to allow Youth M.O.V.E. meetings to occur during the after school programming. Previously, the meetings had taken place in the evening.
For almost a year prior to obtaining recognition as a chapter, the Cherokee Nation Youth M.O.V.E. group met on a weekly basis, did outreach, and worked on various projects. Early on, members of the group identified issues such as substance abuse, bullying, suicidal ideation, and destigmatizing mental health as areas where they wanted to focus their work.
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We need to find ways to use our voice. We need to advocate for ourselves, as well as for others.
-Sequoyah High School Student, Cherokee Nation
Ashley Lincoln, an evidence-based intervention specialist with the HERO Project, has been the primary adult advocate, facilitator, and mentor for the group, and helped establish a strong partnership between the Cherokee Youth M.O.V.E. group and Sequoyah High School, which is located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. She notes that recruiting youth at Sequoyah High School was a natural course to take because “they are always going to have youth in attendance, so that’s where we need to be.” Ms. Lincoln points out that while she did initial recruiting for the group at the high school, after about six months the students began doing their own recruitment. The Cherokee Nation Youth M.O.V.E. chapter meets every Wednesday from 3:00pm—5:00pm at Sequoyah High School, and the meetings are open to all students.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
Cherokee Youth M.O.V.E. members have been involved in a number of meaningful activities, from working to organize and raise awareness for Children’s Mental Health Day, to creating a student concern and suggestion box at the high school as an avenue for students to communicate about issues that trouble them. Members are also currently in the process of developing bylaws and a Youth M.O.V.E. board. In addition, the youth are working on strategies to help other high schools create their own Youth M.O.V.E. chapters. The Cherokee Youth M.O.V.E. chapter is part of a growing national movement that is committed to acknowledging and incorporating youth voice, choice, and leadership. Cherokee Nation youth are asserting that they are the experts in their own lives, that they have important things to say and contribute, and that they can be catalysts for change. As one youth put it, “Every single one of us has our strengths, but we all have our own individual weaknesses too. We need to find ways to use our voice. We need to advocate for ourselves, as well as for others.”
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NICWA Launches Online Course
ICWA is dedicated to providing services that empower families, child welfare programs, and tribes. In anticipation of the effective date of the first ever substantive, legally binding ICWA regulations by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA in December 2016, NICWA created a new online Introduction to ICWA training course. NICWA redesigned our outdated Introduction to ICWA course to address the needs of individuals working in the field of child welfare for the most up-to-date policy and best practice information. This course will benefit families, including foster families, through training ICWA-compliant, culturally competent child welfare workers. Child welfare programs and tribes will be empowered by the presentation of ICWA provisions in non-legal language and in the order in which a case worker might encounter them in an ICWA case. The course is ideal for anyone involved in the out-of-home placement of American Indian and Alaska Native children throughout the United States. The course is about 4.5 hours in length and consists of six modules (five content modules and an exam) which can be completed at your own pace. Registration includes a certificate for 4.5 CEUs accredited by the National Association of Social Workers upon successful passage of the final exam. NICWA offers the ability to register as an individual or with our improved group contract feature. The group option includes the ability for supervisors to track progress of staff members, create reports, and benefit from group discounts. Those registering for the online training course by April 15, 2017, will be entered in a special drawing for a chance to win one of ten Gregg Deal ICWA posters entitled “Our Children Are Not Yours to Take.” To learn more about other special offers, locate more information, or to register for the course, visit our website at www.nicwa.org/icwa_course.
es i l i m a F n a i d n I Thank You for Honoring the Tradition #Strong # DefendICW of Strong Indian Families A
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hanks to all who gave in our year-end fundraising efforts. We are proud to report that as of January, and including this month’s Valentine’s Day fundraiser, together, we raised $24,709 of a $30,000 goal! With three more months to go and the continued outpouring of support, we have no doubt that we will be able to reach this goal. These unrestricted dollars are crucial to our ability to carry out policy and advocacy work, as often these are the hardest activities to fund. Because of your generosity, we will be able to continue to defend the Indian Child Welfare Act and fight for families who deserve the protections this important law provides. Together, we have honored the tradition of strong Indian families by helping them stay together for generations to come. On behalf of those we serve, thank you!
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
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NICWA Releases The Heart of ICWA Personal Story Video Series
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arly last summer, NICWA’s communications team joined forces with a small, but incredibly talented, film crew for a fourteen day filming journey through three reservations capturing personal family stories about experiences with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Partnering with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, awardwinning Producer/Director Karen Odyneic, and Producer Milo Daemgen, NICWA released a four-part public education video campaign that is informative and extremely touching, entitled, The Heart of ICWA, in December 2016. NICWA recognized the overwhelming need for ICWA public education materials that can be distributed widely, not only throughout social media channels, but also in educational environments, such as inperson and online courses on social work with American Indian children and families as well as meetings with policymakers. The Heart of ICWA, a multi-part digital storytelling series, features family members, tribal leaders, adult adoptees, and youth that were in foster care sharing their “lived experience” of how ICWA has impacted their lives; it counters the negative stereotypes and blatantly racist images of Indian people and communities that opponents of ICWA have felt obliged to use in their messaging. The 5–8 minute videos have been released on NICWA’s Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and have been watched over 7,500 times by people throughout the entire country. Most recently, several videos were shown at United South and Eastern Tribes and National Congress of American Indians conferences, introducing tribal leaders to these powerful educational tools. It is NICWA’s ultimate hope that these videos will be a powerful tool in the advancement of NICWA’s mission, strengthening the health and well-being of American Indian and Alaska Native children and families. “I hope that these videos are used as an educational tool to teach others about the importance of ICWA and that they will provide an opportunity for ICWA supporters to share authentic accounts of the history and impact of ICWA compliance and non-compliance on our people,” said Rochelle Ettawageshik (Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians), Vice Chair of the NICWA Board of Directors. If you would like to watch the videos and join in the movement to educate people about the true heart of ICWA, visit Facebook.com/NativeChildren and share them with your friends and relatives.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
Spring 2017 | 9
First Kids 1st
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Working to Empower Native Children and Youth
ative children and youth face challenges to their well-being that are often the result of disparities that tribal communities face in securing much needed resources and funding. For example, while Native children are overrepresented in state foster care systems, tribal nations receive a disproportionately low amount of federal child welfare funding, receiving less than 1% of these funds annually. To address and eliminate these racial inequities and transform Native communities, NICWA, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), and the National Indian Health Board (NIHB) have joined together to lead a movement to put First Kids 1st. First Kids 1st is supported by a three-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and proposes a campaign to mobilize communities to create the conditions for Native children, youth and families to thrive and the systemic change necessary to assure sustainability. The four core partner organizations are collaborating together in new, crossdisciplinary ways, creating a “whole” more than the sum of its parts, and engaging other partners in, and outside, of Indian Country to join the movement.
In the first six months of the First Kids 1st initiative, NICWA joined with its core partners (NCAI, NIEA, and NIHB) to advocate for continuation of protections for Native children, youth, and families. Two letters, one urging retention of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and a second asking for continuation of the Generations Indigenous initiative in the Trump Administration were sent to Congressional leadership and the White House in late 2016. The Indian Health Care Improvement Act was included in the Affordable Care Act, which is facing repeal by the new Congress. The Generations Indigenous initiative was established under the Obama Administration and created a platform for Native youth to help lead efforts to educate Administration officials to their needs and to participate in development of solutions. In addition, the core partners produced a fiscal year 2018 budget document detailing recommended budget levels for key federal programs in health, education, and social services that support Native children, youth, and families. The document was published by NCAI in February 2016 and provides examples of how tribes have successfully used these programs; it’s available at NCAI’s website at www.ncai.org. Another First Kids 1st task has been updating the 2015 Native Children’s Agenda Policy Portfolio that identifies critical policy changes needed to improve the well-being of Native children, youth, and families. The partners have begun updating this document and will be releasing it in April of 2017. If you would like to learn more about the First Kids 1st Initiative and NICWA’s activities, please contact David Simmons at desimmons@nicwa.org. National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
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Research Department Update
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esbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two Spirit (LGBTQ2S) youth face many issues, and for youth who are in the child welfare system, those issues can be even more complex and have significant impacts. LGBTQ2S youth are disproportionately more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience greater health problems, enter into the child welfare system, have more placements in both foster homes and group homes, and experience lower rates of reunification with their families of origin. They are also at greater risk of abuse, violence, harassment, school sanctions, and various forms of discrimination than their heterosexual counterparts. National data on this population is not collected consistently, but it is estimated that 18–60% of youth in child welfare identify as LGBTQ2S. Fifty-six percent of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) transgender and gender nonconforming individuals have reported suicide attempts, and 50% of AI/AN gay or lesbian students have reported experiencing physical violence at school. NICWA is involved in a project that addresses some of these issues in an effort to provide safety and acceptance to LGBTQ2S youth in the child welfare system. This project is the LGBTQ2S QIC, which stands for the National Quality Improvement Center (QIC) on Tailored Services, Placement Stability and Permanency for Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, and Two Spirit (LGBTQ2S) Children and Youth in Foster Care. In collaboration with the Children’s Bureau at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and state, local, and tribal partners, the LGBTQ2S QIC will work to improve well-being, stability, and permanency of LGBTQ2S youth in foster care. NICWA is partnering with the Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work—the lead on this project—along with the Human Services Collaborative, Ruth Ellis Center, Tufts University, and Youth M.O.V.E. National. Together we will work with local implementation sites to implement strengths-based, traumainformed programs and interventions to meet the project goal of creating safe and welcoming spaces for LGBTQ2S youth to self-identify. NICWA has the important role of providing guidance to the project as a subject matter expert on tribal issues and on cultural competence. We will reach out to Native communities that may be interested in submitting a proposal for this project, and working with them to create their proposal. If a tribal site is selected as one of the local implementation sites, NICWA will collaborate with the site as they work to complete their specific process and outcome evaluations for their selected intervention. Technical assistance will also be provided by NICWA on the evaluation design, tribal research or Institutional Review Board approval process, evaluation implementation, and interpretation of findings. Interested in applying? Primary applicants must be a state, local, or tribal child welfare agency, but they can apply with partners who may work with the agency on the implementation of interventions. The call for proposals will be available at the end of February. Shortly after that, the LGBTQ2S QIC will hold a kickoff webinar where applicants can learn more about the project and ask questions. A second webinar will be held once people start writing their proposals to assist with the writing process. NICWA will also be available to assist tribes or Native child welfare agencies and their partners in the application process.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
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he strong collaboration between two dedicated NICWA members, the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Carlton County, Minnesota, holds a long history. From the very beginning of their relationship, both partners knew that in order to have strong collaboration, there has to be strong relationships developed through mutual respect. These basic principles of respect, relationships, and collaboration are the historic foundation of the successful working relationship between Fond du Lac and Carlton County, and they are paying off! Collaboration occurs in many different levels and branches of government. However, health and human services are one of the most important areas, as they directly impact the lives of people every day. Joint efforts occur in mental health, chemical dependency, child protection, adult services, public health programs, and emergency preparedness, among many others. In the partnership between Fond du Lac and Carlton County, representatives from both agencies form a larger team to address the concerns they jointly face. Regular contact between staff from both agencies is key to maintaining the strength in this collaboration. Each morning, they go through a joint decision-making process during the Child Protection Action team meeting, where new reports are discussed by representatives of both agencies and disposition is agreed upon. While there is always the possibility that the discussion may arrive at an “agree to disagree” position, this rarely happens. Other regular joint meetings happen via the Children’s Mental Health team, Community Child Protection team, and Case Consultation and Adult Protection team. All of these are outlined in their Tribal–County Agreement.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
Collaboration in Action!
NICWA Tribal and Organizational Members Win Prestigious Award for Their Work Together
For the past 12 years, a process called the Parallel Protection Plan has also been utilized to resolve their more complex child protection cases, utilizing a trained facilitator from Fond du Lac, with many of the meetings taking place at the Fond du Lac Human Services building. Although this is a recognized legal process by the district court and has all of the attorneys, legal representatives, and related documentation, it provides greater communication and understanding by all those that are involved, in a setting that is more conducive to recognizing the community’s strengths and challenges.
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Collaboration in Action! Continued
One of the recent examples of the strong and innovative partnership between Fond du Lac and Carlton County in meeting the needs of families in their community is through the School Linked Mental Health Program, which serves American Indian and other Carlton County children. This creative service connects mental health services with schools and
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students, both in-person and through tele-mental health. The program recently received the Minnesota Department of Human Services 2016 Commissioner’s Circle of Excellence Award. We are so proud of these two NICWA members for being recognized for their outstanding contributions to human services clients, and for being a shining example of how to collaborate effectively, and improve the lives of those in their community. Congratulations, and well done!
NICWA Cares this Holiday Season
his past December, NICWA staff continued our tradition of giving back to the greater Portland, Oregon community during the holiday season. Through contributions, partnership with the NICWA Local Community Engagement team, and the annual bake sale, NICWA raised funds to deliver presents and do holiday activities with the children at our local Siletz Tribal Head Start program. NICWA staff and Siletz Head Start staff and children truly look forward to our yearly visit, as it is such a great opportunity to connect with each other and bring joy to youth in our community. In addition to the Head Start gifts, NICWA staff assembled over 125 toiletry bags for a local nonprofit, Transition Projects, a leader in transitioning people in the Portland area from homelessness and houselessness into housing. The toiletry bags included socks, underwear, and other essential items to support community members through one of Portland’s harshest winters. Through these opportunities, we acknowledge the importance of our greater community through service work. NICWA is grateful to give back, and we are thankful for the support of our community which allows us to do so.
National Indian Child Welfare Association | NICWA News
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New and Renewing Members September 30, 2016–January 31, 2017 Tribe
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Samish Indian Nation Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians
Tribe
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indian Cedarville Rancheria Enterprise Rancheria Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Makah Nation Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma Nambe Pueblo Nisqually Indian Tribe Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Redwood Valley Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California Sac and Fox Nation Susanville Indian Rancheria
Coral Membership Tier Organization
West Region Child and Family Services Inc.
Turquoise Membership Tier Organization
Association of Village Council Presidents Bureau of Indian Affairs Eastern Oklahoma Region CO Department of Human Services - Child Welfare Copper River Native Association Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation Hope and Home Humboldt State University, Department of Social Work Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition University of OK National Resource Center for Youth Services
Individual
Terry Cross Sharon Fleming Lea Ann Holder Brady Schumacher David Simmons Geoffrey Strommer Mary Teegee Leoda Tommie
Kristen Aitkens Christopher Blake Julie Braden Errlinda Castillo Angi Cavaliere Trenton Clark Monica Day Paul Day Carmen Farmer Tiffany Garner Robert Griffy Rita Hart Julia Jaakola Mary McCarthy Nancy Miller
Individual
Lisa Modecker David Montoya Sarah Parisian Phillip Powers Stanley Pryor Shaneen Raining Bird-Hammond Nanette Silveroli Genevieve Skidmore Matthew Slater Leonard Smith Nancylee Stewart Renee Waisner Richard Woodard
Associate Membership Tier John George
Gilreath Aitkens Maria Avilez Ky’Lee Barnoski Martha Beard Sabrina Bergman Julia Bogany Melonie Boord Justin Boro Terra Branson Barry Brenard Chris Brewer Crystal Brown Shauna Bruno Charles Buchanan Shannon Buffalo Angi Cavaliere Bertha Cazares Fredrika Chaney Jena Conner Alyssa Connolly Alexis Contreras Christine Contreras Alexis Contreras Kathleen Coulborn Faller
Abalone Membership Tier
Sara Crotteau Delores Cunejo Pam Degener Susan Denight Amber Desjarlais-Klemonsky Diana Elliott Adam Fahey Barbra Fether Shannon Finn Leona Flowers Brian Fodor Tanya Foureyes-Mulley Eric Freeby Margaret Galovin Estela Garcia LeAnne Gillett Brenda Gilman-Bagwill Maria Guerra Cynthia Guzman Candy Hamilton Michele Hannah Heather Hansen Monica Hawley Kristy Healing
Brenda Hernandez Jeanine Hooper Maggi Hutchason Yvonne Ito Richard Jackson Adrienne James Melissa Kava Juliette Knight Cathryn Leff Charmeika Lewis Emma Lightning Koren Lightning-Earle Robert Lindecamp Linda Logan Allison Long Josephine Loomis Helen Louis Steve Luna Tessa Macias Madeleine MacIvor Exenia Malagon Candi Marcantel Paul Matte Amanda McAdoo
Mary McCarthy Traci McGarry Spring Medacco Maritza Melendez Joel Merrifield Sandy Momper Brooke Montour Iliana Mora Linda Morceau Kristina Mueller Perry Omeasoo Susan Paquet Evelyn Pensgard Donald Powell Matt Purcell Carmela Quitugua Elizabeth Ranger Lynn Reer Michelle Requilman-Bowden Regina Riley Vernon Saddleback Emily Matt Salois Carol Samuelson
Wendie Schaeffer Rhonda Schneider Matthew Scott Charlotte Scott Rachele Seymour Jim Sherril Raymond Shingoose Erik Shircel Robert Smith Jody Soholt Bernadette Spence Darren Stand Linda Stiller Melissa Stoner Nuk Thann Sue Thompson Jessica Ullrich Arlene Wahwasuck Lisa Ward Deb Weston Carrie Whitecotton Darlene Willer Ted Wright Mike Yates
NICWA
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