In 1978 Congress passed an astonishing piece of legislation that gave Native American tribes a considerable amount of jurisdiction over matters of child custody and the adoption of their children. In 1976, the Association of American Indian Affairs gathered statistics relevant to the adoption of Indian children that Congress found "shocking…

Under Oklahoma's new "in need of treatment" (INT) procedure, juvenile commitments have increased 10 times since 1983. About 8% of commitments are American Indian children. Generally, the mental health dilemma of Indian communities is characterized by multiple and interacting problems, acute symptoms masked by related problems such as…

Describes a culturally sensitive program developed by the University of Washington School of Social Work, the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, and 26 Indian tribes in Washington State that trained 34 child welfare personnel to better implement the intent of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. Contains program evaluation…

Explores two historical periods that preceded the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978: the boarding and mission school era (1880s-1950s) and the Indian adoption era (1950s-70s). The assimilationist social welfare policy of those two eras led to the eventual need for special legislation that protects tribal self-determination, heritage, and family…

Due to the rural environment in which most Indian tribal human service personnel work, paraprofessional staff rarely have access to professional education programs that will enable them to expand their theoretical knowledge, enhance their practical skills, and advance their careers. Indian child welfare workers encounter complex tasks daily, which…

The rural environment in which most Indian tribal human service personnel work impedes the access of paraprofessional staff to professional education programs that will enable them to expand their theoretical knowledge, enhance their practical skills, and advance their careers. Each day, child welfare workers encounter complex tasks that require…

Presents the historical background, contemporary factors, issues, and activities that led to the enactment of the Indian Child Welfare Act. Discusses actions of the Devils Lake Sioux of North Dakota in 1968 and involvement of the Association on American Indian Affairs, which led to Senate hearings in 1974 and passage of the act in 1978. (TM)

A training manual, intended to foster cooperative, coordinated approaches to resolving Indian child welfare cases, uses the case study approach to help tribal social service and court workers recognize strengths of American Indian and Alaska Native families. The first chapter covers primary aspects and needs of children of all cultures, from…