Indian Child Welfare Policies and Procedures

  • Preface and Acknowledgements
  • Introduction
  • 1. Initial Intake (ICWA Procedures at initial contact)
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Procedures
      • After Hours Field Response
      • Local DCFS/DLR Responsibilities
    • Forms and Resources
  • 2. Tribal/State Agreements
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Procedures
      • MOU Completion
    • Forms and Resources
  • 3. Inquiry and Verification of Child's Indian Status
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Initial Visit Indian Identity Request DSHS 09-761
      • Family Ancestry Chart DSHS 04-220
      • Native American Inquiry Referral timeframes
      • Before a termination of parental rights trial
      • New evidence and reason to know
    • Procedures
      • Indian Identity Request Form Completion
      • Family Ancestry Chart Completion
      • Native American Inquiry Referral Completion
      • Enrollment when a child is a member or eligible for membership in a federal tribe
      • When ICWA does not apply (non-ICWA cases)
    • Forms and Resources
  • 4. Disclosure of Confidential Records/Information to Tribes
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Disclosure without consent
      • Disclosure with consent
    • Forms and Resources
  • 5. Child Protective Services for Indian Children
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Involvement of tribes during investigation on/off reservation
      • Contacting tribal law enforcement when child abuse/neglect occurs on tribal land
      • Active Efforts/Family Service and Safety Planning
      • Child Protective Team Staffings
    • Procedures
    • Forms and Resources
  • 6. Casework Activities for Court Proceedings
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Voluntary placement agreement 
      • Protective Custody by Law Enforcement 
      • Court order authorizing placement 
      • Intervention by a tribe
      • Transfer of jurisdiction 
      • State court process 
        • Fact finding/service of ICWA (legal) notice by worker to parents,
        • Indian custodian, BIA, and tribe
        • Guardianship/service of ICWA (legal) notice by worker to parents,
        • Indian custodian, BIA, and tribe 
        • Termination/service of ICWA (legal) notice by worker to parents,
        • Indian custodian, BIA and tribe
        • Qualified expert witness
      • Forms and Resources
  • 7. Indian Child Placement Preferences and Relative Search
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Forms and Resources
  • 8. Adoption
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Procedures
      • Placement of legally free Indian children
      • Services following placement of legally free children
      • Releasing records of an adopted Indian child
      • Disrupted or dissolved adoption of an Indian child
    • Forms and Resources
  • 9. Interstate Compact on the Placement of Indian Children
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Procedures
      • ICPC out-of-state procedures
      • ICPC in Washington state
    • Forms and Resources
  • 10. Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committees
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Establishing a Local indian child welfare advisory committee (LICWAC)
        • LICWAC membership
        • LICWAC function
      • Staffing a case with LICWAC
        • CA LICWAC liaison responsibilities
        • CA caseworker LICWAC responsibilities
      • LICWAC/CA impasse procedure
    • Forms and Resources
  • 11. Payments for Services for Children in Tribal Care or Custody
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
      • Case assignment
      • Foster care monthly maintenance payment
      • Referring for services
      • Periodic review of services
      • Behavioral rehabilitation services and Wraparound intensive services
      • Relative guardianship assistance program
      • Closing payment only cases
      • Tribal request for child care
    • Forms and Resources
  • 12. Casework Services for Children and Families of Non-Federally Recognized Tribes and Canadian First Nations
    • Purpose, Laws, and Policy
    • Forms and Resources
  • 13. Definitions
  • 14. Appendices
    • Appendix A
      • ICWA Compliance Guidelines
      • Casey Family Programs
      • Federal register
      • National Indian Child Welfare Association
      • UW Alliance Indian child welfare
      • Washington state federally recognized tribes
    • Appendix B
      • Chronological timeline of the history of Washington state Indian child welfare
      • Government to Government relations