We want to express appreciation to the staff and tribal representatives who have participated over the last five years to revise our Indian Child Welfare Policies and Procedures, first issued in 1991. The 2016 revisions have been written to reflect the:
- Revised federal Indian Child Welfare regulations, effective December 12, 2016
- Amended Indian Child Welfare Washington Administrative Code, effective July 23, 2016
- Washington State Indian Child Welfare Act, passed in 2011
- New policy and procedure format, that includes links to resources for caseworkers to use in their everyday work
- New and updated FamLink functionality related to Indian Child Welfare
Four new chapters are also included that address policies and procedures for the following:
- Initial intake
- Inquiry and verification
- Payments for children in tribal care and custody; and
- Culturally competent case management when working with children and families of Indian Ancestry who are not subject to the state and federal Indian Child Welfare Acts.
Among the people who have been involved in the effort are:
| Aimee Gone, Office of Indian Policy Betsy Tulee, Muckleshoot Tribe Bob Smith, ICW headquarters program supervisor Bob Ensley, Federal Funding Manager headquarters Brenda Francis–Thomas, Office of Indian Policy Carmelita Adkins, Region 2 ICW Program Consultant Carissa Greenberg, AAG Cassie Anderson, Region 1 Supervisor CFWS, CPS, ICW Francis Cacalda, UW Alliance ICW Training Coordinator Gerry Charvat, Region 1 Spokane ICW Unit (prior staff) Heidi Walker, Region 3 ICW Program Consultant Helen Fenrich, Tulalip Tribes Jackie Schafer, AAG Jennifer Meyer, AAG Jenna Kiser, Intake Program Manager headquarters John Miller, Samish Indian Nation staff Juliette Knight, ICW headquarters program manager Karen Richholt, Permanency Planning Program Manager headquarters Kelly Lutes, Native American Inquiry and Relative Search Unit Supervisor headquarters Krissy Wright, DLR Program Manager headquarters Larry Lamebull, Office of Indian Policy Linda Adkinson, Region 1 ICW Program Consultant Liz Mueller, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Lorraine Van Brunt, Nisqually Tribe staff Maya Brown, ICPC Supervisor headquarters |
Colette McCully, Policy Manager headquarters
Jennifer A. Strus, Assistant Secretary
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