Tribal Community-Based Pathway Listening Sessions
DCYF continues to partner and learn from Tribal communities about the supports needed, what’s working well, and how we can honor Tribal culture and traditions when offering family supports. Tribal voices help shape how these supports are designed and delivered.
What is learned these conversations will be returned to Tribes in a clear and usable format, supporting their own planning, decision‑making, and understanding of what matters most to their communities.
Title IV-E Prevention Plan Tribal Input
DCYF is committed to continuing collaboration efforts with the 29 federally recognized Tribes and Tribal agencies to reduce the disproportionality of AI/AN children in out-of-home placements, and to improve the overall outcomes of AI/AN children, youth, and families. Throughout the development of the 2020-2024 and 2024-2029 Washington State Title IV-E Prevention Plans, DCYF engaged with Tribes for their input. This was accomplished through participation in the DCYF Tribal Policy Advisory Committee, partnering with the Office of Tribal Relations, and other Tribal Community outreach efforts to solicit input on the development of the Prevention Plan.
View the literature review on the four identified tribal prevention practices
Title IV-E Agreements
Over the last several years, DCYF has been especially focused on improving relationships with Tribes by ensuring that the needs of the Tribal Communities are at the forefront of policy development. DCYF currently has Title IV-E Agreements with the Quinault and Lummi Tribes. Within these agreements, the two Tribes are able to directly provide approved prevention services that are approved within the DCYF Title IV-E prevention plans. The IV-E Agreements further affirms the Tribes’ right to make decisions on programs and services that strengthen AI/AN children and families.
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe has a direct Title IV-E agreement with the federal government.
Tribal agencies that operate direct Title IV-E agreements with the federal government may submit their own Title IV-E prevention plan. Port Gamble S’Klallam is only one of four Tribes throughout the nation that has an approved FFPSA Plan which allows them to provide more culturally responsive prevention services, meeting the unique needs of families within their Tribal Communities.
Compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
Washington is committed to meeting the needs of AI/AN children and families by ensuring that culturally responsive services are provided in a manner consistent with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. Sec. 1901 et seq.). AI/AN children may be provided prevention services either by a Tribal Title IV-E Prevention Program, through Title IV-E Prevention Program Agreements, or through a future community-based service pathway.
Title IV-E prevention services to an AI/AN child under the Title IV-E Program is closely intertwined with the requirement of ICWA that must be made to maintain an AI/AN child with their family or kinship caregiver. When applying prevention services to Active Efforts, they should be consistent with the cultural and social conditions of the child's Tribe, and should be conducted in partnership with the child, their parents, extended family, and Tribe.
