The Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee (LICWAC) was initiated during the early 1970s by tribes and grassroots tribal members who voiced alarm about the high rate of removal of Native children from their families and from tribal communities. The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is grateful that tribes provided the impetus to create LICWAC teams and that the state joined with tribes to implement these staffing’s in recognition of the vital importance of tribal and familial connections for Native children and their families.
LICWAC teams are unique to Washington State and these staffing requirements were codified into Washington Administrative Code in 1976, two years prior to the passage of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act.
Mission
The Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee (LICWAC) will preserve the cultural heritage of Indian children by preventing the unjust removal from their families, seeking reunification with parents or permanent placement with relatives, ensuring placement of Indian children in the least restrictive environment, and requiring the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), and private placing agencies, comply with all federal and state laws, regulations, ordinances, and agreements regarding Indian children and families.
Purpose
The purpose of LICWAC is to:
- Advise DCYF on case planning and services for Indian children and their families when the child or family’s Tribe, Band, or Canadian First Nations is unavailable or it’s a Reason to Know case.
- Encourage the preservations of Indian families and tribes by ensuring DCYF and private agency comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), the Washington Indian Child Welfare Act (WICWA), and Tribal Memorandums of Agreement (MOA).
- Encourage involvement of tribal nations and American Indian Organizations in case planning for Indian children when there is reason to know, and a Tribe has not been determined.
- Ensure culturally relevant resources are offered to Indian children and their families to prevent out-of-home placement or expedite reunification efforts, including in-home family support services whenever possible; and to identify and notify gaps in services for Indian children to the Office of Tribal Relations (OTR) and DCYF Regional Administrator.
- Ensure increased participation of families, caregivers, and children in the review process.
- Support the efforts of tribal nations to exercise their self-governance in Indian Child Welfare matters.
- Advocate for the needs of Indian children in the development and monitoring of all DCYF case plans involving Indian children.
- Provide case planning advice and consultation when the Indian child’s Tribe, Band, or Canadian First Nations declines involvement, withdraws from involvement, or requests that the LICWAC be involved with the case on behalf of the Tribe, Band, or Canadian First Nations.