On Tuesday, January 16, an impressive array of state and national organizations joined in support of Tribal nations and representatives in defense of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). The briefs were filed with the Fifth Circuit in response to a ruling by a judge late last year. The Amicus Brief by national organizations was
Tessa Buttram and Kylie Hunter On Thursday, January 17, 2019, the Center for Native American Youth at the Aspen Institute held a forum on Youth-Led Organizing and Civic Engagement in the Outdoors. The Fresh Tracks program convened leaders to share their experience using the outdoors as a platform to build leadership skills, learn about and
On Thursday, January 17, 2019, the chairs of Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth held a welcome back event with the staff on Capitol Hill and advocates to discuss issues affecting youth in the child welfare system. The National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) shared the success of 2018 work and efforts planned for 2019 with the
The ongoing government shutdown is a mixed bag in terms of human services funding and which programs, and, by extension, people are most vulnerable. As part of the five appropriations bills that were signed on time last fall, the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Education and Department of Labor are all funded.
When the Children’s Bureau released their first guidance on services provided through the Family First Act, they also announced two call to provided further information. Those calls will be on Monday, December 17, 2018 from 2:30 – 4:00 PM ET or Tuesday, December 18, 2018 from 12:00-1:30 PM ET. Call-in Information: is: 888-391-9602 with the
In addition to last week’s HHS announcement on state guidance (ACYF-CB-PI-18-09) and a preliminary list of services (Attachment C) under the Family First Prevention Services Act (PL 115-123)—(FFA), the Children’s Bureau released guidance for Tribal agencies that are running their own Title IV-B and Title IV-E programs. The guidance, ACYF-CB-PI-18-10, varies and is more flexible
On Friday, November 16, the Center for Native American Youth at The Aspen Institute (CNAY) released its third annual State of Native Youth Report and celebrated Native American Heritage Month with a panel event in Washington, D.C. The 2018 report is the State of Native Youth Report: Generation Indigenous. The report was released at the
On October 4, a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Brackeen V Zinke, Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is unconstitutional in its entirety based on the Equal Protection Clause and the 14th Amendment. The judge wrote that ICWA’s racial classification of children has
The Administration has announced one of their decisions regarding an update of the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) with an August 21, 2018 Federal Register announcement. They will delay an implementation that was scheduled to take place now. Instead the Children’s Bureau will delay the compliance and effective dates in the
The Children’s Bureau has released instructions (ACYF-CB-PI-18-05) on how states can draw down $20 million in FY 2018 Kinship Navigator funds. The $20 million was added as part of the March-approved FY 2018 appropriations bills. It was attached to Title IV-B part 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families. Unlike the Kinship-Navigator funds (which require programs