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Welcome and Opening Remarks
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=265972&picture=webinar
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American Indian and
Alaska Native
Grandfamilies:
Helping Children Thrive
Through Connection to
Family and Cultural
Identity
GENERATIONS UNITED’S
NATIONAL CENTER ON GRANDFAMILIES
NATIONAL INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION
JULY 7, 2021
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Generations United
Since 1998, Generations United’s National Center on Grandfamilies:
• Guided by GRAND Voices – a network of caregiver advocates representing 45
states and 11 tribes
• Leads an advisory group of organizations, caregivers and youth that sets the
national agenda
• Conducts federal advocacy on behalf of grandfamilies and supports families
in advocating for themselves
• Provides technical assistance to states and other providers
• Raises awareness through media outreach, weekly communications and
events
• Provides information and resources at www.gu.org and
www.grandfamilies.org
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Lead author NICWA (National Indian
Child Welfare Association)
Informed by work with GRAND Voices
Gives agencies and organizations tools
to better understand and serve AI/AN
grandfamilies
Parallel toolkit available for serving
African American grandfamilies
Available at https://www.gu.org/racial- Latinx toolkit coming fall 2021
equity-toolkits-featuring-grandfamilies/
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Toolkits’ goals: Increase Cultural Awareness &
Provide Resources and Recommendations
Explicit and implicit racism and biases among providers
Lack of cultural understanding leads to unhelpful
service provision
Tools to provide better services by understanding
history and cultural strengths
Include each population in all aspects of system
improvement “Nothing about us without us”
Photo courtesy of NICWA
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National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
NICWA works to support the safety, health and spiritual strength of
AI/AN children along the broad continuum of their lives
Supports tribes in building capacity to prevent and respond to child
abuse and neglect
Most comprehensive source on AI/AN child welfare
www.nicwa.org12
American Indian loss of land, culture and
way of life
Colonial period – 1492-1828
Removal, Reservation and Treaty period – 1828-1887
Allotment and Assimilationist Period – 1887-1934
Reorganization Period – 1934-1945
Termination Period – 1945-1968
Indian Self Determination – 1968-2000
Nation to Nation Period – 2000-present
www.ncai.org/tribalnations/introduction/Indian_Country_101_Updated_February_2019.pdf; page 14 and 15.Understanding History of AI/AN 13 Family Separation Boarding Schools and Assimilation Disproportionate Removals Historical Trauma • Unresolved grief and loss • Generational impact Acknowledgement of Historic and Current Discrimination is important for service providers
14 Boarding Schools See https://boardingschoolhealing. org/education/us-indian- boarding-school-history/
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Common Shared Indigenous Cultural Traits
Native cultures, nations and people are diverse Shared values:
General communication differences with
mainstream Americans: • Respect for elders
• First language may not be English • Wisdom over dry facts and data
• May speak more slowly and indirectly • View time in terms of cycles
• Modest and reserved • Have wide kinship networks
• Consider to be rude: • May prioritize extended family needs
o Interrupting during conversation over other commitments
o Providing advice on what others should do
o Making eye contact16
Helpers Can Provide More Effective Services
Keep cultural differences in mind – e.g., a
Native American caregiver may cancel an
appointment with you last minute due to an
extended family need
Help nurture cultural identity, e.g., help youth
learn basics in their indigenous language:
•Greetings
•Introductions
Photo courtesy of NICWA17
Poll Question #1
How are you engaging AI/AN grandfamily caregivers in the design and
implementation of your services? Please check all that apply.
• Hiring and training as peer supports
• Inviting as board or advisory group members
• Engaging through focus groups
• Asking satisfaction through surveys or town halls
• Currently not engaging, but want to18 GRAND Voice Ms. Robyn Wind
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Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
Requires formal notice to child’s tribe and parents/Indian
custodian of proceedings
Allows child’s tribe to intervene in state child custody
proceedings involving a child who is a member of/eligible for
membership in a federally-recognized tribe
Allows the child’s tribe/parent(s)/Indian custodian to
petition a state court to transfer child custody proceedings
to tribal court
Requires active efforts to prevent the removal of children
from their parents and provide services to allow for safe
reunification
Provides placement preferences for AI/AN children entering Photo courtesy of NICWA
foster care, adoptive or institutional care
25 USC §191520
ICWA Applicability
ICWA does not apply to all children who racially identify as AI/AN
ICWA applies only to children under age 18, who are unmarried, and
either
• is a member of an Indian tribe or
• is eligible for membership in an Indian tribe and is the biological child
of a member of an Indian tribe 25 USC § 1903(4)
What is tribal enrollment?
• Sovereign right to determine requirements
• Common elements are
o Lineal descendance from someone on the tribe’s role
o Relationship to a tribal member who descended from someone
Photo courtesy of NICWA
on the base roll21
How to Identify Children
Eligible for ICWA Protections
Ask the family if they have any AI or AN ancestry
Fill out a family tree with the family’s help
If the parents are unable to provide a reliable answer about the Native heritage of their children, workers
should:
• Do a thorough review of all documentation in the case record
• Contact the previous caseworker, if any
• Contact extended family identified by child or client family and ask about identification of the family
If you believe the child is Indian/Native, send the required formal notice
Contact the suspected tribe(s) through ICWA case worker, enrollment office, an appropriate Indian social
services organization, or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to engage services when available
See NICWA’s A Guide to ICWA Compliance22
Recommended Agency Action Steps
➢ Authentically engage AI/AN grandfamilies
➢ Collect data on racial disparities, conduct ➢ Do not require families to accept services
assessment of inequities and a plan for that are not culturally appropriate
addressing
➢ Use inclusive language and images in
➢ Develop lists of culturally competent AI/AN materials
therapists, counselors, and other providers • Do not limit to “parents” when other
caregivers included
➢ Provide comprehensive trainings and written • use images of AI/AN grandfamilies
materials on ICWA’s requirements to child
welfare and legal stakeholders23
Poll Question #2
Which of these action steps will you first prioritize in your community?
• Authentically engaging AI/AN grandfamilies
• Collecting data on racial disparities, conducting assessment of inequities, and creating a
plan for addressing
• Developing lists of culturally competent AI/AN therapists, counselors, and other
providers
• Providing comprehensive trainings and written materials on ICWA’s requirements
• Ensuring that families don’t have to accept services that are not culturally appropriate
• Using inclusive language and AI/AN images in materials
• None of the above24 Additional Resources
25 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), DHHS HTTPS://STORE.SAMHSA.GOV/PRODUCT/A MERICAN-INDIAN-AND-ALASKA-NATIVE- CULTURE-CARD/SMA08-4354
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Check out the American Indian & Alaska
Native Grandfamilies Toolkit!
Available at https://www.gu.org/racial-
equity-toolkits-featuring-grandfamilies/27
Terry Cross
National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
Questions terry@nicwa.org
Alexis Contreras
Contact National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
alexis@nicwa.org
Information Robyn Wind
GRAND Voice
rdwtiger@gmail.com
Ana Beltran
Generations United
National Center on Grandfamilies
abeltran@gu.orgNext Steps
Reminders:
• Please complete the post-webinar survey for today’s training and offer us feedback to
support future development efforts.
• Today’s webinar recording, along with presentation slides, will be distributed via the
OVC-TTA@jbsinternational.com inbox (listserv) in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Webinars:
• Final NACoA Webinar Series - Eliminating the Adverse Impact of Alcohol and Drug Use
on Children and Families Session 5: Multi-generational Addiction and the Children,
Wednesday, July 14th, 1:00-2:30pm
• Strategic Framing: A Tool for Public Health Coalitions, Wednesday, July 21st, 2:00-
3:30pm
28Thank you!
For all other logistical questions please email us at:
OVC-TTA@jbsinternational.com
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) addresses crime victim services related to the opioid
epidemic and expands upon existing or establishes new programs to provide services to children
and youth who are victimized as a result of the opioid crisis.
Please visit the United for Youth Website - https://www.unitedforyouth.org/
www.ovc.gov
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