Tribal State Collaboration Group December 2013

1. Tribal State Collaboration GroupDecember 2013

2. Alaska

3. Presentation Outline • History of Tribal State Collaboration Group (TSCG) • Accomplishments • 2013 Highlights • On-Going Work

4. How TSCG Began 1993 – Federal Title IV-B, Subpart 2 (Family Preservation and Family Support) 1994 – Alaska Office of Children’s Services and 8 Regional Tribal Organizations met with ACF Region X staff to: • evaluate the child welfare delivery system • enhance or change services to better fit the needs of families in their communities • advocate for a continuum of services that are culturally relevant, coordinated, integrated and family focused

5. TSCG’s Guiding Principles • Mutual respect • Equality of participation • Open and honest communication • Consistent participation - commitment to continue in the process • Willingness to think in new ways • Recognition and acknowledgement of commonalities • Follow through on commitments • Consensus in decisions • Flexibility • Accommodation of individual differences • Inclusion

6. TSCG Vision • Effective Partnerships • Working together for solutions • Effective collaborations and authentic partnerships • Mutual Accountability • Achieving ICWA compliance • Advocating for tribal court development • Expanding Services and Resources • Strategic resource planning and development • Increased culturally centered practices

7. TSCG’s Accomplishments • Statewide ICWA Coordinator Position • Five ICWA Specialists Positions • Tribal Title IV-E Program Coordinator Position • Tribal/State Co-Facilitated ICWA Trainings • ICWA Help Desk Positions • Five Tribal Representatives on Court Improvement Project

8. TSCG’s Accomplishments • Undoing Racism (The People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond) • Establishment of Knowing Who You Are Training (Casey Family Program) • Alaska Native Family Preservation Unit • Alaska Child Welfare Disproportionality Reduction Project • Tribal Title IV–E Administrative and Short Term Training Agreements

9. Alaska’s Tribal Title IV-E Partners • Tribe/Tribal Entity Agreement Year • Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. 2000 • Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian • Tribes of Alaska 2000 • Tanana Chiefs Conference 2000 • Association of Village Council Presidents 2001 • Maniilaq Association 2002 • Aleutian Pribilof Islands Assoc., Inc. 2002 • Sitka Tribe of Alaska 2002 • Kawerak, Inc. 2002 • Bristol Bay Native Association 2002 • Orutsaramiut Native Council 2010 • Nome Eskimo Community 2011 • (MOU w/Kawerak 2006)

10. Tribal IV-E Partnership Objectives • Objectives include: • To facilitate cooperation between the Office of Children Services and Tribes/Tribal Entities; • To increase opportunities for Tribes/Tribal Entities to provide services to Tribal citizens; • To increase and support Tribal Child Welfare infrastructures; • To provide for the best interests of Alaska Native Children; • To meet the policy goals of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA); and • To provide Tribes/Tribal Entities access to federal funding under Title IV-E.

11. Highlights for 2013 • Alaska’s Tribal Foster Care Licensing Standards, Procedures & Forms • Region X Technical Assistance and Support • In-Home Models • Tribal Title IV-E Maintenance Pilot Program

12. Tribal Foster Care Licensing • Alaska’s Tribal Foster Care Licensing Standards, Procedures & Forms Finalized October 2013 • Develops a process to license Tribal foster homes • Deemed in accord with federal requirements

13. Region X • Title IV-B Support • Regular attendees at TSCG • Available for Consultation • Valued Partners

14. In-Home Models • 5 Tribes/Tribal organizations developed models under the WPIC initiative • Foundation of the models are tribal values and culture • Promotes a process for Tribes/Tribal organizations to evaluate clients’ needs and articulate culturally appropriate service provision • Provision of intensive, case management wrap around services

15. Tribal Title IV-E Maintenance After many years of discussion, this program officially began in April 2012 with a letter of interest from the state to the Tribal Title IV-E partners. The selection process was based on ability, readiness and infrastructure. Tanana Chiefs Conference was selected in July 2012. An agreement development team comprised of Child Welfare Directors from Association of Village Council Presidents (Cheryl Offt), Bristol Bay Native Association (Lou Johnson), Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Francine Eddy Jones), Tanana Chiefs Conference (Mary Johnson), the Office of Children’s Services (Kristie Swanson) and Department of Law (Carla Raymond).

16. Tanana Chiefs Conference Pilot • The Tribal Title IV-E Maintenance pilot program allows Tanana Chiefs Conference to claim Title IV-E funding as another option to assist in offsetting the cost of foster care for children in Tribal custody. • Currently there is limited financial support for relatives who are caring for children in Tribal custody. • Increases Tribe’s financial and program capacity.

17. Enhancing Existing Infrastructure • Enhance Procedures • Case Plan & Case Review Systems • Coordinate Tribal Codes • Streamline Court Orders • Judicial Requirements Guide & Checklists • Tribal Foster Care Licensing Standards, Forms and Procedures

18. Building Tribal Capacity • Training from State on Title IV-E • IV-E Partner Meetings – 2x Annually • Site Reviews • Technical Assistance • Tribal Title IV-E Manual • Joint Partnership - 2nd Edition • Cheat Sheets / Quick References (Time Study, etc.) • Title IV-E Training from National Consultant • Tribal Participation in State IV-E Reviews • Tribal Participation in National IV-E Reviews

19. State’s Commitment • Dedicated Staff • Modifications to State Child Welfare Data Base (ORCA) • Development of State and Federal Claiming and Payment Processes • Recognizing Tribally Licensed Foster Homes (regulatory change) • TCC Dedicated Work Space at Fairbanks OCS

20. Agreement Execution • December 18, 2013

21. TSCG’s On-Going Work • Knowing You Who Are • Out of Preference Placement Work • Development of Confidentiality Agreements • Data – Ongoing Evaluation • In-Home Services Models • Continued Tribal Title IV-E Infrastructure Enhancement • Add Regional Tribal / State Meetings • Coordinate Training Efforts with Tribes / State • Modifying Grants to Increase Tribal Involvement for State Cases

22. Questions / Answers Lou Johnson, 907-842-4139, ext. 361 Mary Johnson, 907-452-8251, ext. 3360 Francine Eddy Jones, 907-463-7162 Dena Ivey, 907-269-4035 Kristie Swanson, 907-465-1696