1. 1 The Minority Youth and Families Initiative (MYFI): Reducing Public Child Welfare Involvement Among Native Children and Families in Sioux City, IA Julia Kleinschmit Rembert, MSW Univ. of Iowa School of Social Work & DMC Resource Center Sioux City Campus Frank LaMere MYFI, Alliance & Community Initiative for fNative Children & Families & Families Sioux City, Iowa Pat Penning, MSW Iowa Dept. of Human Services Sioux City, Iowa Dennette Derezotes, MSW Race Matters Consortium @ Westat Chicago, Illinois Brad Richardson, Ph.D. DMC Resource Center Univ. of Iowa School of Social Work National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice Iowa City, Iowa

2. 2 Where is Woodbury County?

3. 3 Location of Woodbury County  3 States: Iowa, Nebraska & South Dakota  Nearly 30 Local Tribes

4. 4 –Alaska Native –Assiniboine –Blackfeet –Oklahoma Cherokee –Cheyenne River Sioux –Chippewa –Crow Creek Sioux –Fort Peck Sioux –Wisconsin Ho-Chunk –Hopi –Mdewakontan Sioux –Wisconsin Mille Lacs –Mississippi Choctaw –Mohawk –Navajo –Northern Cheyenne –Oglala Sioux –Oklahoma Omaha –Potawatomie –Rosebud Sioux –Santee Sioux –Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux –Spirit Lake Sioux –Standing Rock Sioux –Tunica-Biloxi –Turtle Mountain Chippewa –Nebraska Winnebago –Yankton Sioux Tribal Affiliations of Native Children Assessed for Abuse, Woodbury County January 2005-December 2007

5. 5 Background & History  Public Law 280, 1953  Migration to Sioux City, Iowa  55 years later

6. 6 Woodbury County Scorecard FY 06 (July 1, 2005 – June 30, 2006) Disproportionality Rate, Rate per Thousand and Disparity Ratio Indices by Race for Children in Care (unduplicated counts) Race/Ethnicity Estimated Population (0-17yrs) Number in Out of Home Care Disproportionality Rate Rate Per Thousand DisparityRatio (compared to white) American Indian/ Native Alaskan 752 (2.8%) 111 (15.4%) 5.51487 Asian/PI 792 (2.9%) 11 (1.5%) 11 (1.5%)0.514<1 Black 1219 (4.5%) 64 (8.9%) 2532 White 19,696 (72.8%) 440 (60.9%) 0.8221 All Children 27,090 (100%) 723 (100%) Hispanic 4,631 (17.1%) 13 (1.8%) 0.13 < 1

7. 7 Today in Woodbury County (Sioux City) Iowa  Native American = 2.8% of the population  Native American children = 15.4% in foster care

8. 8 Recent Efforts –Community Initiative for Native Children and Families (CINCF) Monthly gatherings 2001-present – Recover Our Children (ROC) Memorial Marches for Lost Children began in 2003 Memorial Marches for Lost Children began in 2003

9. 9 Casey Alliance: 6 Dimensions of Change 1.Legislation, Policy Change and Finance Reform 2.Research, Evaluation and Data-Based Decision- making 3.Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development 4.Public Will and Communication 5.Human Service Workforce Development 6.Practice Change (site-based implementation)

10. 10 Dimension 1: Legislation, Policy Change and Finance Reform Activities  Creation and passage of Iowa Indian Child Welfare Act:  State-funded Minority Youth and Family Initiative  State level examination of foster family licensing for processes and requirements that exclude Native Americans  Current discussion of a Iowa State Indian Commission as part of Iowa’s Human Rights Division

11. 11 Dimension 1: Legislation. Policy Change & Finance Reform Minority Youth and Family Initiative (MYFI): 2004 to present Broken Trust by Stanley Wanlass  Created to reduce overrepresentation of Native Americans and African Americans in child welfare  In Sioux City, planning involves multiple systems and stakeholders, especially Native American community and Tribal members  Trust, communication, and relationship issues among IDHS, courts, families, Tribes, and Native community

12. 12 Dimension 1: Legislation. Policy Change & Finance Reform MYFI Goal Statement Increases in: Relative placements,Relative placements, Reunification with parents,Reunification with parents, Increase of Native American foster homesIncrease of Native American foster homes Decreases in: Termination of Parental Rights Reabuse/neglect rates Entry into the foster care system Abuse/neglect rates overall Number of placements for Native children Native American children are safely raised in the Native community as evidenced by:

13. 13 MYFI Areas of Primary Focus Dimension 1: Legislation. Policy Change & Finance Reform  Provision of culturally competent services competent services  Use of family team meetings  Increase of Native children placed with relatives (including Tribal transfer), and  Increase in Native children  placed in Native foster homes. - Photo by National Geographic

14. 14 Dimension 1: Legislation. Policy Change & Finance Reform MYFI Tools Special Native American Project TeamSpecial Native American Project Team Emphasis on Relative/Community/Tribal NetworksEmphasis on Relative/Community/Tribal Networks Flexible resource dollar poolFlexible resource dollar pool New approaches to recruiting Native foster parentsNew approaches to recruiting Native foster parents Helping non-Native foster and adoptive parents become more culturally competentHelping non-Native foster and adoptive parents become more culturally competent

15. 15 Dimension 1: Legislation, Policy Change and Finance Reform Accomplishments  Iowa Indian Child Welfare Act: unanimously passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by the Governor in 2003, the second year of its introduction.  MYFI $ increased and made a part of the state annual budget

16. 16 Dimension 1: Legislation, Policy Change and Finance Reform Challenges  Woodbury County Attorney’s office challenges Iowa ICWA  1 aspect of Iowa ICWA found unconstitutional in a Supreme Court Decision

17. 17 Dimension 2: Research, Evaluation and Data-based Decision-making Activities Data Collected  Minority Youth and Family Initiative: January 2004 to present –Quarterly reports –2 annual reports: 2005 and 2006  Quality Service Reviews: 2004 and 2007  Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Compliance Reviews: 2004 and 2007  Casey/Center for the Study of Social Policy Alliance on Racial Equity –Scorecard –Advocate Record  Internal Native Unit Tracking Database  Social Distance Mapping

18. 18 Dimension 2: Research, Evaluation and Data- based Decision-making Accomplishments Tracking American Indian Children in Care over Time Active Woodbury County DHS Cases during the month of December 2004-2007 Yearnas % of n 2004All cases865 American Indian/Alaskan Native13015.0% 2005All cases982 American Indian/Alaskan Native13613.8% 2006All cases1002 American Indian/Alaskan Native12712.7% 2007All cases829 American Indian/Alaskan Native10813.0%

19. 19 Dimension 2: Research, Evaluation and Data-based Decision-making Accomplishments Tracking American Indian Children in Care over Time Active Woodbury County DHS Cases during the month of December 2004-2007

20. 20 Dimension 2: Research, Evaluation and Data-based Decision-making Tracking Services Provided in and out of home over time Active Woodbury County DHS Cases during the month of December 2004-2007 Out of Home Placement: Group care, family foster, shelter Family-Centered at Home YearAll CasesAm Ind/AK Native All CasesAm Ind/AK Native n%n %n%n% 200430335.0%6146.9%51759.8%7255.4% 200534735.3%5943.4%57758.8%6044.1% 200633533.4%4535.4%67467.3%8566.9% 200727032.6%3229.6%53965.0%8275.9%

21. 21 Dimension 6: Practice change NCFAS Results: MYFI Year 1 -8.08 -5.45 -10.23 -4.27 -3.31 -0.18 -4.31 0.82 -7.38 -1.27 -12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 0 2 ENV_I ENV_C PAR_I PAR_C FAMINT _I FAMINT_C FAMSAF _I FAMSAF _C CHILDWB _I CHILDWB _C +2 = clear strength +1 = mild strength 0 = baseline/ Adequate -1 = mild problem -2 = moderate problem -3 = serious problem.

22. 22 Dimension 6: Practice change CFRA and CFRR: 2005 24 Family Assessments CFRA: 1 Low risk 9 Moderate risk 13 High risk CFRR: 9 Low risk 6 Moderate risk 8 High risk

23. 23 Dimension 3: Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development Activities CINCF – a community collaborative, created by the American Indian community in 2001, today includes many partnersCINCF – a community collaborative, created by the American Indian community in 2001, today includes many partners Healing and Reconciliation DayHealing and Reconciliation Day Casey/CSSP Alliance PAYCD representationCasey/CSSP Alliance PAYCD representation Quality Services Review ParticipationQuality Services Review Participation

24. 24 Dimension 3: Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development Accomplishments The work in Woodbury County began in the American Indian community, efforts have created the collaboration today which has had many accomplishments indicated throughout this presentation.The work in Woodbury County began in the American Indian community, efforts have created the collaboration today which has had many accomplishments indicated throughout this presentation. –“The community is seeing action, not just words. Action helps them to deal with all the removals and terminations in the past.” Native community member Long term, sustainable change is only achievable with equal partnership with the communityLong term, sustainable change is only achievable with equal partnership with the community

25. 25 Dimension 3: Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development Accomplishments Tribal Intervention at Time of Child Protective Assessment (2005-2007) YESNODON'T KNOWBLANK TOTAL CASES YearN%N%N%N% 200583%2810%20.7%23285%270 2006209%4721%10.5%15670%224 2007216%26280%196%278%329

26. 26 Dimension 3: Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development Accomplishments Transfer of Jurisdiction to Tribe at Time of Child Protective Assessment (2005-2007) YESNODON'T KNOWBLANK TOTAL CASES YearN%N%N%N% 200562%135%31%24892%270 200684%2511%209%17176%224 2007268%18356%7222%4815%329

27. 27 Dimension 3: Youth, Parent and Community Partnership and Development Challenges Riding out the peaks and valleys of the changing relationship between a control system and the community Seeing the toughest cases as learning opportunities Maintaining trust

28. 28 Dimension 4: Public Will and Communication Activities  National Indian Child Welfare Association Conferences in 2007 and 2008: Get on the bus!  Update to legislators and community, including blanket ceremony for legislator who championed Iowa ICWA: 2007  Woodbury County DHS presents at Annual Memorial March for Lost Children: 2006, 2007

29. 29 Dimension 4: Public Will and Communication Accomplishments  Continued Expansion of CINCF Representation  Alliance Promising Practices Site  Governor’s Recognition & Request for other Directors to Visit Woodbury County (Iowa Workforce Development, Iowa Department of Economic Development, Iowa Finance Authority (Housing) and others)

30. 30 Dimension 4: Public Will and Communication Challenges  Communicating project progress internally and externally  Audience  Data  Format  Frequency  Leveraging support from systems players that have considerable power (e.g. courts)

31. 31 Dimension 4: Public Will and Communication Disproportionality Diagnostic Tool (Baseline 2006) SocietySystemIndividual CommunityDHSCommunityDHSCommunityDHS %%% Strategy 5075331001943 Culture 305437734488 Policy 44862510038100 Legal System 171311253386 Training and Education 17622181125 Communication 86019643375 Resources 357030583075 Practice 265828852374 Economic Issues 346928653856 Technology 25 631333 People 50100465613100 Average Score 31 31 56 56 28 28 64 64 27 27 69 69

32. 32 Dimension 5: Human Service Workforce Development Activities Cultural Competence TrainingCultural Competence Training Undoing RacismUndoing Racism National Indian Child Welfare Association annual conferencesNational Indian Child Welfare Association annual conferences Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Conference (co-sponsored by Mercy Medical Center’s Child Advocacy Center)Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Conference (co-sponsored by Mercy Medical Center’s Child Advocacy Center) Children’s Bureau Trainings: Youth in Transition & Recruitment and RetentionChildren’s Bureau Trainings: Youth in Transition & Recruitment and Retention WellbrietyWellbriety Fatherhood is Sacred Program (Ho-Chunk Nation)Fatherhood is Sacred Program (Ho-Chunk Nation) Beyond the Addiction: A Community UprisingBeyond the Addiction: A Community Uprising Indian Child Welfare Act 25 Years LaterIndian Child Welfare Act 25 Years Later Iowa ICWA in-service by one of the authors of Iowa ICWAIowa ICWA in-service by one of the authors of Iowa ICWA Understanding ICWA’s true intentionUnderstanding ICWA’s true intention (for workers, judges, attorneys): Judge Thorne (for workers, judges, attorneys): Judge Thorne

33. 33 Dimension 5: Human Service Workforce Development Accomplishments  Funding of Native-provided services through the Sioux City Indian Education Committee in 2007  Greater communication with Tribal child welfare workers. “They are consulting with the Tribes where they hadn’t done that in the past. There has been a dramatic change for the positive. They have the Tribe involved in decision making and working as a team instead of being in left and right field. If the Woodbury County Attorney would get on the team, things would be even better.” Tribal Child Welfare Worker

34. 34 Dimension 5: Human Service Workforce Development Challenges Maintaining commitment from workers to using culturally competent practices over the long haulMaintaining commitment from workers to using culturally competent practices over the long haul Organizational capacity of area providers (Native and not) to provide culturally-competent and relevant services in multiple areas: substance abuse, mental health, in-home services, etc.Organizational capacity of area providers (Native and not) to provide culturally-competent and relevant services in multiple areas: substance abuse, mental health, in-home services, etc. –“ More Native providers would be helpful...” Guardian Ad Litem

35. 35 Dimension 6: Practice change (site-based implementation) Activities  Special Native American Project Team (MYFI)  Child Welfare System Navigator  SCIEC Community Advocate (Federal Grant)

36. 36 Dimension 6: Practice change The Woodbury County DHS SNAP Team for American Indian children in out of home care Members:Members: –Native family liaison –Native tribal liaison –Supervisor –Social workers –Child Protection workers –Adoptions worker Provides active efforts to all children self-identified as Native.Provides active efforts to all children self-identified as Native. Lower caseloads: allow workers to know their families betterLower caseloads: allow workers to know their families better Working with relatives immediately Connecting with Tribes early and often Native Liaisons involved with case from point of CPS contact.

37. 37 Dimension 6: Practice change Accomplishments Listening to Families Served : MYFI Report 2006 Interviews with 10 client families: “The DHS Native American Unit helped by having our family take the situation into our own hands and learn how the system works. The workers stood behind us and advocated for us, and helped us contact the Yankton Tribe for help too.” “The DHS Native American Unit helped by having our family take the situation into our own hands and learn how the system works. The workers stood behind us and advocated for us, and helped us contact the Yankton Tribe for help too.” “... I was surprised that they gave me a chance to participate in placement for my niece because of my past history with DHS. People change and the Unit recognized that and gave me a chance.”

38. 38 Dimension 6: Practice change (site-based implementation) Accomplishments  Increased use of healing ceremonies, sweats, and other culturally competent practices. –“DHS is more receptive to trying new services... A year or two ago, sending families to Flowering Tribe (substance abuse treatment for Oglalla Sioux women with children) would have been unheard of and now it’s considered part of a service option menu.” Guardian Ad Litem

39. 39 Dimension 6: Practice change Dimension 6: Practice change “ I got my granddaughter back in my home and I’m waiting to hear from the Tribe to go to Tribal court. The workers helped me until the end. The Unit workers know their job and the support from the Unit made a difference.” “There is an understanding of how I live, my culture, my values, and my ethics. It helped me to be honest with DHS, and they did not look at me negatively.” “There is an understanding of how I live, my culture, my values, and my ethics. It helped me to be honest with DHS, and they did not look at me negatively.” “Although it took two yearsin the system, I got my children back in my home. Today, I find it harder to get services because I am not drinking. I don’t like the way the system is set up so you can only get help if you are messed up.” “Although it took two years in the system, I got my children back in my home. Today, I find it harder to get services because I am not drinking. I don’t like the way the system is set up so you can only get help if you are messed up.”

40. 40 Dimension 6: Practice change (site-based implementation) Challenges Caseload increasesCaseload increases –“Caseloads were intended to be low –they’ve gone up because we have ongoing families and redesigning the system (has had an affect).” DHS worker Organizational capacity of area providers (Native and not) to provide culturally-competent and relevant services in multiple areas: substance abuse, mental health, in-home services, etc.Organizational capacity of area providers (Native and not) to provide culturally-competent and relevant services in multiple areas: substance abuse, mental health, in-home services, etc.

41. 41 A Look at Systems Relationships Over Time as they work to impact Child Welfare System Involvement Eco-maps of the past, present and futureEco-maps of the past, present and future Key: Strong/supportive relationshipKey: Strong/supportive relationship Tenuous/weak relationship Conflictive/harmful relationship New element

42. 42 Employment Culture & Spirituality Housing Disproportional Representation of Native American Children in Woodbury County DHS Health care Schools Court/ Legal Extended Family State Policy Tribes Woodbury County DHS Federal Policy: ICWA Community Advocates Racism, Historical Oppression and Genocide Substance Abuse Services Mental Health Services Law Enforce ment Woodbury County, (Sioux City) IA, Pre- 1995 Racism, Historical Oppression and Genocide

43. 43 Employ ment Culture & Spirituality Health care Schools Court/ Legal Extended Family Tribes: varied response Woodbury County DHS Federal Policy: ICWA, ASFA, JJDP, CFSR, MEPA Community Advocates Racism, Historical Oppression and Genocide Substance Abuse Services Law Enforce ment Woodbury County, (Sioux City) IA, 2008 Casey Alliance Interest from other Stakeholders National Attention Culturally competent /NA provided health, mental health, and SA Services JCS State DHS Housing State Policy: MYFI, IA ICWA Mental Health Greater Equity and more proportional representation, of Native American Children in Woodbury County DHS

44. 44 Tomorrow in Woodbury County, Iowa Today, members of the Native American Community, the local child welfare system and Today, members of the Native American Community, the local child welfare system and other collaborative members all agree there is some progress toward a more racially equitable child welfare system for Native American children and families in Woodbury County, Iowa. The last slide shows how we look to the future……………………………………… other collaborative members all agree there is some progress toward a more racially equitable child welfare system for Native American children and families in Woodbury County, Iowa. The last slide shows how we look to the future………………………………………

45. 45 Culture & Spirituality Schools Extended Family Tribes: consistent response Woodbury County DHS Federal Policy: ICWA, ASFA, JJDP, CFSR, MEPA Community Advocates Racism, Historical Oppression and Genocide Culturally competent/Native American provided family services Law Enforce ment Woodbury County, (Sioux City) IA, future Interest from other Stakeholders National Attention Culturally competent /NA provided health, mental health, and SA Services JCS State DHS Housing State Policy: MYFI, IA ICWA IV-E Access for Tribes IA Dept of Human Rts. Indian Commission Employ ment Court/ Legal Racial Equity and PROPORTIONAL Rep. of Native American Children in Woodbury County DHS