Indian Child Welfare Law Center

LEGAL DEFENSE CORPORATION REPRESENTING INDIAN FAMILIES IN CHILD PROTECTION PROCEEDINGS.

THE ICWA LAW CENTER IS AN AMERICAN INDIAN LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO INDIAN FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT. THE ICWA LAW CENTER VALUES THE BEST INTERESTS OF INDIAN CHILDREN INCLUDING A STRONG CONNECTION TO THEIR FAMILY AND THEIR TRIBE. THE ICWA LAW CENTER SERVES OVER 225 AMERICAN INDIAN FAMILIES ANNUALLY. THROUGHOUT REPRESENTATION, THE ICWA LAW CENTER WORKS TO ENSURE FAMILIES ARE PROTECTED AND NEEDS ARE APPROPRIATELY ASSESSED AND BEST MET. THROUGH ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATION, THE ICWA LAW CENTER IS COMMITTED TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF INDIAN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND IN TURN THE CREATION OF STRONGER COMMUNITIES.THE FAMILY PERMANENCY PROGRAM FOCUSES ON PROMOTING PERMANENCY FOR INDIAN CHILDREN CONSISTENT WITH THE ICWA. THE FOCUS OF THE PERMANENCY PROGRAM IS FAMILY REUNIFICATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE. WHEN REUNIFICATION IS NOT POSSIBLE, THE ICWA LAW CENTER ADVOCATES FOR THE RIGHT OF INDIAN CHILDREN TO MAINTAIN THEIR CONNECTION WITH THEIR TRIBE AND FAMILY. THE FAMILY PERMANENCY PROGRAM FOCUSES ON COLLABORATION WITH INDIAN FAMILIES AND TRIBES TO SECURE SAFE AND LOVING HOMES FOR THEIR CHILDREN WHEN OUT OF HOME PLACEMENTS IS NECESSARY. THE FAMILY PRESERVATION AND REUNIFICATION PROGRAM USE A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC AND HOLISTIC APPROACH TO THE DELIVERY OF LEGAL SERVICES. ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF INDIAN FAMILIES, THE ICWA LAW CENTER FAMILY PRESERVATION AND REUNIFICATION PROGRAMS CONNECT FAMILIES TO COMMUNITY PROVIDERS WHO ARE EQUIPPED TO SOLIDIFY THE FAMILIES' STRENGTHS AND APPROPRIATELY ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS. THE FAMILY PRESERVATION AND REUNIFICATION PROGRAM THROUGH THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LEGAL SERVICES, PRESERVE AND REUNITE INDIAN FAMILIES WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM. THE ICWA LAW CENTER REPRESENTS THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE OF INDIAN FAMILIES IMPACTED BY THE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM IN HOPES OF CREATING A RESPONSIVE AND EFFECTIVE CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEM - A SYSTEM THAT RECOGNIZES THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUE OF FAMILIAL AND TRIBAL CONNECTIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THE ICWA.

THE ADVOCACY PROJECT FOCUSES ON SYSTEMATIC RESPONSES FOR BEST MEETING THE NEEDS OF INDIAN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CONSISTENT WITH THE INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT. THE ICWA LAW CENTER PROVIDES LOCAL AND NATIONAL TRAINING FOCUSED ON THE MANDATES AND SPIRIT OF THE ICWA. THE ICWA LAW CENTER IS A LEADER IN PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITIES OF INDIAN CHILD WELFARE PROCEEDINGS. ICWA LAW CENTER STAFF ACTIVELY PARTICIPATES IN WORKING GROUPS ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF INDIAN FAMILIES. THE ICWA LAW CENTER IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ICWA FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF INDIAN CHILDREN THROUGH HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES. THE ICWA LAW CENTER UNDERSTANDS THAT WORKING WITH EACH CHILD'S TRIBE IS ESSENTIAL AND RECOGNIZES THE NECESSITY OF TRIBAL, STATE AND COUNTY CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMS. THROUGH THE ICWA LAW CENTER PROJECT THE INTERESTS OF INDIAN FAMILIES IS AT THE FOREFRONT.