Minnesota tribes sign child welfare agreement

The state of Minnesota signed an agreement with tribes in hopes of better compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act.

The agreement calls on county social workers to collaborate with tribes in Indian child welfare cases. The state and the tribes will conduct joint investigations of allegations of maltreatment or neglect, and counties will share more information with tribes.

Minnesota falls under Public Law 280, which grants the state criminal and civil jurisdiction in Indian Country. The Red Lake Reservation was exempted from the law.

Get the Story:
Tribes, state agree on custody plan for children (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 2/23)
pwlat
State-tribal pact designed to preserve Indian heritage (The West Central Tribune 2/23)
pwpwd
State, tribes agree on child welfare (AP 2/23)
pw1

Relevant Links:
National Indian Child Welfare Association - http://www.nicwa.org

Related Stories:
Death of teen ruled an accidental overdose (02/15)
Judge won't let siblings attend teen brother's funeral (12/20)
Washington teen's death called a failure of ICWA (12/18)
Court wants Tohono O'odham twins with siblings (12/07)
Navajo Nation seeks role in adoption of baby (10/30)
Navajo Nation seeks role in adoption of baby (10/30)
Navajo Nation challenges adoption in Utah (10/26)
Woman connects adopted Indians with tribal roots (07/03)
U.S. Supreme Court won't hear Indian child welfare case (05/02)
Christian Mag: Children at mercy of ICWA tribes (04/14)
California appeals court rules in ICWA transfer case (03/10)
Paper concludes series on Indian child welfare (01/06)
Rapid City Journal runs series on Indian child welfare (1/5)
South Dakota panel pressed on Indian child welfare (10/04)
White Earth Band seeks control of child custody case (09/15)
Meskwaki mother decides not to give up baby son (08/26)
Oglala Sioux Tribe seeks role in child welfare case (8/25)
Indian mother gives up son to non-Indian couple (08/15)
Child welfare case handed to Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (8/8)
Meskwaki mother asks tribe not to hold up adoption (07/28)
9th Circuit rules against tribe in California ICWA case (07/20)
Meskwaki mom wants son to go to non-Native family (07/06)
Adopted Navajo child to return home to reservation (06/22)
Wisconsin tribes form child welfare partnership (06/16)
GAO calls for better state data in ICWA cases (04/08)
Failures cited in child abuse on Utah reservation (03/21)
Couple says mother didn't want son in her tribe (03/01)
Hearing slated on custody dispute over Indian boy (02/28)
Yellow Bird: A nation cannot flourish without children (02/01)
Indian mother in South Dakota wants adopted son back (01/31)
Navajo child welfare case sparks legal battle (01/31)
New Mexico infant law said to conflict with ICWA (01/28)
Iowa announces foster care plan for Indian children (11/24)
Alaska opinion backs away from tribal courts (11/01)
Alaska wants to reduce tribal powers in child welfare (09/09)
Fort Peck Tribes sign child welfare agreement (09/07)
Dispute over child welfare contract continues (09/06)
South Dakota Supreme Court supports ICWA case (08/27)
Choctaw Nation helping man in child custody battle (07/06)
Foster care commission seeks tribal inclusion (05/19)
Judge cites ICWA in returning drug addicted baby (03/22)
Native children living in poor, single-parent homes (03/19)
S.D. tribes unhappy with gutting of ICWA bill (02/24)
Bill seeks study of Indian child welfare system in S.D. (02/05)
High rate of Indian adoptions in Iowa protested (01/13)