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24th Annual Statewide ICWA Conference - Tuesday, June 6th

On June 6, 2017, Humboldt Department of Social Work co-hosted the 24th Annual Statewide California ICWA Conference.  The theme – “Preserve and Protect Indian Children, Families and Tribes.”   Partnerships included the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, California Tribal Families Coalition, California Indian Legal Services, and California Department of Social Services. 

At this conference, the creation of the California Tribal Families Coalition was announced to a statewide audience.  The California Tribal Families Coalition (CTFC) is a California tribal nonprofit public benefit corporation created to protect the health, safety, and welfare of tribal children and families.   These values are at the core of tribal sovereignty and governance.  CTFC is comprised of six of the seven co-chairs of the California ICWA Compliance Task Force and was formed to carry out the recommendations of the Task Force, to seek compliance of the ICWA, and to further the goals of Indian tribes as they relate to tribal families.

Welcome and prayer was led by Barry Brenard (Chairperson, Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria) followed by these key topics: 

• After the California ICWA Task Force Report -Working to Achieve Compliance
• A Collaborative Approach to Child Welfare: The San Diego Example
• Legal Updates: BIA Regulations and BIA Guidelines and their Interaction with Cal-ICWA
• Engaging Indian Families and Children with Trauma Informed Care
• Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Native Foster Homes
• Cultural Mentoring in Child Welfare
• The Impact of the Continuum of Care Reform/Resource Family Approvals on Tribes

The Humboldt Department of Social Work would like to recognize MSW Class of 2017 graduates Trilby Kerrigan – Director at Pinoleville Pomo Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program – and Silver Galleto – Vice Chairperson at Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians­ – who presented their Masters Projects at the conference under the topic “Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Native Foster Homes.”   Shari Hostler, MSW Class of 2016 and Director at Hoopa Valley Child and Family Services, also participated on the panel.

This event met qualifications for 8.25 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

Special thanks to event organizer, Blair Kreuzer – Humboldt Department of Social Work Tribal and Community Child Welfare Educator.

AGENDA:

June 5, 2017

• Dinner and Tribal Representatives ONLY Meeting

June 6, 2017

• Welcome and Prayer
  • Barry Brenard (Chairperson, Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria)
• After the California ICWA Task Force Report -Working to Achieve Compliance
  • Moderator: Maureen Geary, Attorney and Partner, Maier Pfeffer Kim Geary & Cohen LLP
  • Barry Brenard, Chairperson, Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria and Board Member, California Tribal Families Coalition
  • Robert Smith, Chairperson, Pala Band of Mission Indians and Board Member, California Tribal Families Coalition
  • Angelina Arroyo, Vice-Chairperson, Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake and Board Member, California Tribal Families Coalition
  • Maryann McGovran, Tribal Council Treasurer, North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California and Board Member, California Tribal Families Coalition
  • Michael Newman, Director, Bureau of Children’s Justice, California Department of Justice
  • Olin Jones, Director, Office of Native American Affairs, California Attorney General’s Office
  • Will Lightbourne, Director, California Department of Social Services
• A Collaborative Approach to ChildWelfare: The San Diego Example
  • Rose-Margaret Orrantia, Consultant, Academy of Professional Excellence Tribal Star
  • Season Brown, Director, Social Services, Pala Band of Mission Indians
  • Tom Lidot, Program Manager, Academy of Professional Excellence Tribal Star
  • Linda Ruis, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
  • Jahari Weir Harrison, Director, Southern Indian Health Council, Tribal Family Services
  • Valarie Littlejohn, Social Worker Southern Indian Health Council, Tribal Family Services
  • Donald Rodriguez, Indian Specialty Unit, County of San Diego, Child Welfare Services
  • Karan Kolb, Tribal Family Services Director, Indian Health Council
  • Brenda Gilman-Bagwill, Tribal Patient Liaison, Sycuan Health Clinic
• Legal Updates: BIA Regulations and BIA Guidelines and their Interaction with Cal-ICWA
  • Kimberly Cluff, General Counsel for Morongo Band of Mission Indians
  • Ann Gilmour, Attorney, Center for Families, Children and the Courts, Judicial Council of California
  • Roy Westfall, Attorney, California Department of Social Services
• Keynote: Dr. Art Martinez
  • “Engaging Indian Families and Children with Trauma Informed Care”
• Strategies for Recruitment and Retention of Native Foster Homes
  • Moderator: Elizabeth Elgin-DeRouen, Indian Child Welfare Act Advocate, Indian Child and Family Preservation Program
  • Rose-Margaret Orrantia, Consultant, Academy of Professional Excellence Tribal Star
  • Trilby Kerrigan, Director, Pinoleville Pomo Nation Vocational Rehabilitation Program
  • Silver Galleto, Vice Chairperson, Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians
  • Shari Hostler, Director, Hoopa Valley Child and Family Services
  • Laila DeRouen, ICWA Court Advocate, Indian Child and Family Preservation Program
  • Valerie Earley, Chief, Child and Youth Permanency Branch, CDSS
• Keynote: Chris Peters
  • “Cultural Mentoring in Child Welfare”
• The Impact of the Continuum of Care Reform/Resource Family Approvals on Tribes
  • Angie Schwartz, Policy Program Director, Alliance for Children’s Rights (confirmed)
  • Elise Weinberg, Attorney, Alliance for Children’s Rights
  • Kim Wrigley, Manager, Continuum of Care Reform Bureau, California Department of
    Social Services
• Closing Remarks
• Dinner and California Department of Social Services Updates

Questions: 
Contact: California Tribal Families Coalition at (916) 583-8289 or  Blair Kreuzer/Humboldt Social Work Department at brk28@humboldt.edu