Minnesota tribes to control Indian child welfare

Friday, May 25, 2007  

Two Minnesota tribes are preparing to take over Indian child welfare services from the state.

Under the American Indian Child Welfare Initiative, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and the White Earth Band of Ojibwe will assume responsibility from local counties. The program was created by the Department of Human Services and approved by the state Legislature.

The tribes will be able to use state funds to start their programs. The state allocated $2.4 million to create staffing and infrastructure and $4.8 million to implement the services.

Tribal and local leaders hailed the agreement. In Cass County, as many as 60 to 70 percent of child welfare cases are Leech Lake tribal members.

Get the Story:
Cass County, Leech Lake Band on the brink of innovative child welfare initiative (The Walker Pilot-Independent 5/24)

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

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