The Rapid City Journal ran the second of its two-part series on the implementation of the Indian Child Welfare Act in South Dakota.

The state and the tribes are carrying out 30 recommendations made by the South Dakota ICWA Commission. The goal is to ensure the state complies with the law by keeping Indian children within the Indian community.

One issue facing the state is the placement of Indian children who were removed from their homes due to unsafe or "emergency" conditions. An analysis by the National Center for State Courts said the state was failing to fully consult with tribes and families in these situations.

The state Department of Social Services has added three employees to help ensure Indian children are placed with relatives or Indian families. So far, placements with relatives has increased 25 percent from July 2004 to July 2005, a state official said.

Get the Story:
State improving compliance with Indian Child Welfare Act (The Rapid City Journal 1/6)

Relevant Links:
National Indian Child Welfare Association - http://www.nicwa.org
Indian Child Welfare Act Commission, South Dakota - http://www.sdtribalrelations.com/icwa.asp
Indian Child Welfare Act Resources - http://www.tribal-institute.org/lists/icwa.htm

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