Division of Human Services

Division of Human Services Mission

To promote the safety, financial security and social health of Indian communities and individual Indian people.

Under the mission area of Serving Communities, the Human Services Program supports the Department’s Strategic Goal to Advance Quality Communities for Tribes and Alaska Natives by improving welfare systems for Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives. Human Services consists of direct funding and activities related to social services, welfare assistance, Indian child welfare, and program oversight. The objective of this activity is to improve the quality of life for individual Indians that live on or near Indian reservations and to protect the children, elderly and disabled from abuse and neglect. The activity also provides child abuse and neglect services and protective services to Individual Indian Monies (IIM) supervised account holders who are minors, adults in need of assistance, adults under legal disability, and adults found to be non compos mentis.

The Social Services program supports Bureau Agency staff and over 900 tribal staff that have been hired by contracting tribes to run their programs. These staff provide counseling services to local on-reservation eligible Indians as well as coordinate all Human Services activities at the Tribe and Agency level. The social workers work with tribal courts, state courts, and Indian families for the placement and adoption of Indian children in Indian homes. The social workers serve as the contact point for numerous social service agencies that are responsible for child protection, placement, and adoption of Indian children.

This program also supports the Department’s Strategic Goal to Fulfill Indian Fiduciary Trust Responsibilities by providing for the management of IIM accounts for minors, adults in need of assistance, adults under legal disability, and adults found to be non compos mentis. The staff works with families and guardians in the development of distribution plans, and completes assessments and evaluations in support of these plans. The outcome of these actions results in accurate payments from trust accounts. Staff monitor the distribution plans to ensure that expenditure of funds are made in accordance with the plans and that appropriate supportive documents are maintained in the case files.

Native American Childrens Safety Act - Dear Tribal Leader Letter May 17, 2018

The guidance, entitled Background Checks for Foster Care Placements under the Native American Children' s Safety Act (NACSA), builds upon Tribes ongoing work to ensure the safety of their children. NACSA Guidance: Background Checks

BIA ICWA Rule - On-Demand Training Slides (By Module)

Training - Short Version

Module 1: Overview of the New Rule
Module 2: Determining Whether ICWA Applies and Jurisdiction
Module 3: Notice
Module 4: Handling Requests to Transfer Jurisdiction
Module 5: Adjudication of Involuntary Proceedings
Module 6: Emergency Proceedings
Module 7: Voluntary Proceedings
Module 8: Placement Preferences
Module 9: Access
Module 10: Ongoing Obligations
Module 11: Consequences of Violating ICWA

Acronyms used in this training:

ICWA: Indian Child Welfare Act
TPR: Termination of parental rights
BIA: Bureau of Indian Affairs
U.S.C.: United States Code (statutes passed by Congress)
CFR: Code of Federal Regulations (regulations or rules passed by BIA or other Federal agencies)

Implementation Questions:

Evangeline Campbell, Chief, Division of Human Services
Email: evangeline.campbell@bia.gov
Contact #: (202) 513-7642

Emily June Adams, Indian Child Welfare Specialist
Email: emily.adams@bia.gov
Contact #: (202) 669-5670

Regulation Questions:

Office of Regulatory Affairs – Indian Affairs

ICWA Quick Reference Guides

Final Rule

The ICWA Final Rule was published June 14, 2016 and can be found here:

Additional Human Services Information

Financial Assistance Burial Assistance Notice

Family Violence Prevention and Services/Domestic Violence Shelter and Supportive Services

Family Violence Prevention and Services Act Formula Grants for States and Native American Tribes including Alaska Native Villages and Tribal Organizations
Number: 93.671
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Administration for Children and Families

Tribal Behavioral Health (aka Native Connections)

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), and the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) are accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 Cooperative Agreements for Tribal Behavioral Health (Short Title: Native Connections). The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance abuse, reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental health among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) young people up to and including age 24.

Applications are due June 2, 2016. Learn more about the funding opportunity.

Violence Against AI/AN Women And Men

2010 Findings From The National Intimate Partner And Sexual Violence Survey - Webinar.

National Indigenous Women's Resource Center (NIWRC) is excited to announce a webinar on Violence Against AI/AN Women and Men. Few estimates are available to describe the prevalence of violence experienced by AI/AN women and men. In addition, these estimates are often based on local rather than national samples. The few available national estimates are often based on very small samples. These small samples do not always accurately represent the AI/AN population in the United States. This study provides the first set of estimates from a national large-scale survey of victimization among self-identified AI/AN men and women on psychological aggression, coercive control and entrapment, physical violence, stalking, and sexual violence, using detailed behaviorally specific questions. These results are expected to raise awareness and understanding of violence experienced by AI/AN people. The webinar also will highlight the need for additional services that are needed for AI/AN victims of crime — a need that has been persistently noted but lacked the research to support efforts to increase resources or allocate them appropriately.

Presented by: Dr. André B. Rosay, Director Justice Center, University of Alaska Anchorage
Facilitated by: Gwendolyn Packard, NIWRC Program Specialist

Welfare Assistance Funding

SAVE THE DATE: The BIA 2016 Welfare Assistance Funding Distribution Methodology - Webinar Training Sessions.

The Division of Human Services will hold three Webinar Training Sessions on the 2016 Welfare Assistance Funding Distribution Methodology and Reporting process.

The Topics will include:

Webinar #1: How to complete the BIA 2015 Financial Assistance and Social Services Report Form (2015 FASSR)
Webinar #2: How to complete the BIA 2016 Request for Additional Funds (RAF) Document and Forms
Webinar #3: How the data from the 2015 FASSR & 2016 RAF are then used in calculating Welfare Assistance funding distributions for each Tribe and BIA Agency in alignment with the 2016 Welfare Assistance Funding Distribution Methodology

Indian Child Welfare Act

ICWA; Designated Tribal Agents for Service of Notice, Federal Register Notice, February 28, 2024.

Division of Human Services hosted webinar training on November 4 and November 18 on how to complete the BIA Indian Child Quarterly and Annual Report.

For link to Indian Child Welfare Quarterly and Annual Report Form Nov 30, 2024 Final. Please click here.
ICWA Quarterly and Annual Report Training Updated March 17, 2023 Final. Please click here.

How to Complete the 2015 FASSR

Three Funding Opportunities

The following information is forwarded by the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center.

CTAS Grant Funding Available ANNOUNCEMENT

USDOJ - Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation
Grant:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280145

DOJ FUNDING TO ADDRESS CHILDREN AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND ENGAGE MEN AND BOYS AS ALLIES

USDOJ - Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Consolidated Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Assault and Engage Men and Boys as Allies
Grant:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=280219

Family Violence Prevention and Services/Grants for Domestic Violence Shelters/Grants to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal Organizations
Please click link: HHS-2015-ACF-ACYF-FVPS-0135

Summary

Funding Opportunity Title: Family Violence Prevention and Services/Grants for Domestic Violence Shelters/Grants to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal Organizations.
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2015-ACF-ACYF-FVPS-0135
Program Office: Family and Youth Services Bureau
Funding Type: Mandatory
Funding Instrument Type: Grant
Announcement Type: Initial
CFDA: 93.671
Post Date: February 4, 2015
Application Due Date: April 6, 2015

Description

This announcement governs the proposed award of formula grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and Tribal organizations. The purpose of these grants is to assist Tribes in efforts to increase public awareness about, and primary and secondary prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and to provide immediate shelter and supportive services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their dependents.

Grantees are to be mindful that although the expenditure period for grants is a two-year period, an application is required each year to provide continuity in the provision of services.

The Division of Human Services Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Performance Management measures include:

the percent of annual reviews conducted on active Individual Indian Money (IIM) Accounts
the percentage of Individual Self Sufficiency Plans (ISP) completed
the percentage of ICWA Notices process within 15 days

The two (2) Housing Improvement Program (HIP) GPRA goals are:

funding going to actual construction or repair of housing
the percentage of construction schedules met

The attached letter outlines the minimal recommended reporting requirements for Title I and Title IV, Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), Pub. L. 93-638, 638 tribes operating the social services programs or HIP.

Director of the BIA Cover Memo and Dear Tribal Leader Letter. Please click here.

Federal Register Notice - HIP

The BIA has updated its regulations governing its HIP, which is a safety-net program that provides grants for repairing, renovating, or replacing existing housing and for providing new housing.

This final rule is an important part of the Tiwahe initiative, which is designed to promote the stability and security of Indian families. The final rule aligns the program with other Federal requirements, allow leveraging of housing funds to increase the number of families served and projects funded, and expedite processing of waiting lists for housing assistance. The document was published in the Federal Register on November 10, 2015 and became effective December 10, 2015.

Proposed HIP Rule; Correction - Consultation sessions.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Tribal Training and Technical Assistance Center is hosting a webinar entitled, “Breaking the Silence, Breaking the Cycle: Honoring Youth Voices, Part 1”, on February 19, 2015 at 3pm EST. Please share with your colleagues and stakeholders. This webinar will give participants an understanding of the importance of youth engagement for implementing prevention programs and services.

Children's Monitor - July 23, 2014, this bill would ensure that families who adopt children designated as "special needs" in tribal court are eligible for the same flat adoption tax credit as families who adopt children who are designated as "special needs" in state courts. Letter of support to Extend Adoption Tax Credit to Tribal Children.

Federal Register Notice and DOJ Committee Report: