On Thursday, November 7, a federal appeals court announced that it would revisit the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) August decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that upheld ICWA as constitutional. The 5th Circuit rejected a lower court ruling that sought to strike down ICWA. The decision by the U.S.
Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released its 42nd report on the country’s health status, Health, United States, 2018. The new report indicates progress in infant mortality and teen pregnancy rates but still highlights differences within subpopulations. While infant mortality was down by 14 percent between 2017 and 2007, the differences
On August 9, 2019 a US Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit rejected a lower court ruling that sought to strike down the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). On October 4, 2018 a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, (Brackeen V Zinke), Judge Reed O’Connor, known for his
The Family First Transition and Support Act (HR 2702/S 1376) bipartisan cosponsored by Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (D-MI), Jim Langevin (D-RI), and Congresswoman Deb Haaland (D-NM) in the House and sponsored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in the Senate.
Shaquita Ogletree The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a long-standing federal law protecting the well-being of Native children by upholding family integrity and stability within their community; and the “gold standard” in child welfare policy. October 2018, Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruled that
On Thursday, February 28, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS) released the results of their nearly two year study on reducing child poverty in the United States, A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty. CWLA President & CEO Chris James-Brown was one of the 15 member committee that studied the issue and wrote
Each year, the Center for Native American Youth (CNAY) honors five inspirational Champions for Change. This year’s event took place at the Aspen Institute in Washington DC on Tuesday, February 12. The recognition goes to advocates on such issues as improving child welfare systems, decolonizing education standards, and supporting victims of sexual assault. Former Senator
On Tuesday, January 16, an impressive array of state and national organizations joined in support of Tribal nations and representatives in defense of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and last week the opposition submitted their arguments. The response was more limited to the State Plaintiffs’-Appellees’ Response Brief (Texas, Indian and Louisiana); Individual Plaintiffs’-Appellees’ Response
Jay Williams On Wednesday, January 30, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) reintroduced the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act (S.274), similar to legislation he sponsored along with Congressman Mike Kelly (R-PA) last year. The legislation, which CWLA does not support, would require HHS to penalize state child welfare agencies who are found in violation of “provider inclusion”
Building on efforts such as the Enzi legislation, a report in the Washington Post last week says that the President’s coming FY 2020 budget will request language to expand its authority to allow discrimination on the basis of religious beliefs. The Post article states “In a 2020 draft budget request that has not been made