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Indian Child Welfare Act: Keeping Our Children Connected to Our Community

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Indian Child Welfare Act: Keeping Our Children Connected to Our Community FL OJJDP Hearing_Cover.ai 1 4/9/2014 5:08:34 PM AttorneyAttorney General’s Advisory Committee on American Indian/Alask a Nativeative Children Exposed to Violence Briefing Materials Hearing #3: April 16-17, 20142014 - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Theme: American Indian Children Exposed to Violence in the Community Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six Panorama Ballroom The Tribal Law and Policy Institute www.tlpi.org is providing technical assistance support for the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence including: (1) assisting the Task Force to conduct public hearings and listening sessions, (2) providing primary technical writing services for the final report, and (3) providing all necessary support for the Task Force and the public hearings. Table of Contents Agenda ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Day 1: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 ............................................................................................................ 1 Day 2: Thursday, April 17, 2014 ................................................................................................................ 7 Panel #1: Tribal Leader's Panel: Overview of Violence in Tribal Communities……………………………………..11 Potential Questions for Panelists ............................................................................................................ 15 Written Testimony for Brian Cladoosby ................................................................................................. 16 Written Testimony for Erma Vizener ...................................................................................................... 37 Written Testimony for Cyril Scott ........................................................................................................... 38 Panel #2: Indian Child Welfare Act: Keeping our Children Connected to our Community...................... 43 Potential Questions for Panelists ............................................................................................................ 47 Written Testimony for Jack Trope .......................................................................................................... 48 Written Testimony for Terry Cross ......................................................................................................... 59 Written Testimony for Chrissi Nimmo .................................................................................................. 110 Written Testimony for Shannon Smith ................................................................................................. 118 Panel #3: Gangs and Sex Trafficking in Urban and Rural Indian Communities ...................................... 129 Potential Questions for Panelists .......................................................................................................... 133 Written Testimony for Chris Cuestas .................................................................................................... 134 Written Testimony for Sadie Young Bird .............................................................................................. 137 Written Testimony for Jeri Williams ..................................................................................................... 138 Panel #4: Tribal Schools Facing Violence ................................................................................................. 145 Potential Questions for Panelists .......................................................................................................... 149 Written Testimony for Iris PrettyPaint.................................................................................................. 150 Written Testimony for Marlene Wong ................................................................................................. 161 Written Testimony for Matthew Taylor ................................................................................................ 169 Panel #5: Promsing Approaches .............................................................................................................. 175 Potential Questions for Panelists .......................................................................................................... 179 Written Testimony for Gerald Small ..................................................................................................... 180 Written Testimony for Aisha Uwais-Savage Concha ............................................................................. 188 Written Testimony for Chris Meyer ...................................................................................................... 194 Written Testimony for Edward Reina ................................................................................................... 212 Attorney General’s Advisory Committee on American Indian/Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Agenda for Hearing #3 April 16 -17, 2014 Hyatt Regency Pier 66 - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Panorama Ballroom Theme: American Indian Children Exposed to Violence in the Community Wednesday: April 16, 2014 1:00PM – 1:30PM Invocation, Welcome and Opening Remarks • Invocation: Seminole Nation Representative (Invited) • Welcome: Theodore Nelson, Sr. (Seminole Tribe of Florida), Vice President, Board of Directors for National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA), and Tribally Appointed Child Welfare Advocate, Seminole Tribe of Florida • Opening Remarks: Karol V. Mason, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice 1:30PM - 1:45PM Comments from Attorney General’s Advisory Committee Co-Chairs • Joanne Shenandoah (Iroquois), Co-Chair, Composer and Singer • Anita Fineday (White Earth Band of Ojibwe), Alternative Co-Chair, Managing Director, Indian Child Welfare Program, Casey Family Programs 1:45PM – 2:45PM Panel #1: Tribal Leader’s Panel: Overview of Violence in Tribal Communities Outcome: Provide a synopsis of the many issues addressing tribal communities relative to the issue of community violence including gang, sex trafficking, bullying, youth suicide and other criminal related violence. Describe the impact of this violence on schools and communities, on and off reservations. Address community concerns relative to placement of their tribal children in foster care and adoptive homes. Recommend both non-legislative and legislative improvements. (Each panelist provides a 15 minute presentation (a total of 45 minutes) followed by 15 minutes of questioning by the Advisory Committee.) 1 Briefing Binder for 3rd Hearing of the Advisory Committee of the Attorney General's Task Force on American Indian/Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. April 16-17, 2014 Panel #1 Speaker Biographies: Brian Cladoosby (Swinomish), President, National Congress of American Indians, and Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community Brian Cladoosby is the Chairman for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and serves as the 21st President of the National Congress of American Indians. Currently, President Cladoosby is also the President of the Association of Washington Tribes and has served on the Swinomish Indian Senate, the governing body of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, since 1985; he also served as the Chairman of the Swinomish Indian Senate since 1997. President Cladoosby is one of the most senior tribal political leaders in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. He is an Executive Board Member of the Washington Gaming Association and is continually active in tribal and state politics. On an international basis, he is the Co-Speaker of the Coast Salish Gathering, which comprises British Columbia First Nations and Western Washington tribes. Brian and his wife of thirty-five years, Nina, have two daughters LaVonne and Mary, a son-in-law Tylor, a granddaughter Isabella, and a grandson, Nathanael. Erma J. Vizenor (White Earth), Chairwoman, White Earth Nation Erma J. Vizenor was elected as the Chairwoman of the White Earth Reservation in 2004 and is the first woman to lead the largest tribe in Minnesota. As Chairwoman she represents all districts on and off the White Earth Reservation. Erma has worked her entire career in education on the White Earth Reservation. She holds an undergraduate degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and a specialist degree in education administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead. A Bush Leadership Fellowship gave Erma the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in community decision making and lifelong learning and a doctoral degree in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University. Erma is committed to building a strong infrastructure within the White Earth Reservation. Erma has two daughters: Jody and Kristi. She is the proud grandmother of Addie, Bethany, Marina, and Cedar. Cyril L. Scott (Rosebud Sioux), President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Cyril L. Scott was born in 1962 to proud Lakota Sioux (Sicangu) parents. President Scott grew up entirely on the Rosebud Indian Reservation graduating from Todd County High School in 1980. President Scott then went into the private sector, traveling the country in various positions. Upon returning home, President Scott was elected to a seat on the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council in 2005, where he served for two years representing the Antelope District. Tribal duty and service
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