Together for Indigenous Families is a five-year cooperative project between the Nebraska Division of Children and Family Services, Nebraska Court Improvement Project, and the Winnebago, Omaha, and Ponca Tribes.
Project Vision
Promote tribally led prevention services and well-being standards that ensure safe, healthy, and culturally connected Indigenous families.
Project Overview
Together for Indigenous Families will streamline communication between jurisdictions, enhance the experience of indigenous families involved in child welfare, and help meet the political and cultural needs of children, families, and tribes.
This project will also help build Tribal communities' capacity to prevent family entry into the child welfare system by developing culturally-driven comprehensive community plans for prevention and supportive services.
Project Goals
- Nebraska will promote positive outcomes for indigenous families through greater compliance to the ICWA and NE ICWA.
- Nebraska tribes will have increased capacity to manage child welfare cases in their jurisdiction through the development of culturally specific prevention measures and increased licensing of tribal foster homes.
- Nebraska DCFS, Courts, and Tribes will enhance government-to-government relationships through the development of a communication and training framework.
Ways to Get Involved