Tribal Star Resources
Reset
Becoming a Social Worker
SERVE: Indigenous Social Workers for Change
Interested in becoming a social worker? There are resources and stipends to assist Native Americans who are interested in applying to the schools of social work. See more information on SERVE on the CalSWEC website.
Customary Adoption
Customary Adoption Tribal Social Worker Fact Sheet
This fact sheet provides basic information on AB1325 for tribal ICWA social workers. This information is shared with permission from the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians.
Fact Sheet for County Social Workers
This fact sheet provides basic information on customary adoption and AB1325 for county social workers. This information is shared with permission from the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians.
elearning
ICWA Bias, Media and Historical Context eLearning
This eLearning course will explore how media and propaganda have affected our perceptions resulting in a bias toward American Indians. During this course you will be asked to identify three events in American history related to American Indians – and what do these events have in common?
ICWA Resources
Guidelines for Implementing ICWA
These guidelines are intended to assist those involved in child custody proceedings in understanding and uniformly applying the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and U.S. Department of the Interior (Department) regulations (also referred to as a “rule”).
Bureau of Indian Affairs Quick Reference: State Agency in Involuntary Proceedings
This reference is used for state agency personnel participating in involuntary proceedings involving an “Indian child.”
Federal Register, ICWA Regulations (2020)
This final rule adds a new subpart to the Department of the Interior’s (Department) regulations implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), to improve ICWA implementation.
Bureau of Indian Affairs Quick Reference: Active Efforts
This useful informational sheet is provided by the bureau of Indian Affairs regarding active efforts. Active efforts are affirmative, active, thorough, and timely efforts intended primarily to maintain or reunite an Indian child with his or her family.
ICWA Best Practice
This resource includes some best practices to remember to support ICWA compliance when working with an Indian child.
ICWA at a Glance
This resource provides a brief overview of the five provisions of ICWA that fulfill the intended purpose of the law: inquiry and notice, active efforts, proper placement, concurrent planning and qualified expert witness.
National Resource Center for Tribes Background and Need for ICWA
This webpage includes resource links in connection to the need for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and background information. It was complied by the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Tribes, a service of the Children’s Bureau and a member of the T/TA Network.
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
The NCJFCJ is engaging tribal courts and judges in cultural humility with an understanding that best practices in tribal courts may be different than state courts and diverse perspectives strengthen solutions.
Judicial Branch of California ICWA Resources
The Tribal/State Programs Unit of the Center for Families Children and the Courts has developed the resources on this webpage to assist those involved in these kinds of proceedings understand their legal obligations under ICWA and comply with those requirements.
FACES – Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act
Follow the Spirit of ICWA: The American Indian Enhancement Project is an effort of the California Disproportionality Project, a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) resourced through the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the California Department of Social Services, Casey Family Programs, and the Stuart Foundation. In collaboration with Administrative Office of the Courts, California Social Work Education Center, Child and Family Policy Institute of California, California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership, the National Resource Center for Tribes, Tribal STAR, and Shenandoah Films.
Reasons Why People Do Not Claim To Be American Indian
There are many reasons why individuals do not claim their American Indian heritage. This has implications for ICWA compliance especially in the area of inquiry and noticing. This tip sheet offers social workers practice tips for inquiry and noticing those who do not claim to be American Indian.
Following the Spirit of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
This is a guide to understanding the benefits of providing culturally appropriate services to Native American families from non–federally recognized tribes within the juvenile dependency and delinquency systems.
National Indian Child Welfare Association ICWA Information
This webpage provides information on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) of 1978 including resources for families, ICWA technical assistance and training, NICWA and ICWA compliance, ICWA Reports and Documents and Tools for ICWA Compliance.
Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978
This document outlines the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) law as stated in the original 1978 document. The intent of ICWA is to prevent the unwarranted breakup of American Indian families, recognize tribal jurisdiction to make custody decisions involving the removal of Indian children from their homes, and establish minimum federal standards that county and/or state courts must follow when Indian children are removed from their homes and placed in foster care or adoptive homes.
Bureau of Indian Affairs ICWA Designated Agents 2017
The regulations implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) provide that Indian tribes may designate an agent other than the tribal chairman for service of notice of proceedings under ICWA. This notice includes the current list of designated tribal agents for service of notice.
Judges Resources
National Resource Center for Tribes Background and Need for ICWA
This webpage includes resource links in connection to the need for the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and background information. It was complied by the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Tribes, a service of the Children’s Bureau and a member of the T/TA Network.
National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
The NCJFCJ is engaging tribal courts and judges in cultural humility with an understanding that best practices in tribal courts may be different than state courts and diverse perspectives strengthen solutions.
Judicial Branch of California ICWA Resources
The Tribal/State Programs Unit of the Center for Families Children and the Courts has developed the resources on this webpage to assist those involved in these kinds of proceedings understand their legal obligations under ICWA and comply with those requirements.
Bench Handbook Indian Child Welfare Act
This Bench Handbook is intended to help judges navigate the challenges of notice and compliance to the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
Tribal STAR Tips for Following Protocol
This tip sheet offers suggestion on how to follow protocol when working with Tribal Communities.
FACES – Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act
Follow the Spirit of ICWA: The American Indian Enhancement Project is an effort of the California Disproportionality Project, a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) resourced through the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the California Department of Social Services, Casey Family Programs, and the Stuart Foundation. In collaboration with Administrative Office of the Courts, California Social Work Education Center, Child and Family Policy Institute of California, California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership, the National Resource Center for Tribes, Tribal STAR, and Shenandoah Films.
Reasons Why People Do Not Claim To Be American Indian
There are many reasons why individuals do not claim their American Indian heritage. This has implications for ICWA compliance especially in the area of inquiry and noticing. This tip sheet offers social workers practice tips for inquiry and noticing those who do not claim to be American Indian.
Following the Spirit of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA)
This is a guide to understanding the benefits of providing culturally appropriate services to Native American families from non–federally recognized tribes within the juvenile dependency and delinquency systems.
Reconnecting with Tribal Ancestry
California Geneaology
Lists genealogical information for San Bernardino tribes.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Indian Affairs offers an extensive scope of programs that covers the entire range of federal, state and local government services. Programs administered by either Tribes or Indian Affairs through the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) include an education system, social services, natural resources management on trust lands, economic development, law enforcement and detention services, administration of tribal courts, implementation of land and water claim settlements, housing improvement, disaster relief, replacement and repair of schools, repair and maintenance of roads, bridges, dams and irrigation.
Tribal STAR Book List
Tribal STAR’s reference list of books related to Native American Foster Youth and people that work with Native American Foster Youth.
American Indian Library Association
This organization is working to improve library and information services for American Indians.
American Indian Early Childhood Education
This webpage provides a description of early childhood education projects for American Indians, which are designed to assist with reading-language arts, math, and self-esteem for American Indian children in prekindergarten through grade four.
Tribal STAR Resources
Sharing Our Lived Experiences: 22 Tips for Caring for Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ Youth in the Child Welfare System
This resource is dedicated to Two-Spirit and American Indian/Alaska Native LGBTQ children and youth whose lives are impacted by the child welfare system, and to the child welfare professionals, foster and adoptive parents, caregivers, and community members who strive to support them.
Tribal Sovereignty and Child Welfare
Practice Tips for social workers to understanding government to government relations in ICWA cases.
Sharing Our Lived Experiences Understanding the Two-Spirit Journey
Sharing Our Lived Experiences: Eight Tips for Understanding the Two-Spirit/LGBTQ Journey for Native Youth in the Child Welfare System fact sheet is intended to assist and support Native youth who may be Two-Spirit and/or LGBTQ (lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/questioning). Native youth in child welfare placements can experience many challenges. These include feelings of abandonment, guilt, shame, disconnection from extended family, and many feelings related to unresolved grief and loss due to multi-generational historical traumas.
Recommendations for Maintaining Tribal Relationships
Suggestions on this concise list include the use of creativity, patience, preparation and planning, and respect when developing and maintaining Tribal relationships.
Tribal STAR Tips for Following Protocol
This tip sheet offers suggestion on how to follow protocol when working with Tribal Communities.
Tribal STAR Judge’s Checklist
This checklist has been developed to help judges determine the best circumstances surrounding placement of a child in a non-Indian home. The intention of this list is to provide guidelines that can strengthen the potential for a successful outcome.
Tips for Cross-Cultural Training
The aim of this tip sheet is to effectively increase understanding of the complex issues surrounding Child Welfare Services for Tribal youth by illuminating historical events and how they have shaped today’s Tribal and non-Tribal relationships. See both long and short versions.
FACES – Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act
Follow the Spirit of ICWA: The American Indian Enhancement Project is an effort of the California Disproportionality Project, a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) resourced through the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the California Department of Social Services, Casey Family Programs, and the Stuart Foundation. In collaboration with Administrative Office of the Courts, California Social Work Education Center, Child and Family Policy Institute of California, California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership, the National Resource Center for Tribes, Tribal STAR, and Shenandoah Films.
American Indian Enhancement Toolkit
The American Indian Enhancement Project is an effort of the
California Disproportionality Project, a Breakthrough Series Collaborative (BSC) resourced through the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the California Department of Social Services, Casey Family Programs, and the Stuart Foundation. In collaboration with Administrative Office of the Courts, California Social Work Education Center, Child and Family Policy Institute of California, California Child Welfare Co-Investment Partnership, the National Resource Center for Tribes, Tribal STAR, and Shenandoah Films.
Dedicated to all the American Indian/Alaska Native children and families in California.
Indian Values
This document compares traditional Indian values and all-American values.
The Indian Problem Agenda Both Sides
This document outlines both non-Indian and Indian agendas in relation to what was coined “the Indian Problem.”
Kumeyaay Timeline
This document provides a detailed timeline of the Kumeyaay people from pre to post-contact with European settlers.
Tribal STAR Book List
Tribal STAR’s reference list of books related to Native American Foster Youth and people that work with Native American Foster Youth.
Tribal Websites
Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians
Since time immemorial the descendants of the Soboba people are those whom have lived on and occupied the land that is presently known as the cities of San Jacinto, Hemet, Valle Vista and Winchester. See this website for more information on Sobobo history, events and economy.
Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians
For more than 10,000 years the Pechanga people have called the Temecula Valley home. See this website for more information on the Pechanga history, culture, government and economy with a focus on the past, present and future.
Pala Band of Mission Indians
This website will assist you in learning more about the people, history and culture of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.
Morongo Band of Mission Indians
This website provides information on the history, heritage, community, Tribal government and Tribal departments of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians.
Kumeyaay Nation
This site is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Kumeyaay culture.
Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
This site includes the history, culture, tribal enterprises and other information about the Iipay of Santa Ysabel.
Chemehuevi Indian Tribe
As part of the Great Basin Culture Area, the Chemehuevi (a Mojave term meaning “those that play with fish”), a branch of the Southern Paiute, have been persistent occupants of the Mojave Desert.