First Tribal IV-E Program in the Nation

First Tribal IV-E Program in the Nation

On April 1, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe will be the first Native American community in the nation to operate its own Title IV-E foster care, kinship guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance program. Passage of the 2008 Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (Fostering Connections) made it possible for tribal governments and consortia to apply to directly operate IV-E programs without receiving funding through state administration or agreements. Of the approximately 560 tribes in the United States, less than half even have an agreement with states to access IV-E funds. Therefore, the Indian Child Welfare Act continues to play an important role in navigating child welfare services for children and families in tribal communities.