Child Welfare Funding

NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment Findings

Tribal Child Welfare Funding was one of the five overarching themes or topic areas identified through the NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment Findings - Executive Summary and complete NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment Findings. The NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment includes a series of specific findings and recommendations concerning Child Welfare Funding.

Funding for tribal child welfare programs comes from a variety of federal, state and local sources, including funding administered by BIA through the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 and its Services to Children and Elderly Families, funding through grants to tribal courts, and funding administered by Health and Human Services (HHS) through Title IV-B (Subpart 1, Child Welfare Services and Subpart 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families) and Title IV-E Foster Care.

Other Tribal Funding Studies

A 2004 study of selected tribal child welfare programs (from “Analysis of Funding Resources and Strategies among American Indian Tribes: Findings from the Study of Implementation of the Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Program by American Indian Tribes,” by James Bell Associates, March 31, 2004, p. 5. PDF of report) found that the majority of funding for fiscal year 2000 came from BIA-administered funding (just under 70%) while HHS-administered funding only accounted for 25%, with 2% from Title IV-E and 7% from Title IV-B.

Although HHS funding through Title IV-B and Title IV-E is a relatively small source of funding for tribal child welfare programs, it is an important resource for tribes because it supports the operation of Title IV-E foster care programs, reimburses tribes for eligible services, and provides Title IV-E–eligible training for caseworkers and foster parents. Prior to 2008, Title IV-E funding was available directly to states but was available only indirectly to tribes through tribal/state agreements. As of 2008, there were approximately 90 tribes with tribal/state agreements, and 70 of these allowed for either maintenance, administrative, or training activities funded by Title IV-E.

The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351) now allows for direct Title IV-E funding to eligibletribes for foster care, adoption assistance, guardianship placements, and independent living services. Currently, tribes may apply for a one-time grant to assist in the development of a tribal IV-E plan.

Fostering Connections Act Addresses Tribal Access to Title IV-E

The chart below shows the complete funding distribution from this study. Although this study focused on a relatively small sample, anecdotal evidence from field practitioners supports the conclusion that the BIA provides the majority of funding for tribal child welfare programs, with some indications of a growth in funding through tribally generated revenue.

	Tribal Title IV-B Funding Title IV-B provides funding to Tribes (and States) for child welfare services and prevention activities. This includes Title IV-B (Subpart 1, Child Welfare Services and Subpart 2, Promoting Safe and Stable Families).		NRC4Tribes Technical Assistance Needs Assessment: Tribal Child Welfare Funding The NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment Findings - Executive Summary and complete NRC4Tribes Needs Assessment Findings include a series of specific findings and recommendations concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding. See left column for resources.
	Tribal Title IV-E Funding The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110/351) now allows for direct Title IV/E funding to eligible tribes for foster care, adoption assistance, guardianship placements, and independent living services. Title IV-E of the Social Security Act provides funds for states and tribes to provide foster care, transitional independent living programs for children, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistnace for children with special needs.		Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding, that is, what are the most important issues concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding for Tribal Child Welfare Workers.
	Tribal Court Improvement Program The Tribal Court Improvement Program (TCIP) was authorized by Congress in 2011 to help tribal courts assess and improve the handling of child welfare cases (abuse, neglect, guardianship and adoption). Congress appropriated one million dollars annually through 2016 to fund the TCIP through a competitive grant process.Seven tribes were awarded grants in the first round of funding: Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians; Navajo Nation Judicial Branch; White Earth Band of Chippewa; The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California; Pascua Yaqui Tribe; and Nooksack Indian Tribe.		Fostering Connections website resources concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding The www.FosteringConnections.org website is a gathering place of information, training and tools related to furthering the implementation of the Fostering Connections law. Specifically, this site aims to connect implementers with the latest information and the best experts and advocates working on these issues.
	Other Children's Bureau Funding Other Children’s Bureau funding consists of the Tribal Court Improvement Program which allows Tribal Courts to conduct assessments regarding child welfare proceedings, collection and analysis of data, and training.		Bureau of Indian Affairs resources concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding The Bureau of Indian Affairs in the U.S. Department of the Interior has resources concerning Tribal Child Welfare Funding including those available through BIA Human Services Division.
	Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Funding A 2004 study of selected tribal child welfare programs found that the majority of funding (just under 70%) comes from the BIA. Child welfare funding administered by BIA includes funding through the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978, funding through BIA Services to Children and Elderly Families, Indian social services welfare assistance, and funding through grants to tribal courts.		General Funding Resources Tribal Child Welfare Programs need access to a broad range of Tribal Child Welfare Funding Resources in order to enhance Tribal Child Welfare Operations.

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