County agencies have been
making progress in collaborating with the area’s tribes when it comes to
addressing child welfare needs, but a recently released grand jury report
states those efforts aren’t going far enough.
The Humboldt County Civil
Grand Jury released a report on Friday that found the Humboldt County Sheriff’s
Office and Child Welfare Services division of the county Department of Health
and Human Services are doing a better job of complying with the Child Abuse and
Neglect Reporting Act, which prioritizes the psychological health of child
victims in investigating cases. The report recommends the county follow the
state’s lead and create an Office of Tribal Affairs to improve collaboration
with the area’s tribes, which is crucial since indigenous children make up a
disproportionate number of child welfare cases in the county.
“The Grand Jury found that
DHHS-CWS has improved the collaborative process with tribal communities,” the
report states. “However, there remains a disparity between the two on the
understanding of and approach to child welfare. This Grand Jury recommends the
County authorize its own Office of Tribal Affairs to advise the Board of
Supervisors on matters of importance to Humboldt County tribal governments and
tribal citizens.”
In 2015, about 7% of the
county’s children were classified as American Indian and Alaska Native, but
they represented 38% of the foster care population. The state received
complaints from the area’s tribes that year about the failure of county
agencies to comply with child welfare laws.
A state judge agreed with
the tribes in 2018, citing the county’s numerous violations of the law. The
Sheriff’s Office, Child Welfare Services and the state Attorney General’s
Office entered into an agreement that included the county agencies having to
make changes that would get them in compliance with child welfare laws and a
monitoring period to ensure those changes were being made.
Among those changes were
starting to systematically collect data about practices related to indigenous
children as part of a continuous quality improvement process and creating staff
positions to receive, track and address complaints related to the county’s
handling of child welfare cases.
“A feedback loop of those
delivering services and those receiving them is extremely important for the
overall welfare of children and families,” the report states.
In January 2021, the
county also launched a local version of the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act,
which focuses the county’s efforts on maintaining and strengthening children’s
relationships with their tribes while keeping them safe from abuse and neglect.
One area where the county
is falling short is its requirement to create child welfare protocol agreements
with the area’s tribes. So far, the county only has one with the Hoopa Valley
Tribe, one of eight federally recognized tribes in the county.
“The County is currently
in the process of negotiating with tribes for a universal MOU,” the report
states. “Tribal representatives have told the Grand Jury they are reluctant to
enter into this type of agreement with the County. Reluctance is based not just
on differing opinions on child welfare protocols with the County but differing
opinions between tribes. Tribal members and consultants expressed to the Grand
Jury that with two sovereign nations operating in the same environment, there
is the tendency for differing opinions, but with eight, collaboration becomes
even more of a challenge.”
Eureka Times-Standard
Sonia Waraich
June 20, 2022
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