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Native American tribal governments are sovereign, self-governing entities. Much like state governments, tribal governments are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of their citizens and their communities. Tribal sovereignty pre-dates the formation of the United States and is recognized through the U.S. Constitution and numerous federal statutes and court cases. Tribal governments are on equal footing with state government and have a government-to-government relationship with federal government. The sovereignty of each entity necessitates a government-to-government relationship at the state and tribal levels as well.
States and tribes have adjacent jurisdictions, with some tribes crossing into the boundaries of more than one state. These bordering jurisdictions are a key reason why state-tribal relationships are necessary. In addition, services are now provided by tribal government to members and non-members who reside on or near the reservations. This makes coordination between state and tribal agencies and service providers essential. There also is an increasing desire to ensure that services provided to tribal members through state programs are culturally-competent in order to increase effectiveness. Finally, tribal citizens are also citizens of the state in which they reside. State legislators have a responsibility to provide for the well-being of all state citizens, tribal and non-tribal alike. The health and well-being of tribal citizens and tribal communities enhance the overall health of a state. In short, strong tribes contribute to strong states.
“Separation of Powers--State-Tribal Relations and Interstate Compacts,” National Conference of State Legislatures. NCSL, c 2020.
Strategies Take Shape for SFY 2021
As a result of the passage of SHB 2787, signed by Gov. Inslee on March 19, 2020, state funding appropriated for the Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program will transfer from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) effective Sept. 1, 2020. Stakeholder voice and influence continue to be at the forefront of the planning and implementation process to help ensure the continuous, unified provision of high-quality, family-centered and culturally-responsive early intervention services.
Strategies identified by stakeholders and currently underway include:
- Design and development of a state-level Early Childhood Transition Data Share Agreement between DCYF and OSPI focused exclusively on electronic notifications of potentially-eligible toddlers from DCYF to OSPI, and from OSPI to local school districts.
- Development and direct access to a district-specific portal on ESIT’s new Data Management System platform known as Sprout.
- Expanded technical assistance to enhance opportunities for the development of Local Early Childhood Transition Agreements focused on timely notifications (6-9 months ahead of third birthdays) of toddlers transitioning from local ESIT programs who are potentially eligible for Part B preschool special education services.
- Renewed commitment to finishing the writing and publication of the Washington State Early Childhood Transition Practitioner Guide.
Stakeholders are encouraged to watch for additional opportunities in upcoming ESIT Weekly publications to actively engage in this critical early childhood transition dialogue and provide feedback on drafted content and timelines in the state-level Early Childhood Data Share Agreement.
To learn more about the planning and stakeholder engagement opportunities for the ESIT State Funding Transfer, please contact Valerie Arnold, DCYF-ESIT Strategic Innovations Advisor, at 360-485-7773 or valerie.arnold@dcyf.wa.gov.
Mark your calendars! The next SICC meeting is right around the corner:
July SICC Meeting - 100% Virtual
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Click here to join
Dial: (213) 338-8477
Meeting ID: 993 5007 0108
Password: 470827
We will share the agenda closer to the meeting.
Questions? Contact Sue Rose, DCYF-ESIT Stakeholder Engagement Manager, at sue.rose@dcyf.wa.gov.
DCYF will be releasing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for ESIT contracts. DCYF plans to release the RFQ in the Washington Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) system approximately July 1, 2020.
If you are interested in participating in the ESIT RFQ, please ensure your organization is registered in WEBS. Select one of the following commodity Code(s) in WEBS
- 924-74
- 952-15
- 952-51
- 948-86
To register in WEBS please follow instructions here.
Should you have any questions or concerns you may contact Kris Gorgas at 360-725-4691 or kristine.gorgas@dcyf.wa.gov.
Sponsored by National Quality Improvement Center for Collaborative CommunityCourt Teams
(QIC-CCCT), in collaboration with Tribal Law & Policy Institute:
Tuesday, June 30 | 10-11 a.m.
Click here to register!
Details: Substance use disorders among pregnant women and the number of infants born with prenatal substance exposure continues to rise. To address this, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires that states develop Plans of Safe Care and have policies and procedures to address the needs of this population. Presenters will briefly discuss the CAPTA requirements, some best practices, and examine the implications for active efforts and compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Then, presenters from the Yurok Tribe will engage participants in a discussion about how they worked across jurisdictions in a multi-disciplinary process to better serve families.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will learn about the requirement that states create Plans of Safe Care and how they can be involved in their creation.
- Participants will engage in peer learning about the implication of Plans of Safe Care for active efforts and compliance with ICWA.
Participants will learn about the Yurok Tribe’s work as a demonstration site funded by QIC-CCCT, and how they are using the concept behind a Plan of Safe Care to engage the medical community and better serve their community.
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