Description
Each tribe has a mechanism for protective services for abused or neglected children within their jurisdiction and also for legal intervention in child welfare cases in courts outside tribal jurisdiction. Each tribe identifies an agency that is mandated to intervene when children need protection. The Department of Family Advocacy/Indian Child Welfare (ICW) is the program designated to provide child welfare services for the Chickasaw Nation. ICW has six social workers providing services throughout the 13 1/2 counties comprising the Chickasaw Nation service area with offices in Ada, Tishomingo, Ardmore, Purcell and Duncan.
Our mission statement is to operate a support system that preserves, protects, strengthens and enhances the overall quality of life for Chickasaw families, as well as for those who are citizens of other Indian tribes. When there is a report of child abuse or neglect of a Indian child within the Chickasaw Nation's jurisdiction, it is the primary responsibility of ICW in cooperation with Tribal/BIA Law Enforcement to initiate an investigation of the allegations made in the report and determine whether the report is valid. If it becomes necessary as the result of the investigation that the child should be placed into protective custody, ICW contacts Tribal/CFR court for a protective order placing the child into tribal custody, or Tribal/BIA Law Enforcement may choose to place the child into tribal custody. ICW also works in cooperation with the Department of Human Services Child Welfare Services in assessing child abuse/neglect reports of Indian children who live in the Chickasaw Nation's service area but reside upon the state's jurisdiction. After hours, ICW staff is on-call at Carl Albert Indian Hospital in Ada, for investigation of child abuse/neglect reports for Indian children.
The Chickasaw Nation, in cooperation with the Department of Human Services, is responsible for placing Indian children when they must be removed from their parent(s) or Indian custodian(s) to temporary placement in a foster home, an insitution or the home of a guardian, conservator or extended family member where the parent or Indian custodian cannot have the child returned upon demand, but where parental rights have not been terminated. When Chickasaw children are placed into the state's custody, ICW assists in providing services designed to prevent the breakup of Indian Families. Once home conditions and issues have been corrected, ICW aids in family reunification by assuring that children can be safely returned to the home. (ICW also monitors and assists in the provision of reunifcation services in state court cases involving custody of Indian children of other tribes on a case-by-case basis.)
ICW is the primary service provider in cases that are within Tribal/CFR court jurisdiction. In cases that are within Tribal/CFR court jurisdiction, the Chickasaw Nation is the petitioning party for custody of children and is responsible for ensuring efforts are being made to reunify familes whenever possible, as long as safety of the children can be maintained in the home.
For more information, please contact our main office at (580) 272-5550 or write to us at the Chickasaw Nation, Department of Family Advocacy, Indian Child Welfare Program, 231 Seabrook Road, Ada, OK 74820.
