Landmark Minnesota Law is Signed

 

Federal Government Releases Latest Funds for Tribal Home-visiting Programs

Landmark Minnesota Law is Signed “This is the way governments should work,” said Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, a citizen of the White Earth Nation, not long after Gov. Tim Walz signed the African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionately Act into law. “It’s not just about one leader — it takes a village,” she said, acknowledging the Black and Latino leaders at the signing. “And if you look around, this is the village.” Walz’s signature formalized a novel law that will require caseworkers in the state to better engage with parents in planning and selecting the services they need to reunite with their children. Social and cultural values will have to be taken into consideration, with judges reviewing and approving the adequacy of the steps taken. Among the law’s key provisions is a broader application of the “active efforts” standard for preventing family separation and hastening reunifications from foster care, which takes the state’s expectations a step above what is required in federal law. “Other states should follow our lead,” Flanagan said. “As a Native woman, this bill hit home. So I’m incredibly grateful for all of the folks behind me who helped us get here today.”

Several Other States Pursue Active Efforts Minnesota is not the only state moving in the direction of applying active efforts more broadly, which has long been the standard for serving Native American families under the Indian Child Welfare Act. Imprint reporter Nancy Marie Spears looked at three other states where the policy has been considered or approved in the past year.

New Family Support Funds Sent to Tribes  Six tribal communities have received federal funds to expand programs that serve families with young children in their homes — the most recent award in an ongoing expansion of such programs.

SOURCE: https://imprintnews.org/top-stories/feds-release-latest-funds-for-tribal-home-visiting-programs/250543