The State of Alaska Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS), Office of Children's Services (OCS) strongly supports the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and continues to build federal ICWA mandates into all levels of OCS Child Welfare. We continue to develop positive collaborative and communicative partnerships with all Native organizations and Alaska Native Tribal organizations.

Indian Child Welfare goals include:

1. Providing an overall statewide ICWA compliance plan which meets ICWA, Title IV-B, Title IV-E, Child Welfare federal and state mandates.
2. Ensuring implementation of the statewide ICWA Compliance Plan for all State of Alaska Office of Children's Services, Regional and Field offices.
3. Providing a process for developing and implementing a data base which documents and monitors statewide ICWA Compliance.
4. Maintaining and increasing Tribal/State Collaboration Group participation in ICWA Compliance, Training and Evaluation.
5. Assisting in the development and implementation of a statewide ICWA training plan for both State of Alaska, Office of Children's Services and Tribal Indian Child Welfare Workers.
6. Providing a collateral ICWA plan for implementation with the State of Alaska Court Systems, Attorney General's and other attorneys.

Please address comments concerning this program to: SBenzel@health.state.ak.us