ICWA, MIFPA, and Child Welfare
ICWA, MIFPA, and Child Welfare
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If you need additional assistance, please contact MILS at 231-947-0122.
For information on Central Registry, please see this page.
For information on Child Protective Services, please see this page.
For information on Fostering and Adopting, please see this page.
For information on Filing a Complaint about a Case Worker, please see this page.
For information about Safety Plans, please see this page.
For information about Juvenile Delinquencies and the ICWA & MIFPA, please see this page.
Indian Child Welfare Act
Indian Child Welfare Act
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by
The Native American Rights Fund
The Native American Rights Fund
How Do I Know I Have a Child Welfare Case?
A parent must be notified when a case is made against them. Typically, the entity filing the case will be the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) or one of its departments, such as Child Protective Services (CPS). If you or your child are an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, or are eligible for enrollment, the entity filing the suit may be Anishnaabek Child and Family Services, Tribal Social Services, or other child protective agencies within a federally recognized tribe.
Michigan Legal Help has a flowchart explaining what happens when CPS becomes involved. Please consider looking at this flowchart to better understand what happens before CPS is able to open a case against you.
What Should I Do if I Have a Child Welfare Case?
If you have a child welfare case pending in state court you may be entitled to a court appointed attorney. Please contact the Circuit Court where the case is pending about obtaining a court appointed attorney.
The following are helpful resources to help understand your child welfare case:
State Bar of Michigan - Children, Child Support, and Parental Rights
MDHHS - Children's Protective Services
Ingham County Probate Court - Termination of Parental Rights FAQ
Michigan Legal Help - CPS and Your Family
WashingtonLawHelp - Guide to ICWA
Bureau of Indian Affairs - Indian Child Welfare Act
National Indian Child Welfare Association - For Families and Service Providers
National Indian Child Welfare Association - Family Guide to ICWA
National Indian Child Welfare Association - Child Welfare Resources
What is the Indian Child Welfare Act and How Does it Work?
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) is a federal statute that was enacted in 1978 to protect Indian children from removal from their homes and culture. The Act establishes minimum procedural safeguards which create a number of legal protections against the state’s removal of an Indian child from their home. ICWA applies in cases involving the placement of children outside the home, such as foster care placement, adoption, and in cases of child neglect or abuse. It does NOT apply to custody proceedings in divorce cases or placements of delinquents for acts that would be criminal if committed by an adult. ICWA was designed to work with Federal and State law so that Indian children receive the highest level of protection available to them under law. This means that if State law has stricter standards for removing a child than ICWA does, then State law will apply.
Today, the procedural safeguards in ICWA must be applied before removing an Indian child from their home. If Indian children are removed, the protections within ICWA mean they are more likely to be placed with family members or in culturally appropriate homes. For more information about placement, please see this guide by the Native American Rights Fund.
Protections afforded by ICWA are seen in the additional considerations caseworkers have to make when handling an ICWA case. These considerations include providing active efforts (a higher legal standard) to reunify the family rather than the reasonable efforts required by State law, working actively to involve the child’s parents and their tribe in the proceedings, and requiring testimony of a qualified expert witness before terminating parental rights. When the termination of parental rights is suggested, ICWA protects the rights of the family by requiring evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that a child would be subject to serious emotional or physical damage if they stayed with their parent(s).This evidence must include testimony by a qualified expert witness who can speak to the best interests of the child and who has knowledge of social and cultural practices in the tribe in order to diminish the risk of any cultural bias.
What is the Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act and How Does it Work?
In 2012, Michigan adopted its own version of the ICWA as a state law: MIFPA. Please consider checking out these resources for more information about ICWA and the Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act:
State of Michigan - ICWA/MIFPA Field Guide
Michigan Bar Journal - Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act at Seven Years
Additional Information
NARF - general
Tribal Law and Policy Institute - general
Capacity Building Center - general
Compare provisions of Michigan Indian Family Preservation Act to the Indian Child Welfare Act
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