Don Milligan, MSW (Cree/Assiniboine)
Board Vice President
Program Manager
Small Tribes of Western Washington
Kent, WA
Ancestry
Don Milligan (Cree/Assiniboine), MSW, is currently the ICW director for the Small Tribes of Western Washington (Chinook, Duwamish, Snohomish, and Steilacoom). He is a descendant of the Métis Indians of the Red River area of Manitoba, Canada,where the French word "Métis" signified a mixture of Indian and European ancestry. He descends from the Cree, Assiniboine, and Ojibwe Tribes of the Red River area, the Kootenay Indians of British Columbia, Canada, and the Scottish/Irish/French Métis of the Northwest Fur Company. After the last rebellion of the Métis and Cree Indians, which was led by Louie Reil against the Canadian Government, failed in 1885, Don's ancestors escaped to the border areas of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, drifting into British Columbia, Montana, and finally Spokane, Washington.
Professional Background
Don served as a social worker advocate for the Yakama Nation, circa 1968-72, and a program manager of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Indian Desk/Office of Indian Affairs from 1972 to 1990. He also served in the Division of Children's Services until 2000 when he became the ICW director for the Small Tribes of Western Washington. Mr. Milligan and his long-time DSHS Indian Desk partner Dick Murphy (Iowa/Santee Sioux) were instrumental in developing the local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee Advocacy System, the first DSHS Indian Policy Advisory Committee, and the DSHS Indian Affairs Policy during the Tribal Sovereignty and U.S. Civil Rights Eras. Mr. Roger Jim, Sr., Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Nation councilman and chairman, Mr. Mel Tonasket, chairman of the Confederated Colville Tribes, and other tribal leaders of that era provided strong support of and protection for the DSHS Indian Desk and its strident advocacy during the 1960's era. Fights over fishing rights, hunting rights, water rights, trust lands, the federal /tribal trust relationship, racial conflict, and the bureaucratic mistreatment of Indian social services clients in the states were at very dangerous levels. These were the days of the occupation of the BIA in Washington, DC, the second Wounded Knee battle, and the Indian occupation of Fort Lawton in Seattle.
Work on Indian Child Welfare
Mr. Milligan and Mr. Murphy (retired U.S. Army) were instrumental in developing the initial Washington State ICW Administrative Code and Social Work Procedures. Mr. Milligan also served on the NCAI subcommittee that participated in the development of the federal Indian Child Welfare Act, along with other tribal advocates.
Don has been on the NICWA board of directors for 17 years and currently serves as the board’s vice president.