Call for PRESENTATIONS '09
Call for Presentations deadline has been Extended!
Submit your proposals by October 1, 2008
A special invitation is being extended to you to participate as a workshop presenter during our 27th Annual ''Protecting Our Children'' National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect.
About the Conference Theme
Access to Prevention, Protection, and Treatment: A Matter of Fairness, Justice, and Action
The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) serves as a promising practice for serving Indian children and families and its role in strengthening tribal communities. The intent of Congress under ICWA was to ''protect the best interests of Indian children and to promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and families'' (25 U.S.C. § 1902). Tribal communities are strengthening and sustaining their traditional methods of protecting and nurturing Indian children.
All too often, tribal communities lack the full array of services that states have access to. Every Indian child deserves the right to safety and a fair opportunity to receive services. When tribes have access to resources to provide services, the outcome for children to stay with their families is much better. If the family is the best place for a child, we should strive to keep the child and family together. Tribes are embarking on access to Title IV-E funding to establish effective child welfare programs and services. Tribes are seeking access to develop, maintain, and sustain more effective efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect through the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA). Tribal governments are exploring opportunities to make resources available to their children and families by devoting efforts in their communities to address the role of young people, families, and elders as the experts for the resurgence of traditional methods of protecting Indian children.
This year's conference will focus on the need to address access to resources by taking control and action to overcome the barriers that keep tribal communities from preventing the occurrence or recurrence of child abuse and neglect. We share an important responsibility to continue this work for our children and families. Workshops and presentations will feature innovative strategies to effectively meet the needs of our children and families through strong, collaborative partnerships. Tribes continue to work with counties, states, and other entities to improve healthy outcomes for their most precious resource-their children. Please join us as we gather in wonderful Reno, Nevada, to learn from each other and enhance positive outcomes for Indian children and families.
Conference Goals
1. To highlight successful strategies for effective advocacy leading to action for better access to services
2. To highlight strategies for financing and sustainability of services that impact children
3. To reveal the latest and most innovative approaches to child welfare and children's mental health service delivery
4. To showcase strategies for involving youth and families in developing services and policy that lead into action
5. To stress the impact and effect that policy has on the day-to-day tribal communities access to resources
6. To educate, bring awareness to, and mobilize all systems to value and protect children
7. To examine the responsibility of key stakeholders in assuring the quality of child welfare and children's mental health services
Workshop Track Description
Advocacy, Collaboration, ICWA Compliance, and Data and Research comprise the different workshop tracks we have created to meet the needs of our broadening national audience. Additionally, NICWA understands the critical role that tribal leadership plays in empowering communities to improve outcomes for their children and families. While preparing your workshop description, please consider how your presentation will address the vital role of tribal leadership.
Advocacy
Understanding the impact of national/state/local policy, strategies for influencing national/state/local policy, restorative justice approaches in child welfare, and the role of standard-setting organizations
Collaboration
Promising practices in building alliances (e.g., urban-tribal, tribal-state, tribal-county, and inter-agency collaborations; engaging youth in care; elders; tribal leaders; and community members)
ICWA Compliance
Promising practices for ICWA training, monitoring compliance, tribal CASA partnerships, innovative strategies for meeting placement preferences, and tracking active efforts
Data and Research
Current child welfare research, promising practices in information technology, gathering and utilizing data for program improvement, data and funding issues, and sharing data across systems
Who Should Respond
All individuals who are committed to serving Indian children and their families are encouraged to respond: child welfare workers, directors, and staff from tribal, state, federal, and private programs; tribal leaders; substance abuse staff; health professionals; mental health and psychiatric professionals; law enforcement professionals; court and legal professionals; tribal and public school administrators; teachers, counselors, educators, and staff; grassroots community organizers; Court of Indian Offenses judges and attorneys; BIA and IHS social service staff; private providers; parents, guardians, elders, extended family members; and other interested people committed to protecting Indian children and families.
How to Apply
Use the form''Workshop Proposal Cover Sheet'' attached to this flyer to submit your proposal for a 90-minute workshop, which may repeat once. Chosen proposals will be highly interactive and relevant to the conference theme and goals. Presenters selected will receive a reduced registration fee of $100. Workshops are limited to four presenters. Additional presenters may not be added after proposals are selected. Notification of acceptance will be made by November 7, 2008. All presenters will be required to pre-register for the conference at the discounted rate.
Deadline: October 1, 2008. Proposals must be postmarked by this date.
E-mail: Isla Dane at her NICWA Email. Cover sheet items in 1-6 format (required) in an MS Word document; please include numbered items listed on cover sheet.
Fax: 503.222.4007, Attn: Isla Dane, Event Manager
Mail to: National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA)
5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97239
Call for presentations 2009 - Printable Form
Questions? Contact Isla Dane, Event Manager, at 503.222.4044, ext. 144 or visit our website at http://www.nicwa.org/conference Late or incomplete proposals will not be considered