(PORTLAND, Ore. June 11, 2020)—The National Indian Child Welfare Association announced its official endorsement for S.3923, the Emergency Family Stabilization Act, which would help families, youth, and children faced with homelessness in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has increased threats to American Indian and Alaska Native children, youth, and their families’ well-being. Increasing numbers of tribal children, youth, and families face the risk of becoming homeless, experiencing domestic violence and/or child abuse or neglect, or becoming victims to human trafficking. We applaud Senator Murkowski for recognizing the increased threats to our communities during this pandemic and introducing the Emergency Family Stabilization Act that provides vital resources for tribal governments to address these challenges. Our tribal programs, many of which are in remote, rural locations, often don’t have adequate resources to fight these threats to our communities. This legislation recognizes this by providing funding that is specifically for tribal governments,” said Sarah Kastelic, executive director of the National Indian Child Welfare Association.

The Emergency Family Stabilization Act was introduced by U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Joe Manchin (D-WV), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). Read Senator Murkowski’s press release here. Read quotes in support from key stakeholders here.