Why is there a special focus on American Indian communities?
A number of the children waiting for permanent homes are American Indian. For many of these children, the connection to their Indian heritage is protected by the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA). In helping to find Indian families for these children, REACH works with each tribe and supports that particular tribe’s way of caring for its own children. Extended family members, tribal leaders and elders are generally involved in planning permanence for children. REACH helps local American Indian communities identify their needs and build resources to support permanent families for children to grow up in.
