Indian Child Welfare
About Us
The State of Alaska Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS), Office of Children's Services (OCS) strongly supports the Indian Child Welfare (ICWA) and continues to build federal ICWA mandates into all levels of OCS Child Welfare. We continue to develop positive collaborative and communicative partnerships with all Native organizations and Alaska Native Tribal organizations.
Upcoming Events
- ICWA Training
January 17-18, 2019 (Bethel)
- Knowing Who You Are AK Workshop
February 7-8, 2019 (Anchorage)
- ICWA Training
February 20-21, 2019 (Anchorage)
- Knowing Who You Are AK Workshop
April 9-10, 2019 (Palmer/Wasilla)
- ICWA Training
April 11-12, 2019 (Wasilla)
- Knowing Who You Are AK Workshop
May 1-2, 2019 (Anchorage)
- ICWA Training
May 29-30, 2019 (Anchorage)
- ICWA Training
June 11-12, 2019 (Juneau)
- ICWA Training
August 27-28, 2019 (Anchorage)
- ICWA Training
November 18-19, 2019 (Anchorage)
Websites that you can look through for current news and information on Indian Child Welfare, Institutional Racism, and Alaska Native issues.
Quick Facts for Alaska
American Indian or Alaska Native is identified as one of the categories of race by the Federal government.
There are 229 federally recognized Tribes in Alaska, out of the “Alaska Native” demographic. There are many more Tribes but not federally recognized.
There are 10 different ethnicities of Alaska Native people identified.(Athabascan, Yup'ik, Cup’ik, Inupiaq, Unangax/Aleut, Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian)
There are many different cultures within each Alaska Native ethnicity.
There is only one Tribe with Federally recognized reservation status in Alaska (Metlakatla).
There are only two Tribes with exclusive jurisdiction in Alaska (Barrow and Chevak).