How Does North Dakota’s ICWA Family Preservation Program Help Native American Families Stay Safely Together?

North Dakota’s Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Family Preservation Program offers a model for supporting Native American families involved in the child welfare system while respecting Tribal sovereignty and preserving family and community. The program’s ICWA family preservationists provide relational support, help families understand court and case-planning processes, monitor whether required efforts to preserve or reunify families are being made, and connect caregivers with community resources. An evaluation of 485 families served since 2020 reported shorter foster care stays and fewer terminations of parental rights among participating families, while the rate of children re-entering care did not increase. This Casey Family Programs resource reviews the Family Preservation Program and offers ideas to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) practitioners working with Native families for strengthening collaboration with Tribal partners, building culturally responsive referral pathways, and helping families navigate services while maintaining family connections.