To address the critical need for support for Native American people who have experienced human trafficking, the Administration for Children and Families’ Office on Trafficking in Persons established the Demonstration Grants to Strengthen the Response to Victims of Human Trafficking in Native Communities (VHT-NC) Program. The program aims to build, expand, and sustain organizational and community capacity to deliver services to Native American people who have experienced human trafficking. In 2020, six VHT-NC projects received awards to provide culturally responsive and trauma-informed participant outreach and identification, comprehensive case management and service provision, and training to respond to human trafficking in their communities. This Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation brief provides examples of the culturally responsive approaches the VHT-NC projects took with regard to project staffing, education and training, outreach, and case management and supportive services. Within these four programming components, the brief describes the culturally responsive approaches used, identifies the challenges the projects encountered and potential suggestions to address them, and highlights the potential benefits and strengths of these culturally responsive approaches.

The Native Wellness Institute (NWI) is hosting a webinar on December 17 and 18, 2024. It is a two-day program designed for adults who seek to enhance their understanding of healthy relationships, as well as staff and workers who provide healthy relationships education and workshops to community members. During the training, participants will learn about and engage in NWI's Healthy Relationships curriculum that covers the essential elements of healthy relationships, as well as additional topics. There is a fee for participation.

Head Start is a national program that helps young children from families with low incomes prepare to succeed in school by promoting their early learning and health as well as their families’ well-being. Head Start connects families with medical, dental, and mental health services to be sure that children are receiving the services they need to develop well. Head Start involves parents in their children’s learning and development and helps parents make progress on their own goals, such as housing stability, continuing education, and financial security. Head Start programs are organized into 12 regions and unlike the other regions that are determined geographically, Region XI serves children and families in programs operated by federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes. Understanding that communities have unique needs and priorities, Region XI programs offer a variety of services related to children’s home language or Native language and culture. This Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation study is a result of an evaluation on the family and staff experiences in AI/AN Head Start in Region XI that focused on family and staff well-being, including:

1. Children’s characteristics, family background, and home environment;
2. Children’s social-emotional and learning skills;
3. Children’s disability status and physical health; and
4. Characteristics of children’s lead teachers.

The University of California, Davis is hosting a webinar on November 19, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. PT, focusing on the integration of tribal engagement within California’s Child and Family Team (CFT) practice. This webinar will explore best practices outlined in the 2024 CFT Tribal Engagement Guide, which highlights the essential role of culturally responsive, trauma-informed practices for Indian children, families and Tribes. Participants will learn about the legal requirements of the Indian Child Welfare Act in the CFT process, strategies for fostering collaboration between child welfare services and tribal governments, and methods for supporting cultural connections for children and families.

Healthy food choices are in abundance for most Americans. Fresh fruits and vegetables are just a short car ride away, if not within walking distance. But, for Native American citizens, that is not always the case. This PBS video highlights a chef representing the Pascua Yaqui tribe and a Partnership with Native Americans (PWNA) member discussing what they are doing to address food access and food sovereignty. This video also discusses how the Native American Food Movement is supporting a return to healthy and traditional diet in Indian county.

This Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network and National Indian Child Welfare Association tipsheet was developed for service providers to share with relatives/kin caring for Native children. It provides guidance to help caregivers access services, utilize the services effectively, and advocate for Native children in their care. This resource can support families to identify and connect to services such as childcare, behavioral health, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), TANF non-needy (child-only) grants, assistance with Social Security Income and other paperwork, and much more.

Many non-Natives work in various capacities in Indian Country, from tribal administrators to front line workers to urban Indian center employees. Other non-Natives work in other agencies that serve or collaborate with Indian Country. Learning by doing is the way most allies become allies. The Native Wellness Institute will host an interactive training on November 19 and 20, 2024 that is intended for non-Natives and Natives who want to learn more about being an ally in Indian Country. The training will include large and small group discussions, opportunities for reflection and assessment, and tools to take back to the workplace. The goal of the training is to better help participants to help the tribe/organization for which they work.

The most sustainable Tribal responses to domestic violence, sexual violence, sex trafficking, and related disparities are those rooted in Indigenous cultures and values. The challenge for those receiving federal funds is balancing the development of their responses with administering varying requirements of federal funds. This recorded Fireside Session, hosted by the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, shares how Tribes and Tribal organizations can develop their sustainable responses, including responding to challenges to best meet the needs of survivors and Tribal communities by pooling together different federal funds and maximizing impact.

The Administration for Native Americans is partnering with the Office of Early Childhood Development to host a four-part webinar series, focused on key strategies and initiatives to support the optimal growth, development, and well-being of Native children and families. Three sessions remain: 

• Session 2: Strategies for Supporting the Success and Well-being of the Native Early Childhood Education Workforce will take place on September 5, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET;
• Session 3: The Power of Data in Native Early Childhood Development — Strategies for Effective Data Use and Impact will take place on October 3, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET; and
• Session 4: Native Early Childhood Development Funds — Maximizing Impact Through Flexible Funding Strategies will take place on November 7, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. ET.