The kalispel indian community of the kalispel reservation will increase access to essential civil and criminal legal services for tribal and community members in both of its primary service areas,…

The Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation received a $595,227 Project Grant award from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Tribal Justice Assistance Program (CFDA 16.596). The grant will fund the tribe's efforts to increase access to essential civil and criminal legal services for its tribal members and community residents in Cusick, Washington and Airway Heights, Washington over a 5-year period from October 2023 to September 2028. The funding will allow the Kalispel Tribe to contract with licensed attorneys to provide effective legal representation for tribal members navigating criminal and civil matters in the Kalispel Tribal Court and neighboring jurisdictions. Additionally, the grant will support the continued operation of the Kalispel Legal Advice Clinic, which offers civil legal services to tribal members as well as other community residents regardless of enrollment status. The Tribal Justice Assistance Program aims to strengthen tribal justice system capacity and enhance public safety in tribal communities through culturally appropriate approaches.

The kalispel indian community of the kalispel reservation will increase access to essential civil and criminal legal services for tribal and community members in both of its primary service areas, cusick, washington (approximately 50 miles north of spokane) and airway heights, washington (approximately 10 miles west of spokane). Two-thirds of the tribes 484 enrolled members reside within these two geographic areas. The kalispel tribe will contract with licensed attorneys to ensure effective legal representation for kalispel tribal members who are navigating criminal and civil matters in kalispel tribal court and neighboring jurisdictions. The tribe will attempt to mitigate the access to justice GAP that exists in rural communities, and the heightened barriers that rural native americans face when seeking legal assistance, through the continued operation of the kalispel legal advice clinic, a program that offers civil legal services in a local, convenient setting. Although services through this program will be prioritized for tribal members, civil legal services will also be made available to reservation residents and other community members regardless of enrollment status.