The fort belknap indian community aims to reduce the number of at-risk aaniiih and nakoda youth ages 1117 who enter the foster care or juvenile justice systems on the reservation

The Fort Belknap Indian Community was awarded a $436,215 Project Grant on October 1, 2024 by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731). The grant aims to reduce the number of at-risk Aaniiih and Nakoda youth ages 11-17 who enter the foster care or juvenile justice systems on the Fort Belknap Reservation. The Aaniiih and Nakoda Family Healing Center plans to use a Tribal Youth Family Intervention Specialist to provide prevention and intervention services that lower youth entry into foster care. The Specialist will strengthen protective factors in at-risk youth through trauma-informed, culturally-based, and evidence-based methods, enhance partnerships with care providers, and provide wraparound services to youth and families. In-home services will improve positive relationships between youth and parents/caregivers while providing individualized case plans tailored to each youth's and family's specific needs. The grant will fund these comprehensive services over a 5-year period ending on September 30, 2029.

To do this, the aaniiih and nakoda family healing center plans to use their tribal youth family intervention specialist to provide prevention and intervention services that lower youth entry into foster care. The specialist will strengthen protective factors in at-risk youth through trauma-informed, culturally based, and evidence-based methods, enhancing partnerships with care providers and providing wraparound services to youth and families. In-home services will improve positive relationships between youth and parents/caregivers while providing individualized case plans tailored to each youth's and family's specific needs.