The mission of the icwa law center legal advocacy family preservation center is to strengthen, preserve and reunite american indian families consistent with the mandates and spirt of the indian…

The mission of the icwa law center legal advocacy family preservation center is to strengthen, preserve and reunite american indian families consistent with the mandates and spirt of the indian child welfare act (icwa). The icwa law center commits to a multidisciplinary, culturally aware and trauma-informed collaboration so that fewer american indian children are harmed and traumatized by out-of-home placements. The icwa law center works towards this goal by prioritizing integrated legal and advocacy services for the american indian families we serve and represent. The icwa law center provides culturally specific services, intensive support, and legal advocacy to protect and strengthen american indian families and their connections to their culture. In cases where children are separated from their families, we work to ensure families have access to meaningful and effective services that will enable them to reunify with their children as quickly as possible. The icwa law center is dedicated to creating and making a meaningful impact in the community and embracing the gold-standard of lawyering in indian child welfare. Icwa law center attorneys provide legal expertise in navigating state court systems. Parent mentors working along side the icwa law center attorneys provide powerful perspective with their lived experience lens. For the families, access to legal experts and parent mentors, provides a meaningful bridge between the law and real life implications. Together icwa law center attorneys and parent mentors are committed to safeguarding the rights of families in icwa proceedings while elevating their voices to create a healing path forward. This higher standard goes beyond the provision of legal assistance to include a continuum of services that are carefully cultivated to be responsive to families different social, economic, and legal challenges. The icwa law centers compassionate and trauma-informed approach to meeting children and families where they are at prioritizes the strengths inherent in families ties to relatives, community, and culture and creates healing as families seek cultural reclamation and community connections.