Program Goals

The goals of Tribal STAR (Successful Transition for Adult Readiness) are:

• Train state child welfare social workers on ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) and topics related to culturally responsive engagement to improve outcomes for Native American children in child welfare
• Enhance collaborative efforts among child welfare agencies and tribes to ensure Native foster youth maintain connections to culture, community, and resources
• Strengthen collaboration between state and county child welfare services, courts, community partners, tribal service agencies and tribes to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for Native American youth in child welfare

Logic Model

The program representative did not provide information about a Logic Model for Tribal STAR (Successful Transition for Adult Readiness).

Essential Components

The essential components of Tribal STAR (Successful Transition for Adult Readiness) include:

• Operates with defined values and ideals centered around three principles:
• Collaboration
• Cultural immersion
• Mediation
• Training:
• ICWA: Working with Native American Families and Tribes - full-day classroom, includes 60-90 minute eLearning ICWA Introduction
• The Other Side of ICWA: A Cultural Journey to Fairness and Equity - full-day classroom
• Summit for Managers and Supervisors - full-day training on cross cultural collaboration to foster positive outcomes for Native American youth in child welfare
• The Gathering for frontline workers - 2-day training focusing on engagement, youth development, and cross-cultural collaboration that fosters positive outcomes for Native American youth in child welfare
• Training for Trainers (T4T) - 3-day T4T to learn Tribal STAR training techniques and apply them to the statewide ICWA: Working with Native American Families and Tribes
• Regional Efforts to effect ICWA compliance and positive outcomes for Native American youth and families:
• 7th Generation Workgroup to Reduce Disproportionality- Quarterly meetings of stakeholders including:
• Tribes
• Child welfare agencies
• Youth services
• Courts
• Native American urban programs
• Native American families
• Tribal leaders
• Annual Celebration: Held every autumn equinox to honor ICWA champions in county child welfare, tribal social services, Native American families, and stakeholders who exhibited or set the curve for best practice that results in improved outcomes for Native American children and families
• Educational Forums: Promote best practice related to collaboration, ICWA implementation, and/or promising practices
• 2-3 hours
• Open to any child welfare service providers of Native American children and families
• Judicial Collaboration to effect ICWA compliance and court improvement (currently led by Casey Family Programs):
• Guided by a Judicial Advisory of experienced state court and tribal court judges. https://theacademy.sdsu.edu/programs/tribal-star/judicial-advisory-board/
• Organizes Judge's Tours of local area reservations for newly appointed juvenile court judges
• Annual Judges' Dinner - always held near summer solstice to honor ICWA champions in state and tribal court efforts and promote best practice for ICWA implementation
• Technical Assistance:
• Supporting local, statewide, regional efforts to improve ICWA compliance through collaboration
• Supporting statewide efforts to improve and increase capacity for ICWA implementation through training, peer-to-peer visits, phone, virtual consultation

Program Delivery

Recommended Intensity:

Numerous (15-30) 6-8 hour trainings are held per year. The Annual Judges' Dinner sharing best practices is 4 hours. The Annual Celebration involving community and families is 3 hours. There are 2 one-and-a-half hour Educational Forums for community per year. Co-host/co-facilitate 4-6 7th Generation Workgroup of partners 3-4 hours per meeting.

Recommended Duration:

Minimum 3 hours to maximum 3 full-day trainings (The Gathering is a 2-day training and Annual Training for Trainers is 3 full 8-hour days).

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider
• Other

Homework

This program does not include a homework component.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Training space, trainers, training equipment, printed materials, Tribal Elders, individuals knowledgeable in engagement with tribes, child welfare policy, and mediation.

Manuals and Training

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

High School diploma plus a minimum of 5 years working with Native communities, a minimum of 3 years of progressive experience building collaboration, and a solid knowledge base of child welfare practices and/or experience

Manual Information

There is not a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Training Information

There is training available for this program.

Training Contact:

• Kim Mettler (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara), Tribal STAR Program Manager
  theacademy.sdsu.edu/programs/tribal-star/tribal-star-training
  kmettler@sdsu.edu

Training Type/Location:

An official request is made and coordination with the requestor determines resources, location, and logistics planning.

Number of days/hours:

An estimated comprehensive training about the Tribal STAR program will take 6.5 full days. This includes:

• Tribal STAR T4T - 3 full days, 8 hours each
• Review of program model, essential collaborations, formal partnerships, and funding and staffing requirements – 1 full day
• Participation in at least one 7th Generation meeting - 1 half day
• Participation in the program's signature events:
• Annual Celebration, honoring best practices - 1 full day
• Annual Judges' Dinner, honoring best court practices - 1 full day

Relevant Published, Peer-Reviewed Research

Currently, there are no published, peer-reviewed research studies for Tribal STAR (Successful Transition for Adult Readiness).

Additional References