Minority Youth and Family Initiative for American Indian/Alaskan Native Children (MYFI)

American Indian and Alaskan Native children and families

For parents/caregivers of children ages: 0 - 17

Through culturally competent practice approaches consistent with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the utilization of American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) staff, flexible support funds, and community resources, MYFI decreases entry of AI/AN children into the child welfare system and increases reunification with their family of origin, transfer to tribal jurisdiction, and/or placement within relative or tribal networks.

Brad Richardson
University of Iowa and Iowa Dept. of Human Services

• Email: brad-richardson@uiowa.edu

The goals for Minority Youth and Family Initiative for American Indian/Alaskan Native Children (MYFI) are:

• Decrease proportion of AI/AN children in child welfare system
• Increase relative or Tribal placements for child welfare involved AI/AN children
• Increase transfer to Tribal jurisdiction for child welfare involved AI/AN children

The essential components of Minority Youth and Family Initiative for American Indian/Alaskan Native Children (MYFI) include:

• Specialized unit for AI/AN families at the county level of the state child welfare system
• Approaching every self-identified AI/AN child as being eligible for Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) practice requirements, even if they do not qualify for ICWA
• Use of AI/AN staff as consistent liaisons to families and tribes throughout the case
• Hiring of AI/AN social workers
• Continual use and updating of ancestry chart to understand family relationships, the possibility of enrollment with a tribe, and/or placement options
• Routine cultural competency training and education for child welfare staff, including interaction with area tribes
• Flexible funds to purchase items families need to provide or maintain placement for a child. Purchases have included: beds, diapers, utility bills, filing fees for guardianship papers, gas money, etc.
• Use and support of parenting and recovery programs designed and delivered for and by AI/AN agencies in the community
• Participation with AI/AN agency that provides advocacy for child welfare-involved families
• Monthly meeting with an interdisciplinary group, including members of the AI/AN community to present data and other indicators of program progress

Parent/Caregiver Services

Minority Youth and Family Initiative for American Indian/Alaskan Native Children (MYFI) directly provides services to parents/caregivers and addresses the following:

• Referral to the public child welfare system. Associated symptoms vary from substance abuse and domestic violence to poverty to mental health issues, etc.

Recommended Intensity

1-2 hours per week with family team meeting, advocacy involvement, and other referrals based on need

Recommended Duration

2-4 months

Delivery Settings

This program is typically conducted in a(n):

• Birth Family Home
• Community-based Agency / Organization / Provider
• Foster / Kinship Care

Homework

This program does not include a homework component.

Resources Needed to Run Program

The typical resources for implementing the program are:

Trained social workers and family group conferencing facilitators

Prerequisite/Minimum Provider Qualifications

Bachelor’s level degree for child welfare workers; prefer Master’s level degree in social work or related field for supervisors

Manual Information

There is a manual that describes how to deliver this program.

Program Manual(s)

Please contact the program representative listed in the Contact Information section for manual details.

Training Information

There is no training information available for this program.

• There are currently no published, peer-reviewed research studies on outcomes with the appropriate target population for the topic area(s) in which Minority Youth and Family Initiative for American Indian/Alaskan Native Children has been reviewed.

• Derezotes, D., Richarson, B., King, C. B., Kleinschmit-Rembert, J. & Pratt, B. (2009). Evaluating multisystemic efforts to impact disproportionality through key decision points. Child Welfare, 87(2), 241-254.

• Richardson, B. (2009). Comparative analysis of two community-based efforts designed to impact disproportionality. Child Welfare, 87(2), 297-317.

• Richardson, B., & Derezotes, D. (2010). Measuring change in disproportionality and disparities: Three diagnostic tools. Journal of Health & Human Services Administration; 33(3), 323-352.