Children's Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities

Children's Justice Act (CJA) Partnerships for Indian Communities Grant Program (Victims of Crime Act of 1984, Section 1402(g), 42 U.S.C. 10601(g) supports American Indian and Alaskan Native communities for the purpose of improving the investigation, prosecution, and handling of child abuse cases, especially cases of child sexual abuse, in a manner that increases support for and lessens trauma to child abuse victims. The funding further supports programs to provide comprehensive and coordinated multidisciplinary responses to child abuse victims and provide trauma-informed, culturally competent, holistic services to child abuse victims and their families.

Specifically, this project will build upon the existing Tribal Social Services Division (comprised of child protection workers) to establish a fully trained multidisciplinary team that will provide a child-centered approach to investigations and prosecutions of child abuse. The project will also establish an Ombudsman position to receive and mediate complaints about the response to these cases. CA/NCF