Auluk (To Watch Over, Guard)

The Children's Justice Act (CJA) Partnerships for Indian Communities Grant Program (Victims of Crime Act of 1984, Section 1402(g), 34 U.S.C. 20101(g) supports American Indian and Alaska 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. ANJC will develop a new program, Auluk (To Watch Over, Guard), that will enhance the ability of professionals responsible for responding to and intervening in cases of child abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse, that involve Alaska Native children in Anchorage to support child victims of crime. The program will develop ICWA training resources designed for tribal child welfare workers and advocates that clearly and explicitly address the relevance and reach of this law in Alaska, with an emphasis on how tribal victim advocates can support implementation of the law so as to provide the “gold standard” in trauma informed care to child victims/survivors of crime involved in criminal child abuse and neglect cases. (CA/NCF)