Events:
Annual ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) Conference
2026 Date TBA
The Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies and the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership hold the Annual ICWA Conference each winter/early spring. It is a two day conference, with the location rotating around different Tribal Communities throughout the state. The Conference is geared toward county child welfare workers and focuses on reducing disparities in American Indian child welfare.
Continuing education units are available for licensed professionals.
Summer Institute in American Indian Child Welfare
2026 Date TBA
The Summer Institute in American Indian Child Welfare is an annual gathering specifically for tribal child welfare workers and administrators to discuss critical issues related to American Indian child welfare in the State of Minnesota. The Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies and the Tribal Training and Certification Partnership coordinate this conference that represents a truly unique opportunity for tribal child welfare staff to gather and learn with colleagues from across Minnesota.
Continuing education units are available for licensed professionals.
"Summer Institute provides an undeniable level of genuine experience, practice and learning from Indigenous elders, professionals and programs. The focus of Summer Institute is to train Tribal and ICWA Workers to improve their level of practice skills and each year it surpasses my expectations as a professional and graduate student. To me, it is the most important experiential training to help me work with Indigenous communities and families." - Shad Cook, MSW Student, ICWA worker Ramsey County
Bridging Our Understanding
Known also as course 307-C in the Minnesota Department of Human Services training system, Bridging Our Understanding: American Indian Family Preservation represents a collaborative effort to develop a deeper understanding of the perspectives that may impact a child welfare workers involvement with American Indian children and families. Bridging, developed with the 11 Tribes in Minnesota, is hosted on Tribal land and provides the host Tribe the opportunity to present a section on a topic of their choosing. Bridging Our Understanding serves as a sequential complement to Minnesota's Foundations training, and is also ideal for experienced social service workers and supervisors as it helps in reconciling practice methods with the relational worldview and cultural practices of American Indian Tribes in Minnesota.
Mina, F. (2020, Sept. 13). A Plan to Train Child Welfare Workers on American Indian Rights. The Imprint News: Youth & Family News. https://imprintnews.org/child-welfare-2/plan-train-child-welfare-workers-american-indian-rights/47275?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
While Bridging Our Understanding is no longer being offered, the Tribal Training & Certification Partnership offers a variety of American Indian child welfare trainings for tribal, county, and state child welfare professionals as well as unique offerings for IV-E students.