This six hour course will be taught in four 1.5 hour sessions.  All six hours must be completed for credits. Partial creidts will not be awarded. 

This program is designed to increase the professional legal competency and cultural humility of multidisciplinary stakeholders including judges and attorneys by improving practice decision making of practitioners to ensure full adherence to the Indian Child Welfare Act, particularly as it pertains to the new Federal Regulation of the law. This program is also designed to improve practitioners understanding of the concerns, issues and plights of Indian families under a sovereign nation; and understanding the legal requirements and the concerns and sensitivities of others by learning the following:

• Historical and cultural context of ICWA
• Practice expectations under the new federal regulations
• Best practices when working with people with Native American/Indian Heritage
• Ethical and legal responsibilities for judges and court staff
• Best practices and statutory guidelines in the use of Qualified Expert Witnesses in ICWA cases
• Updates in case law that has informed legal practice and judicial decision making in ICWA cases