ICW - Tribal Court-State Liaison - Tacoma, United States - Puyallup Tribe of Indians

Description

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is committed to protecting and exercising the inherent inalienable sovereign rights of the Tribe and Individuals in the interest of the Medicine Creek Treat Territories, as stewards to ensure preservation of our cultural and environmental integrity for common good and prosperity for all.
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open until filledJob Title:Tribal-State Court Liaison I Department:
CHildren's Services/Indian Child Welfare
Reports To:Director Hours:40 HRs/wk - ftSalary:DOQ + Benefits

*The Puyallup Tribe of Indians provides a generous benefits package that includes employer paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance, a retirement/401(k) plan with profit sharing, paid holidays, and paid time off including birthday leave.

For Accurate Salary information, please call or email -

Position Summary: Serves and collaborates with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, the State Department of Children, Youth Families (DCYF), as well as with Child Protective Service (CPS) and other tribal social service agencies regarding dependency of Puyallup children served outside of Puyallup Tribe Children Services (PTCS) and Puyallup Tribal Court. Provides Puyallup Tribe's Indian Child Welfare (ICW) Attorney(s) with updated information and services, as necessary.

Classification Summary: The ICW Tribal-State Court Liaison II performs a broad range of duties and responsibilities, based upon advanced knowledge and understanding of the Indian Child Welfare Act.The ICW Tribal-State Court Liaison II is the advanced-level of the ICW Tribal-State Court Liaison position, requiring the incumbent to perform this work using independent judgment to deal with complex situations in applying thorough knowledge of the ICWA, the Washington Administrative Code and the Revised Code of Washington.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Liaison Duties:

1. Assures involvement in all cases regarding Puyallup Tribal members and their children by collaborating with the State and other tribal and DSHS/DCYF social workers, attorneys, court personnel, professional therapists, and practitioners to carry out case plans for Puyallup children and families.
2. Reviews reports received from various agencies and jurisdictions throughout the State of Washington, United States and Canada in which Puyallup children reside to determine level of involvement needed; attends staffing either in person or telephonically.
3. Establishes positive and productive working relationships with various agencies and jurisdictions in order to maintain the Tribe's right to assert jurisdiction over its Tribal members. These include DCYF/CPS administrators, social workers, Assistant Attorneys General, Tribes, etc.
4. Reviews case files and keeps accurate logs to ensure compliance with notification requirements to the various jurisdictions in which Tribal members reside.
5. Requests complete copies of State and Tribal Social Worker files if parents request to have the case transferred from the State or Tribal Court to the Puyallup Tribe.
6. Meets with the Puyallup Tribe Children's Services social worker, delivers the case files and informs the parents who their new social worker if determined at that time.
7. Provides assistance to social service agencies in an attempt to keep children with their parents or custodians and prevent removal from the home.

Court Duties:

1. Prepares Pre-Transfer report to notify the Tribal Judge and Presenting Officer as to the current status of the case.
2. Testifies in State and other Tribal Courts as an Indian Expert witness. Must have in-depth understanding of Tribal culture, traditions and family dynamics.
3. Testifies in Court about cases that are being transferred from the State to Tribal Court.
4. Assures that ICW attorneys are updated on current status of cases.
5. Attends all court hearings regarding Puyallup Tribe members and their children either in person or telephonically.

Work with Families:

1. In collaboration with the assigned social worker, works with parents informing them of the ICW process; attends staffing with parents and advises them that they should be represented by counsel during court proceedings.
2. Assists the assigned social worker in providing clients with contact information to get referrals to available Tribal Resources that support successful completion of court ordered services such as treatment, counseling, parenting, paternity tests, etc.
3. Assists the assigned social worker in locating extended family members for placement of children and keeps a current log of relatives who may be able to take children for emergency or long-term placement.
4. Provides resources and contact information for relatives to become licensed foster care providers if they are able and willing to.
5. Makes home visits to check on the children and encourages parents to maintain compliance with court ordered services.
6. Provides caregivers with support services as needed.
7. In compliance with tribal court orders, manages per capita checks for children on case load by managing release of funds as needed to relatives who have children in their care in order to assure funds are used for the child's benefit. Works with the Per Capita department and Representative Protective Payee (RPP) program when deemed appropriate per tribal court order.
8. Works with ICW Administrative Assistant to ensure that annual clothing voucher applications for children on case load are submitted after verifying enrollment at school and placement orders.
9. Enrolls Tribal Member infants who are placed in protective custody at birth by completing the Enrollment Application and providing copies of the child's birth certificate and social security card.
10. Works with the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority to assist clients living out-of-State with referral services as needed.
11. Assists older children on case load by providing information about Higher Education and information to prepare them for college.
12. Performs other duties as assigned as they pertain to ICW cases and issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• No supervisory responsibilities are associated with this position.
• The Level II position may be requested to assist a Level I ICW Worker in performing their work.

Qualifications and Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

Level I:

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year College or University with major coursework in social work; and two years of related experience and/or training provided the work experience is directly related to the duties of the position; or satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Intermediate word processing computer skills required.
• Beginner computer skills in Excel and/or Access required.

Level II:

• Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year College or University with major coursework in the social work field and at least five years directly related experience and/or training; or satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Intermediate word processing computer skills required.
• Beginner computer skills in Excel and/or Access required.

Language Skills:

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills:

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Licenses or Certificates:

• Department of Children, Youth and Families Core Training (Level I preferred; Level II required).

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the Indian Child Welfare Act, Washington Administrative Code (WAC), and Revised Code of Washington (RCW) (Level I preferred; Level II required).
• Must be able to build rapport and maintain positive and trusting relationships with parents, social workers, care givers, DCYF/CPS, attorneys, therapists, etc.
• Must pass Washington State Department of Social and Health Services criminal history, FBI Fingerprint and CPS background inquiry every two years unless otherwise indicated.
• Must have and maintain valid Washington State driver's license and proof of insurance. The driver's license must have no restrictions that would otherwise prevent the employee from driving for business purposes.
• Willing to attend training for professional development.
• Knowledge of Native American family dynamics. Sensitive to and familiar with the social/cultural needs of Tribal children and their families.
• Knowledge of DCYF systems and procedures.
• Willing to travel with little or no notice. May need to respond to calls received after hours and on weekends.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Requires the ability to operate a typewriter, personal computer, multi-line telephone, calculator, facsimile and photocopier.
• Requires the ability to read, write, communicate, and interpret information accurately in English.
• Requires the ability to concentrate and consistently produce accurate work.
• The employee is regularly required to walk, sit, and talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to stand and use hands to finger, handle, or feel.
• The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must frequently lift and/or move 10 to 25 pounds.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work in generally performed in an office environment where the noise level is usually moderate.
• The physical exertion is low to moderate.
• This position may be required to travel often in order to represent the Tribe and Tribal interests in various jurisdictions across the United States and Canada.
• Position may be stressful at times due to the sensitive or confidential issues being addressed.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Indian Preference Employer as Required by Law

How To Apply:

Apply online at or visit the Puyallup Tribe's website at http://www.puyalluptribe-

Online Application Tips:

1. If you are using a MAC, use Safari. If you are using a PC, use Chrome.
2. Do not use a mobile cellular device.
3. Upload additional documents (resume, cover letter, reference letters, proof of Indian blood, etc.) to the 'upload resume'
4. tab as one (1) PDF file or email documents to - Please include copies of any required
5. degrees and/or certificates.
6. Indian Hiring Preference - If selecting a native category (native, spouse, descendant), send in the appropriate
7. documentation. If you have any questions about the hiring preference policy or what document to send in, contact us.
8. Provide 3+ references. We cannot obtain references from direct family members (parents, grandparents, siblings, or children). One reference must be a recent past or present supervisor. We prefer the rest of your references to include co-workers, subordinates, or other supervisors, but we can accept a personal reference from someone who is familiar with your work ethic, skills/abilities, and attendance.
9. To add more employment, references, education, etc., click on the small blue + sign in the upper right corner of the page.
10. When entering salaries, use only numbers. Do not use any other characters (such as , . or $).
11. After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation. If you do not receive an email, please call the
12. office to confirm submission.

If you have any questions about the online application, please call or email -

Native American preference applies and job placements are given on a competitive basis, using job related factors. Because of the large number of applications received and limited job positions, your application will not guarantee employment.