10/11/2007 - National Legal News

ONTRAC, or Oglala Nation Tiospaye Resource and Advocacy Center, is to open a center in Rapid City in order to improve services to children, tribal notification procedures, and rapport with state agencies.

ONTRAC works to assure that the tribal rights dictated by the federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) are upheld. Under the ICWA, tribes are entitled to notification when Native American children are removed from their homes in child custody proceedings. The ICWA also dictates that, whenever possible, courts place these children with family members or with Native American foster families.

The existing ONTRAC office in Pine Ridge deals with ICWA notices from all 50 states, about 35 to 50 notices daily. Given this caseload, ONTRAC decided to open the Rapid City office to improve services to children and increase interagency cooperation between tribal and state organizations.

ONTRAC represents the Native American tribes in court cases involving abuse, neglect, and adoption of children eligible for tribal enrollment. ONTRAC workers transfer such cases to the Oglala Sioux Tribal Court, search for Native American foster families, and recommend placements for Native American children. While the Department of Social Services oversees state court cases, tribes take over when a case is transferred to tribal court. ONTRAC works to assure that families’ needs are met in tribal and state court proceedings.