The Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association Conference Planning Committee is seeking presenters for the 16th Annual Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Conference entitled, “ICWA Stands: 45 Years of Strengthening Sovereignty and Protecting Culture”, to be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 7th, 8th and 9th, 2023.  On June 15, 2023, the US Supreme Court victory upheld the federal ICWA law in the Haaland v. Brackeen case and remains fully intact.  Indian Country celebrates but the challenge of preserving Native families persists.   The conference goal and focus is to promote the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA) and Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Act of 1982 (OICWA) through practices, laws, policies, historical reference, trauma resilience, tribal sovereignty, cultural preservation and services. 

Ultimately, our purpose is to promote collaborations through education with Tribal Child Welfare and all disciplines, such as federal and state agencies, behavioral health, law enforcement, officers to the court, juvenile justice, and therapeutic care.

This year’s conference will seek approval for Continuing Legal Education (CLE), Continuing Education (CEU) for licensed social work, behavioral health and counseling, and Counsel on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET) credit hours.   

In order for your workshop to be considered, this application and all attachments must be completed and submitted. Each submission will be reviewed by the OICWA Conference Planning Committee for final approval.

All workshop proposals and attachments must be submitted no later than Friday, September 29, 2023.  The Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Conference Planning Committee will respond with acceptance or non-acceptance to your application by October 4, 2023.