OKLAHOMA INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION
COMMITTEE DESCRIPTIONS AND ACTIVITY 2020
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Executive Committee is comprised of the officers of the Association and one (1) member at large from the general membership. This committee is chaired by the OICWA President. The OICWA Board Members elected in August 2018 and serving for the term of 2018-2020 include:
• Tracy Haney, President- Chair
• Nethia Wallace, Vice President
• Carol Gooday-Mithlo, Treasurer
• Micah Carreon, Secretary
• Karie Mashunkashay, Member-At- Large
The principal function of the Executive Committee shall be to transact routine business as necessary between meetings of the Association and it shall be empowered to act in emergencies.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- OICWA General Business and Fiduciary Responsibilities
- Approval of 501c3 Non-profit Status
- Oversee the ICWA Partnership Grant Activity as it relates to OICWA and OICWA Grant Coordinator and collaborate with the ICWA Partnership Grant Governance Committee
- Initiated and held the OICWA Strategic Planning Meeting
- Set the OICWA Quarterly Business Meetings annually
- OICWA Logo update
- OICWA Website Launch
- Oversight of the Conference Committee and Budget
- Review Subcommittee activity - Meet Monthly
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The Nominating Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership.
The current Chair is Nethia Wallace and three (3) members include: Kim Johnson, Kendra Lowden and Kelly Mounce.
The principal function of the Nominating Committee shall be to plan and conduct regular and special elections of the Association, monitor and review election processes of the Association, formulate and present related recommendations of the Association and assist with implementation.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- OICWA Elections - Developing and implementing election procedures with plans to be in place by the next election in 2020
- Richard Poweshiek Award - The committee is currently updating forms and improving the nomination and selection process, plan to have submissions online on the OICWA Website and maintain the history of the previous Richard Poweshiek Award recipients
- Judicial Excellence Award - Coordinate with the Court Improvement Project ICWA Subcommittee in the nomination and selection process, which is held every other year in odd years, the next award will be in November 2019
- Meet bi-monthly
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
The Legislative Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current Chair is Brian Hendrix and seven (7) members include: Kelly Mounce, Tracy Haney, Lou Stretch, Robyn Wind, Angel Smith, Trista Priest and Rita Hart. The principal function of the Legislative Committee shall be to monitor and review activities of the Association in relation to compliance with Bylaws, coordinate and supervise matters of the Association relating to membership, formulate and present related recommendations to the Association and assist with implementation upon approval. The Legislative Committee shall also monitor and review legal and legislative developments which relate to the Association’s interests, derive assessments of legal and legislative development impacting upon Association interests, formulate and present related recommendations to the Association and assist with implementation upon approval.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- Monitor State of Oklahoma Legislation as it relates to ICWA matters
- National Indian Child Welfare Association updates
- OKDHS Policy related to ICWA
- AFCARS
- Brackeen vs. Bernhardt Updates
- Carpenter vs. Murphy Updates
- Making efforts to include a representative from OILS
- This committee meets monthly during legislative session (February thru June) and every other month outside of legislative session (July to February)
BYLAWS COMITTEE
The Bylaws Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership.
The current Chair is Tracy Haney and three (3) members include: Kelly Mounce, Carmin Tecumseh-Williams and Lou Stretch.
The principal function of the Bylaws Committee is to review, update and amend the bylaws.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
-The Bylaws were previously revised on May 30, 2014
-The Subcommittee Began working on updating the OICWA Bylaws in May 2018
-Amended Bylaws were approved at the OICWA Quarterly Business Meeting on November 30, 2018
-Meet as needed (Reactivated as of August 2, 2019 to begin updating in accordance with procedure as applicable with 501 c 3 nonprofit status)
PRIMARY CHANGES INCLUDE:
- Added a Mission Statement
- Amended the Indian Tribal Membership voting right to Tribal Child Welfare Program, previously stated an Indian Tribe
- Modified to a fiscal year from October to September and defined Good Standing Membership
- Established the qualifications and eligibility of who can serve as an OICWA Officer
- All committees may meet in person or via electronic or telephonic communication
- Disbursement of the Bylaw Changes to the OICWA Association
TRAINING COMMITTEE
The Training Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current Chair is Dallas Pettigrew and ten (11) members include: Karie Mashunkashey, Gayla Stewart, Ann Davis, Eddie Screechowl, Ashlee May, Brian Wahnee, Brandi Lemley, Micah Carreon, Rita Hart, Dianne Barker-Harrold and Michelle Price. The principal function of the Training Committee shall be to monitor and review Indian Child Welfare issues and concerns in relation to training needs within the Association and outside the Association as practical, formulate and present related recommendations to the Association and assist with implementation upon approval.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- Review the 2018 OICWA Conference Training videos sessions, check for evidence-based subject matter, support with references, recommend edits, and recommend evaluation of learning for production on the OICWA website
- Development of OICWA Training inventory as related to the ICWA Partnership Grant
- Measure learning objectives and effectiveness of the OICWA Conference for scholarship recipients with the tool of the Pre- Post Test from 2018 Conference and develop evaluation tool for the 2019 OICWA Conference
- Meet monthly
SPECIAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE
The Special Projects committees shall be established at the discretion of the Association to address particular items of interest and concern which may not be within the scope of activity engaged by a standing committee and shall be temporary in nature. There is one Special Projects committee that is designated to the special interest of ICWA Courts. The current committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current Special Projects- ICWA Court committee is co-chaired by Tracy Haney and Kimee Wind-Hummingbird and six (6) members include: Ann Davis, Micah Carreon, Amanda Robinson, Rita Hart, Kelly Mounce and Karen Hamilton.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- ICWA Court Development -The committee is in its infancy and initial contacts have been made with the Tulsa County Court officials.
- A team with the support from Casey Family programs traveled to Minnesota to meet with their Tribal Court.
- Working with Oklahoma and Tulsa County Juvenile Judges
- A team from Tulsa is attending a meeting in Denver in September 2019 focusing on ICWA Courts
- Project exploration phase
- Meet as needed
SUBSTITUTE CARE COMMITTEE
The Substitute Care Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current Chair is Robyn Wind and eight (8) members include: Kendra Lowden, Nethia Wallace, Ann Davis, Sonja Cole, Kelly Tannehill, Rita Hart, Karen Hamilton and Brian Wahnee. The principal function of the Substitute Care Committee shall be to monitor and review issues and concerns of substitute care such as foster care, relative placement, adoption, etc., as they relate to the Association and assist with implementation upon approval.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- Foster Care Conference Planning Efforts
- Families First Prevention Act updates
- CANIS and Fingerprints updates
- Home Study updates
- Meet one time a quarter
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
The Membership Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current Chair is Kelly Mounce and eight (8) members include: Carol Gooday-Mithlo, Tracy Haney, Lou Stretch, Carmin Tecumseh-Williams, Rita Hart,Ladonna Shadlow, Shawn Shirley and Ashley May. The principal function of the Membership committee shall be to monitor and review activities of the Association related to membership, including, but not limited to, the following: recruitment and retention of members through face-to-face meetings, phone, and email; monitoring and reviewing application process; formulating and presenting related recommendations to the Association and assisting with implementation upon approval.
CURRENT ACTIVITES
- Thirty-eight (38) Federally Recognized Tribes in Oklahoma
- Thirty-one (31) are in good standing membership
- Update Membership monthly
- Invoice Members annually
- Monthly update to the OICWA Listserv
- Monthly update Tribal ICW Directors and Program Staff Contact List
- Update Subcommittee registry
- Update Membership form with Bylaw changes
- Standing monthly meetings scheduled for the third Thursday of the month
FUTURE ACTIVITY
- Electronic Form submission on the website
- A Membership benefits packet and bulletin
- OICWA Membership cards
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
The Public Relations Committee is comprised of the Vice President of the Association and a minimum of two (2) other persons from the Association membership. The current Chair is Kimee Wind-Hummingbird and eight (7) members: Kendra Lowden, Tara Gragg, Ann Davis, Carmin Tecumseh-Williams, Kelly Tannehill, Darian Towner, and Trista Priest. The principal function of the Public Relations Committee shall be to monitor and review public relations activities of the Association, formulate and present public relations program recommendations to the Association and assist with implementation upon approval.
CURRENT ACTIVITIES
- Produced an OICWA Display Board
- Development and launch of the new OICWA Website
- Social Media Protocol and establishment of best practice, policy and procedure
- Development of a 2019 OICWA vendor display
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
The Conference Committee is comprised of a minimum of three (3) persons from the Association membership. The current committee is co-chaired by Gayla Stewart and Kelly Mounce and fourteen (14) members: Tracy Haney, Carmin Tecumseh- Williams, Kim Johnson, Dianne Barker-Harrold, Eddie Screechowl, Ann Davis, Brian Wahnee, Jacque Secondine-Hensley, Carol Gooday-Mithlo, Kimee Wind-Hummingbird, Rita Hart, Robyn Wind, Brian Hendrix and Karen Hamilton. The principal function of the Conference Planning Committee shall be to coordinate and supervise matters related to the Association’s annual child welfare conference, including but not limited to, the following: planning conference activities and events; soliciting funding; working in conjunction with the Treasurer to ensure proper accounting and expenditure of funding; formulating and presenting related recommendations to the Association and assisting with implementation upon approval.
PREVIOUS CONFERENCES
- Inaugural 2008 OICWA Training, JD McCarty Center, One Day, Norman, OK – Commemorative Walk at State Capitol
- 2nd Annual 2009 OICWA Conference, University of Oklahoma, One and a half Days, Norman, OK
- 3rd Annual 2010 - Knowledge, Resources, and Culture: Keys to Building Strong Families and Nations, Nov 18-19, Hilton Tulsa Southern Hills, Tulsa – Honoring of past OICWA leaders: Anita Chisolm, Richard Hernesy, Jerry Bridges, Susie Settles, and others
- 4th Annual 2011 – Improving Outcomes for Indian Children through Policy, Practice, & Partnerships, Nov 14-16, Reed Conference Center, Midwest City
- 5th Annual 2012 – Rising Above Trauma & Reinforcing Our Culture: An ICW Perspective, Nov 5-6, Northeastern State University, Broken Arrow
- 6th Annual 2013- OICWA Standing Strong, 30 Years Long, Nov 7-8, NCED, Norman, OK
- 7th Annual 2014- Embracing Our Children: Keeping Connections through Collaboration, Nov 6- 7th, Tulsa Community College, Tulsa, OK
- 8th Annual 2015- Journey through ICWA: Past, Present, & Future, Nov 4-6th, NCED, Norman, OK - 1st Inaugural Richard Poweshiek “ICW Advocate of the Year Award”
- 9th Annual 2016-Blanket of Honor: Cherishing Our Children and Advocates, Double Tree Hotel, Tulsa, OK
- 10th Annual 2017-Preserving Culture through Restoring Families and Fostering Hope, Grand Casino, Shawnee, OK
- 11th Annual 2018- “40 Years of ICWA: Transitioning and Transforming the Next Generation”, Indigo Sky Casino and Resort, Wyandotte, OK
- 12th Annual 2019- “United for Our Children, Our Sovereignty, Our Future”, November 6-7-8, 2019, Apache Casino Hotel, Lawton, OK