VOTE YES on SF 667 Strengthen MIFPA!

Vote YES for SF 667 to Strengthen the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (MIFPA). Minnesota has the highest disparities in the country for American Indian Children impacted by the state’s Child Welfare system. The AFCARS report in 2019 found that while American Indian children make up approximately 1.7% of Minnesota’s youth population, they constituted nearly 26% of all children in foster care. In 1978, Congress enacted the Indian Child Welfare Act (“ICWA”) to protect Indian Tribes and culture from the systematic removal of Indian children by public and private agencies.  ICWA is the Gold Standard for child welfare policy and practice. ICWA guarantees that tribal governments have a role in keeping Indian families together, and helping Indian children retain their cultural identity and heritage. The Minnesota Legislature strengthened the ICWA protections by enacting the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act (“MIFPA”) in 1985 and adding amendments in 2015. New amendments are needed to strengthen MIFPA and are set forth in SF 667. The Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act is supplemental to ICWA. It does not address all provisions of ICWA. SF 667 was written to ensure that all provisions of ICWA are expressly stated in Minnesota law to protect Indian families and Tribes in Minnesota. MIFPA is the key to addressing disparities in Indian Child Welfare in Minnesota. SF 667 is our state's Gold Standard for Minnesota Indian Family Preservation.