Indian Child Social Services
We provide services to SIHC Consortium Tribal members under 18 years of age and their families. In order to be considered eligible for ICWA services, children must be tribal members of a Consortium Tribe or eligible for enrollment in one of the Consortium tribes. A tribe may provide documentation indicating they are eligible for benefits for the purposes of ICWA if the child is a part of the community.
Services
- Case management for both voluntary and court ordered services
- Cases are referred to our office through Child Protective Services, when a child is removed, or through voluntary means when parents request services.
- Voluntary case management upon request; services are provided to at-risk families prior to child removal.
- If the child enters the San Diego County Child Protection Services system, the ICSS workers accompany parents to court and helps them understand the case plan and what they must do to reunify with their children.
- If the child/ren must be placed in out-of-home placement, the ICSS worker helps to identify appropriate relatives who can provide temporary care while the parents complete the reunification plan.
- Actively seek Indian foster homes for children in out-of-home placements. We continue to work with the Indian foster parents to provide additional services.
- Work with the County CPS worker, to ensure the Indian Child Welfare Act is being followed.
- We provide declarations to the court when requested.
- We contact attorneys who are appointed to clients whenever necessary.
- We arrange and transport parents and children to supervised as well as unsupervised visitations.
- We contact the Tribe regularly to keep them informed as to the progress of clients that are in the CPS system.
- We accompany parents/guardians to IEP meetings, Treatment meetings, Team Decision Making Meetings and other service provider meetings.
- We provide car seats, clothing, and bicycle helmets for Consortium children and their families.
- We conduct the Home Studies and Home Assessments for Tribal Customary Adoptions.
Indian Child Social Services does not intervene in custody or family court issues, regardless of tribal enrollment.
Contact Elizabeth Avelar: ICSS Coordinator eavelar@sihc.org, (619) 445-1188 x208