Celebrating National Adoption Day
November 21, 2016
Mark Greenberg, Acting Assistant Secretary, Administration for Children and Families
The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is strengthening our relationship with tribal communities by building on the Tribal Consultation Policy created under the Obama Administration. This policy ensures that the sovereignty of federally recognized tribes is considered as ACF carries out its mission. ACF staff and management meet with tribal representatives at events throughout the year to hear their thoughts and concerns about ACF policies and programs that affect them. Consultations occur throughout the year in annual grantee gatherings, quarterly Tribal Advisory Committee meetings, and monthly gatherings of the intra-agency Native American Affairs Council.
But these occasional meetings have made clear that tribal sovereignty needs to be considered in daily decision-making at ACF, not only during scheduled meetings. To address this need, we are taking two steps: formalizing the position of ACF Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs and implementing the new ACF Principles for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs is an additional title for the Commissioner of Administration for Native Americans (ANA). In her role as Deputy, she will advise ACF leadership and offices on policies, positions, and strategies that relate to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, and act as a liaison on behalf of the Assistant Secretary on issues related to tribal and Native American affairs. The Commissioner had served in this role unofficially, but adding the title of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Native American Affairs formalizes this role, and emphasizes the importance of this work and the relationships it fosters.
The consultation process also identified important underlying ideals for how ACF interacts with federally recognized tribes. ACF combined these ideals with existing values of dedication, excellence, professionalism, integrity, and stewardship to create a new set of 35 principles, The ACF Principles for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes.
The principles include seven topic areas:
- Overarching Principles
- Consultation and Communication with Tribes
- Culture and Mutual Respect
- Nation-Building and Effective Delivery of Human Services
- Coordination and Outreach
- Administrative Data Management
- Sustainability
These principles set a standard for ACF’s relationships with federally recognized Indian tribes, and were written to complement the existing ACF Tribal Consultation Policy. They will guide the day-to-day delivery of human services to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. They also highlight ACF’s continued government-to-government relationship with tribes, commitment to fostering Indian self-determination, and support for tribal sovereignty.
The ACF Principles for Working with Federally Recognized Tribes demonstrates the high priority ACF places on honoring the unique relationship it has with tribes. This document is the first of its kind within HHS, and is part of a broader effort to institutionalize gains made at ACF under the Obama Administration. The Principles will lead ACF on a path that ensures progress continues to be made in areas important to tribes.
More information on ACF’s work with American Indian and Alaska Native communities, and resources and findings from the consultation program.
