The Office of Tribal Affairs is committed to supporting all Oregon tribal communities in thriving mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.
Tribal Affairs works with all five ODHS programs to create and provide tribally appropriate programming, services, policies and support. Through tribal consultation with Oregon’s Nine Federally Recognized Tribes, ODHS ensures programming, services and policies meet the needs of Oregon tribal communities.
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Office of Tribal Affairs is honoring the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) on May 5, 2023.
Indigenous women and girls continue to go missing and are murdered at alarming rates in Oregon and throughout Indian Country. The ongoing injustice of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) seeks to address the spectrum of violence and neglect toward women that to impact Tribes and Tribal communities. The intersection of genocide, colonization, romanticization of Native women and violence against women contributes to the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, forced sterilization, and trafficking. These crimes occur due to a long history of biased and inequitable government laws, policies, practices, and programs that create conditions exposing Indigenous women's vulnerability.
In response, Native families and Indigenous communities across Alaska, the lower 48 states, and Hawaii are calling for justice and reforms to dismantle the systemic barriers impacting the safety of Native women and to increase support for protections as defined by Indigenous voices, languages, and teachings. The Office of Tribal Affairs is urging Federal Tribal, state, and local governments to reaffirm and support Indigenous protective systems outlined by the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center's national partner collective 6-Point Action Plan: Restoring Safety of Indigenous Women. The crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women must continue to be brought into the public's awareness to increase the accountability of social, health, educational, military, religious, political, economic, and government systems and responses.
To join the campaign, you can access this Social Media toolkit to download graphics, messaging, and posters to get your regional or district office involved. Please join the ODHS Office of Tribal Affairs and the Nine Tribes of Oregon in this week of action. Contact your local Tribe to find events in your regional or the Tribal Affairs Communications Specialist Tony Aaron Fuller for more information.
Indian Child Welfare Act is being challenged The U.S. Supreme Court will weigh the rights of states and the role of race in a challenge to the Indian Child Welfare Act.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022 in a case that pits several prospective adoptive parents and the state of Texas against the Indian Child Welfare Act — a federal law aimed at preventing American Indian and Alaska Native children from being separated from their extended families and their tribes.
Hear November 9 oral arguments Join the Office of Tribal Affairs and many other Native agencies and supporters in standing proud to #ProtectICWA.
Join the social media campaign