A systems assessment of tribal state partnerships in promoting youth engagement in permanency planning

Implementation of systems assessments to create understanding of organizational cultures between state and tribal agencies federally mandated to work together is an effective way to serve American Indian/Alaskan Native children placed in out-of-home care. System assessments can guide the development of culturally relevant interventions. The results of the current study include a baseline assessment of workforce and court practices that occurred among tribes that share cases under the Indian Child Welfare Act in the state of Oklahoma. The results of the systems assessment provide insights on how to authentically engage children and youth in organizational change processes.