Senators Collins, Luján Bipartisan Bill to Protect Native American Children Signed into Law

Washington, D.C. – The President signed into law the Native American Child Protection Act (NACPA), bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM). The bill reauthorizes and reforms three programs that ensure tribes have the tools needed to treat, prevent, investigate, and prosecute Native American child abuse and neglect. These programs were originally authorized in 1990 as part of the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act to fill funding gaps in tribal child welfare services, but the programs were never truly funded and have not been reauthorized by Congress.

“No matter where a child grows up in the United States, they deserve to live in an environment free from abuse. The Native American Child Protection Act reauthorizes and modernizes programs that aim to assist tribes in their efforts to help victims of child abuse and prevent future abuse,” said Senator Collins. “This bill recognizes the significance of each tribe’s unique cultural values, customs, and traditions, while helping to ensure that children and families receive the support they deserve.”

“I’m proud to see President Biden sign the Native American Child Protection Act into law, which was passed in Congress with bipartisan support. In this country, all children deserve grow up without fear of being harmed or neglected,” said Senator Luján. “This legislation is an important step in ensuring that tribes have access to the resources needed to provide services that reduce trauma and uncertainty for children.”

To ensure tribes have adequate resources to effectively prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect in their communities, the NACPA:

• Establishes a single National Indian Child Resource and Family Services Center to provide tribes with technical assistance and training on addressing child abuse, family violence, and child neglect. It will also improve intergovernmental coordination between federal and tribal personnel responding to these issues;

• Reauthorizes the competitive Indian Child Abuse Treatment Grant Program to establish treatment programs and culturally appropriate services for the victims of child abuse and neglect in Indian Country; and

• Reauthorizes formula grants to tribes under the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Program for child abuse prevention and investigation.

To this day, these grants are still the only tribal-specific child abuse prevention and treatment programs for Native children. However, Congress has only appropriated $5 million since their original enactment in 1990. Reauthorizing and modernizing these critical programs will help tribes develop and strengthen services to reduce trauma and uncertainty for Native American children. 

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