WASHINGTON – Public safety, crime rehabilitation, and child welfare were on the table during the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing on Wednesday, Jan 28. The committee heard testimony from leaders of the Spirit Lake Nation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community, StrongHearts Native Helpline, and the Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission. The committee’s main focus was Title II of the draft Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act. If adopted into federal law, it will secure federal funding for crime victim services for Alaska Native, Hawaii Native, and Native American communities.
Title II would establish a Tribal Advisory Committee on Juvenile Justice that would focus on delinquency prevention for Indigenous youth. The act would also establish a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) study on missing Native American/Alaskan Native children cases, analyzing the scope and context of cases connected to criminal circumstances.
Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz serves as the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Vice Chairman. Schatz voiced his support for passing the drafted bill. He believed it was urgent to address the funding needs of the crime-advocate programs in Indigenous communities.
“It’s clear we need to do more to address public safety,” Schatz said. “Today we continue this work with a specific focus on children and families.”
Other sections in Title II include funding for the Denali Commission, Alaska Native and American Indian family violence, prevention, services, and treatment, as well as the Tiwahe Program. The committee discussed how the Tiwahe program was a model for the NCCIA.
If Congress adopts the law, Title II of the NCCIA will codify the Tiwahe program within the Department of the Interior. Tiwahe is the Lakota word for embodying the concept of family and highlighting interdependence among living entities. The program creates alternatives to incarceration by connecting Tribal citizens with culture and community
The Tiwahe Program was developed by the Spirit Lake Tribe, whose reservation is located in east-central North Dakota and comprises approximately 8,000 Tribal citizens. The program was developed by the Tribe to support troubled youths and adults. Through the program, participants have access to resources that help them find employment, housing, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. In her testimony, Spirit Lake Tribal Council Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street called for cooperation agreements, increased funding for Tribal law enforcement agencies, and enhanced training for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents operating in Indian Country.
“Our Tiwahe program, the passage of the Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act, as well as our other recommendations are essential to save the generations of our youth in Indian Country.” Jackson-Street said.
On Thursday, August 20, 2025, the Fort Belkop joined the Tiwahe Program. Fort Belknap Council Member Joan Johnson remarked that the program’s flexibility allows them to take a unique approach to treating addiction: culture, not punishment.
According to Johnson, the program has also allowed the Fort Belknap Indian Community to provide transportation for citizens going to doctors’ appointments or the hospital.“For Fort Belknap, Tiwahe is not just a line item in a budget, it’s a cornerstone of our success in protecting our most sacred resource which is our children.” Johnson said.
Regarding the Justice and Safety for Native Children Act, Johnson remarked that the act allows children’s voices to be heard properly despite ongoing custody battles between the parents. She argued that the act was truly in the best interests of Indigenous children; however, it needed to be well-funded to be successful.
“The Fort Belknap Indian Community is proof that when Tribes are given flexibility to lead, our families thrive.” – Joan Johnson
StrongHearts Executive Director Lori Jump explained that Title II of this act will codify provisions to secure funding for programs that serve Indigenous children. StrongHearts, like the other organizations referenced in Jump’s testimony, provides crucial services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
“These include the Alaskan Native Women’s Resource Center, the Native Hawaiians’ Resource Center, and StrongHearts Native Helpline,” Jump said. “Indigenous people have a different worldview that is often misunderstood by Western organizations. Where others say we have rights, we say we have obligations. Where others say ‘I don’t know that person’, we say ‘they are our relative.’ As a relative, we have an obligation to care for them.”
The Native Children’s Commission Implementation Act is currently in draft form and can be read here.
