[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 251 (Friday, December 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96476-96477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31726]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs

[178A2100DD/AAKC001030/A0A501010.999900 253G]


Guidelines for Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Department's new 
Guidelines for Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act. These 
guidelines are intended to assist those involved in child custody 
proceedings in understanding and uniformly applying the Indian Child 
Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Department's regulations. All such parties--
including the courts, State child welfare agencies, private adoption 
agencies, Tribes, and family members--have a stake in ensuring the 
proper implementation of this important Federal law designed to protect 
Indian children, their parents, and Indian tribes.

ADDRESSES: The guidelines are available at: http://bia.gov/WhoWeAre/BIA/OIS/HumanServices/IndianChildWelfareAct/index.htm. You can also 
reach this Web page by going to www.bia.gov and clicking the ``Indian 
Child Welfare Act'' icon on the right-hand side of the page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on implementation of 
these guidelines, please contact Ms. Debra Burton, ICWA Specialist, 
Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C 
Street NW., MS 3642, Washington, DC 20240, (202) 513-7610; 
[email protected]. For information regarding the development of 
these guidelines, please contact Ms. Elizabeth Appel, Office of 
Regulatory Affairs & Collaborative Action--Indian Affairs, U.S. 
Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW., MS 3642, Washington, DC 
20240, (202) 273-4680; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The ICWA is a statute passed by Congress and 
codified in the United States Code (U.S.C.) at 25 U.S.C. 1901 et seq. 
The Department promulgated ICWA regulations to implement the statute; 
the regulations were published in the Federal Register at 81 FR 38778 
(June 14, 2016) and will be codified in the Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) at 25 CFR part 23.
    The Department is now issuing Guidelines for Implementing the 
Indian Child Welfare Act to complement the

[[Page 96477]]

regulations. While not imposing binding requirements, the guidelines 
provide a reference and resource for all parties involved in child 
custody proceedings involving Indian children. The guidelines explain 
the statute and regulations and also provide examples of best practices 
for the implementation of the statute, with the goal of encouraging 
greater uniformity in the application of ICWA. The guidelines replace 
the 1979 and 2015 versions of the Department's guidelines.
    The Department encourages all involved in child custody proceedings 
who seek to understand and uniformly apply ICWA and the Department's 
regulations to review the guidelines, which are available at the Web 
page listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

    Dated: December 16, 2016.
Lawrence S. Roberts,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2016-31726 Filed 12-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4337-15-P