United for Tiospaye (Families):

The Collaborative Hocoka (Circle) for

Wiconzani (the Well-Being) of

South Dakota’s Native Wakanyeja

(Sacred Children)

Request for Proposal

Please click the above link for the Complete Child Welfare Service Array Assessment Process and Resource Development Plan and information on submitting a proposal. The purpose of this request for proposal is to select a contractor(s) for the planning, facilitating, and implementing of the Service Array Assessment Process and Resource Development Planning Process in South Dakota, as determined by the Collaborative Hocoka (Circle). The deadline for written inquiries is 1/18/08. The deadline for proposal submission is 2/15/08.

Congratulations to Breanna Mattson, our logo winner! Thank you to all of you who submitted logos.

About the Artist

Breanna Jae Matson is a high school senior from Hayti, SD. Breanna was adopted. She plans on double majoring in graphic design and music at Northern State University, The Art Institute of Colorado, or Northwestern College.

Mission Statement

The Native children and families of South Dakota who come into the child protection system need and deserve better results in the areas of safety, stability, and well-being. Therefore, we have come together—families, providers, Tribes, State and local agencies, and other community stakeholders—to create a formal Collaborative dedicated to achieving better outcomes. To ensure that these results can be achieved, each member commits to functional, trusting, working relationships with each other and with other community stakeholders, and to constantly strive to improve those relationships.

As we work together for South Dakota’s Native children and families, we strive to protect those children through a system that:

· matches them with their culture;

· empowers families—birth, kinship, foster, adoptive—to create safe and nurturing homes;

· provides family preservation services to prevent children and families from needing child protection services; and

· helps children and families who do come into the system leave as soon as possible, having achieved the goals they set for themselves by providing individualized and appropriate services, including aftercare services.