National American Indian Court Judges Association
*NOTICE TO OJP AWARD RECIPIENTS*
OJP GUIDANCE ON SHORT TERM ADMINISTRATION RELIEF MARCH 2020
Dear OJP Award Recipient –
Effective Monday, March 16, and until further notice, pursuant to OMB Memorandum M-20-15, dated March 15, 2020, the Department of Justice is moving to a posture of maximum telework in the National Capital Region. Office of Justice Programs (OJP) staff will work remotely and will be available to assist grantees, stakeholders, and the public during this period. Likewise, all OJP systems and services will be available.
Grant Payments: The Grants Payment Request System (GPRS) will remain in service to accept and process grant payment requests.
Programmatic and financial monitoring: Until otherwise notified, all planned on-site monitoring will be conducted as remote monitoring or postponed for a later date. You will be contacted by your OJP grant manager and/or financial staff of OJP’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer to make alternative arrangements. If your organization is unable to participate in remote monitoring due to operational limitations, you may request postponement until a later date.
Conferences, events, and other gatherings: For OJP-sponsored conferences, meetings, trainings, and other gatherings that are scheduled in the near term, cooperative agreement recipients should work with their OJP program or grant managers to set up meetings as virtual events or postpone or cancel meetings. For events planned farther out, please work on a case-by-case basis with your grant manager.
Grantees should contact their OJP grant managers to address issues resulting from postponed or canceled meetings, such as using grant funds to cover hotel or travel related cancellation fees and penalties.
Grantees should try to have the airline reimburse the canceled ticket(s) in cash. However, if the airline will only refund the cancellation as a credit:
- The grantee should apply the credit to a future trip for the same OJP grant or project.
- If that is not possible, the grantee should use the credit for another OJP program or project and reimburse the original OJP grant or project with the equivalent dollar amount.
- If neither of those options is possible, then the grantee should process the trip as a cancellation, which OJP approves to be charged to the grant due to this mitigating circumstance.
Grantees should provide similar guidance to subrecipients (that is, subgrantees). Please document these such changes via a Program Office Approval Grant Adjustment Notice (GAN) in OJP’s Grant Management System (GMS) for record keeping purposes.
Interruptions in performance of work under the grant: Grantees (and subrecipients/subgrantees) should review the DOJ Grants Financial Guide and the Part 200 Uniform Requirements (2 C.F.R. Part 200, as adopted by DOJ) (see, for example, 2 CFR 200.430 and 2 C.F.R. 200.431, under Subpart E – Cost Principles), and the grantee’s (or subrecipient’s/subgrantee’s) established policies, to help in determining how the grantee’s personnel costs may be treated during any period(s) of interruption to the performance of work under the award. You should direct any questions about allowability of costs to your OJP grant manager, or to OJP’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer by calling the Customer Service Center at 1-800-458-0786 (TTY: 202-616-3867), or via email at ask.ocfo@usdoj.gov.
Award extensions: In accordance with Part 200 Uniform Requirements (2 C.F.R. Part 200, as adopted by DOJ) and consistent with the DOJ Grants Financial Guide, most OJP awards may be eligible for one no-cost extension of up to 12 months. If the grant has previously received a no-cost extension and an additional extension will be requested due to the extenuating circumstances, refer to the DOJ Grants Financial Guide for additional information and consult with your grant manager as needed.
Please note that awards funded by the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) (or any other OJP bureau/program office) under the provisions of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, are available during the federal fiscal year of the award, plus the following three fiscal years. OVC and other OJP bureaus/program offices have no discretion to permit extensions of any award’s period of performance beyond the statutory period.
Solicitations: Solicitations with application due dates between March 16th and March 31st will have a 2-week extension for submission. OJP program offices are in the process of updating those due dates now. OJP will continue to monitor the situation and determine if additional adjustments to closing dates will be needed. Grants.gov and OJP’s Grants Management System remain open to continue to accept applications.
We will continue to provide updated information on potentially impacted grants activities, including financial and other required reporting. Thank you for your patience during this time. OJP and the Department of Justice appreciate your ongoing commitment to your missions and the safety of all Americans.
Office of Justice Programs
NAICJA Trainings Sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Assistance:
Webinars:
Newly Posted Recorded Webinars!
March 25, 2020: Administering Justice in Tribal courts during the covid-19 pandemic: a virtual talking circle.
Panelists: Hon. Gregory Bigler, Hon. Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks, Hon. Carrie Garrow, Hon. Patricia Lenzi, and Hon. Joseph Wiseman.
MODERATOR: Nikki Borchardt Campbell, NAICJA Executive Director.
FEBRUARY 21, 2020: THREE TAILS ON ONE RABBIT: PRESERVING JUSTICE THROUGH TRADITIONAL, INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL SYSTEMS, THE UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.
Tribal court judges, often unknowingly, fill multiple needs within tribal systems. First, they adjudicate disputes. Second, they are the focal point of attacks, or preservation of, sovereignty of tribes. The federal system often in an off-hand manner assaults our tribal adjudicatory processes as illustrated in U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments and decisions. Third, we can function as a tribal mechanism for institutionalizing our culture, social structures and traditional processes, carrying our tribal systems into the future. We will give examples of each of these threads through stories, documents, laws and history.
FACULTY:
HON. Gregory Bigler, Muscogee (Creek) Nation District court; Appellate Judge Mashantucket pequot nation; Supreme Court judge of iowa tribe of oklahoma; Chief Justice Supreme Court kickapoo tribe in kansas; Supreme Court justice quapaw tribe of oklahoma.
Professor Kristen Carpenter, council tree professor of law and director of the American Indian law program at the university of colorado law school. professor carpenter also serves on the United Nations expert mechanism on the rights of indigenous peoples as its member from North America.
MODERATORs:
REBEKAH HORSECHIEF (OSAGE), PROGRAM COORDINATOR, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN COURT JUDGES ASSOCIATION
Ansley Sherman Muscogee (creek), Program Attorney, National American Indian court judges association.
JUly 19, 2019: addressing secondary trauma in tribal court staff
Secondary Trauma results in professionals who work with those who have experienced trauma. Tribal court and tribal social service professionals spend their days working with and providing support to clients who have experienced trauma. This secondary trauma can result in burnout among staff. It is important for Tribal Court staff to engage in practices to address their secondary trauma in order to effectively serve the children and families in their courts. This session will explore secondary trauma and provide participants with practical culturally specific tools to help them deal with the secondary trauma.
FACULTY:
Hon. Cheryl Demmert Fairbanks (Tlingit/Tsimshian), Justice, Inter-Tribal Court of Appeals of Nevada
MODERATOR:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
june 25, 2019: Role of the tribal court judge
The role of the Tribal court judge can vary from tribe to tribe and state to state. The judge must navigate intersections and gaps in state, federal and tribal authority in Indian Country The faculty for this session will be several tribal court judges who will talk about the challenges and opportunities this unique bench provides.
FACULTY:
Hon. John Traylor, Presiding Judge for Gila River Indian Community Court of Appeals
MODERATOR:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
April 25, 2019: DATA SOVEREIGNTY: STORYTELLING THROUGH NUMBERS AND EVALUATIONS
Tribal courts are often called upon to navigate a relationship with state courts, state welfare agencies and law enforcement. This can be challenging as many state court and agency professionals do not understand tribal law or sovereignty. This webinar will explore how Tribal courts can develop working relationships with state courts, agencies, and law enforcement to ensure better outcomes for tribal members.
Faculty:
Melissa Sickmund, Director, The National Center for Juvenile Justice
Kate Trujillo (Laguna), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
Moderator:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
March 29, 2019: Working with LGBTQ2S in Tribal Courts
This session explores how tribal courts can work effectively and respectfully with members of the LGBTQ2S community. The webinar provides a basic overview of terminology and will discuss some of the challenges that the LGBTQ2S community faces. The webinar also provides some practical tips that courts can use when working with the LGBTQ2S community.FACULTY:
Kurt Begaye (Dine), Director of Training and Technical Assistance, Southwest Indigenous Women's Coalition, Begaye Consulting
MODERATOR:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
March 11, 2019: Reentry Primer for Tribal Courts
One individual’s incarceration impacts the entire community, as every person’s role is important for the community’s livelihood. Reentry is a process assisted by programs to help formerly incarcerated individuals prepare to be active, contributing members of the community. These programs address the needs of offenders by reconnecting tribal members with the community and offering career readiness programs, vocational training, and designated housing upon release.Faculty:
Keith Green, Operation Coordinator, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Reentry Program
Moderator:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
February 27, 2019: Peacemaking Part II
This session is a follow-up to the very successful Peacemaking webinar conducted in 2017. This webinar discusses how tribal traditions may hold a solution to some problems that have proven especially difficult in tribal court, provides some examples of how other tribes have had success, and explains how this movement is part of a bigger picture, even internationally, of how indigenous communities are using their own wisdom to solve their problems. Peacemaking is not alternative dispute resolution to Native communities – it is the original, traditional way our communities managed to work through disputes for centuries before tribal courts were created. Because of natural limitations inherent in tribal courts, there is increasing interest in the continuation and revitalization of those traditional ways.Faculty:
Professor Shawn Watts (Cherokee) Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the University of Kansas, School of Law Mediation Clinic
Moderator:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
December 19, 2018 - Building Tribal Court Capacity
This session will explores how tribal courts can build and enhance their capacity to serve their community. Faculty discusses the basics of court management and how to develop programs to support the legal work of the Court. Faculty also addresses how the development of Court programs can allow for involvement of the community and Tribal Membership in the Tribal Court and enhances relationship building between the Court and the Community and Membership it serves.Faculty:
Angela Fasana, Court Administrator, Conf. Tribes of Grand Ronde
Adrea Korthase, Site Manager, NCJFCJ
Moderator:
Rebekah HorseChief, NAICJA Program Coordinator
December 18, 2018 - The Indian Child Welfare Act and Best Practices for Attorneys
Within the child welfare world, research has demonstrated the following truths: 1. Removing a child from their home, even when necessary, is generally traumatic for the child; 2. Kinship and community placements help reduce the degree of trauma felt by the child; 3. Reunification must remain the primary focus unless and until every effort has been made and it has been deemed impossible. Best practice recommendations for child representatives, parent representatives, social workers, CASAs, and GALs incorporate this knowledge, but there is also a federal law (the Indian Child Welfare Act) that requires efforts with a certain population that mirror the latest research. This session will review the law and show which legal elements meet both legal and best practices requirements.Faculty:
Victoria Sweet (Anishinaabe), JD, MA, Assistant Director, Tribal Law and Justice Counseling, The Whitener Group
Moderator:
Ansley Sherman (Muscogee (Creek)), Program Attorney, National American Indian Court Judges Association
December 11, 2018 - Incorporating Cultural Practices Into Your Tribal Court
Incorporating traditional cultural practices into Tribal Court can provide Tribal communities with vital options for dispute resolution, substance abuse treatment and sobriety maintenance, and relationship development. This webinar will explore how courts have worked with Tribal Elders to bring traditional elements from the community into the court.Faculty:
Judge Abby Abinanti, Judge, Yurok Tribal Court
Judge Jan Morris, Program Director, NCJFCJ
Moderator:
Rebekah A. HorseChief, Program Coordinator, NAICJA
October 26, 2018 - Medication Assisted Treatment:
Medication Assisted Treatment is vital for those who struggle with opioid addiction. In many tribal communities, especially in rural areas, access to Medication Assisted Treatment is challenging. This session will explore why Medication Assisted Treatment is a necessary component of opioid treatment and will discuss the challenges of providing this necessary service in rural tribal communities.Faculty:
Dr. Anne Skinstad, Clinical Professor & Director, Native American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Sean Bear 1st BA, CADC, Meskwaki Tribal Nation, Native American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Moderator:
Rebekah HorseChief (Osage), Program Coordinator, National American Indian Court Judges Association
September 27, 2018 - Sober Support in Tribal Communities:
People in recovery do better at maintaining their sobriety over a long period of time when they have “sober support.” This webinar will explore sober support options for use in Tribal Communities from the 12-step models to more “homegrown” models that incorporate traditional cultural practices to help those in recovery maintain sobriety.Faculty:
Trina Hart, Gila River Indian Community
Kim M. McGinnis, PhD, Chief Judge, Pueblo of Pojoaque
Moderator:
Ansley Sherman (Muscogee (Creek)), Program Attorney, National American Indian Court Judges Association
April 25, 2018 - Drugs and Adolescent Brain:
Adolescents are infamous attention seekers and risk takers. Many adolescents engage in activities and behaviors that garner attention from others and could be potentially harmful or destructive (whether to the body or mind). These risky behaviors provide a rush or an experience of extreme emotion, which adolescents tend to crave because of their developing emotion center of the brain. One of the last parts of the brain to develop is the judgment and decision-making center, leading adolescents to engage in more impulsive behavior without thinking of future consequences. Substance use is both a typical and a dangerous adolescent activity. It provides the adolescent brain with the stimulation it craves, but can have dire long-term outcomes. This session will explore adolescent development and the impact that substance abuse can have on a young person’s life.Faculty:
Jessica Pearce, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
Judge Kami D. Hart, Gila River Indian Community
Moderator:
Ansley Sherman (Muscogee Creek), Program Attorney, National American Indian Court Judges Association
August 22, 2017 - Tribal Justice Webinar - Planning a Healing to Wellness Court: Inspiration and Vision
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts bring together community-healing resources with the tribal justice process, using a team approach to achieve the physical and spiritual healing of the participant and the well-being of the community. This webinar will walk participants through the visioning and foundation planning process to begin the development and implementation of a Healing to Wellness Court. Focus will be given to the key partners needed, as well as primary components that should eventually be reflected in your policies and procedures. You'll hear firsthand from seasoned tribal judges who will share reflections, tips, and lessons learned about their experience with developing their own Healing to Wellness Court. July 27, 2017 - Tribal Justice Webinar - Trauma-Informed Court Systems: A Webinar for Tribal Communities
Research continues to clarify how traumatic experiences negatively impact the way traumatized people interact with the world. When an individual becomes court-involved it is highly likely that they have experienced some level of trauma. If the court system is not trauma-informed they can be re-traumatized, often triggering harmful reactions. Tribal communities have the challenge of addressing the traumatic experiences of individuals while at the same time dealing with the after effects of historical and intergenerational traumatic patterns that have affected entire communities. However, tribes also have strengths found in their traditional teachings that provide inspiration for strategies to address trauma in all its forms. This webinar will explain what is meant by the phrase trauma-informed courts, provide data about challenges facing tribes around the country, discuss how trauma looks in the court setting, and then provide practical ideas about how to incorporate both traditional values and research-based strategies to make tribal court systems not only trauma-informed but trauma-responsive.