ABOUT US
Background
Since 1983, the National Indian Justice Center (NIJC) has worked to improve the quality of life in tribal communities and the administration of justice in Indian Country. NIJC is a 100% Native governed, non-profit corporation with principle offices in Santa Rosa, California. NIJC was established through the collective efforts of the National American Indian Court Judges Association, the American Indian Lawyer Training Program, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in order to establish an independent national resource for Native communities and tribal governments.
Since its inception, NIJC has designed and conducted effective education programs for tribal governments and their courts, law enforcement, social services, medical personnel, victim assistance, transportation and other programs. We serve tribes, tribal organizations, government agencies and other interests throughout Indian country. NIJC's expertise encompasses a variety of subjects including but not limited to alcohol and substance abuse, alternative methods of dispute resolution, Child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, Indian youth and family law, juvenile justice, and federal Indian law. NIJC tailors its programs to the needs of the communities it serves. For 33 years we have provided research, technical assistance, tailored training sessions, on-site consultations, distance-learning courses, tribal justice system evaluation and publications to tribal communities in the U.S. and internationally.
Purpose
Active shooters, suicide clusters, massive wildfires, and diversion of water by illegal marijuana growers are just a few of the large-scale crises facing tribal communities in the past few years. Tribes in California share extensive familial, cultural and political relationships. Consequently, a crisis in one tribal community may impact surrounding tribal communities. Some California tribes have plans and emergency responders. The tribes that do not have these resources rely on non-tribal service providers who may not be aware of the nuances of tribal communities and the needs of tribal crisis victims.
The purpose of this training program is to increase effective tribal crisis response, increase the number of trauma-informed tribal crisis responders, and most importantly to help victims, survivors, and tribal communities cope and recover through outreach and support. This training program offers strategies for addressing the cultural, jurisdictional, and historical nuances of tribal communities. It is designed for tribal and non-tribal emergency responders, law enforcement and those interested in volunteering to serve on a tribal crisis response team.
Training Program Curriculum
- The curriculum is segmented into four major modules:
- Tribal Comminities & Essential Knowledge,
- Pre-Crisis Preparation & Planning,
- Crisis Management and
- Post Crisis Programming & Education Strategies.
Learning Objectives:
- Tribal Knowledge, Essential to Positive Working Relationships with California Tribal Governments
- Impacts of Historical Trauma, Intergenerational Trauma and PTSD during Crisis Response
- Formation of a Tribal Crisis Response Team and the Roles of Team Members
- Developing a Victim-Centered Crisis Response Plan
- Overview of Crisis Situations arising in Tribal Communities
- Delivering Trauma Informed Crisis Response for Victims in Indian Country
- Strategies for Preventing Crisis Clusters
- Understanding the Interjurisdictional Relationships between Tribal and non-Tribal Agencies Responding to Crisis Situations
- Self-Care Strategies for Tribal Crisis Team Members and Responders