Tribal Dependency Representation Program: Information Sheet for California Courts

The Tribal Dependency Representation Program, established by California's SB 179 in 2022, provides funding for federally recognized tribes in California to hire legal counsel for juvenile dependency cases under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Administered by the California Department of Social Services' Office of Tribal Affairs, the program allocates an initial $15,000 to each eligible tribe, with potential additional funding based on legislative appropriations and unused allocations. The program does not extend to out-of-state or unrecognized tribes, although these tribes retain their rights to participate in ICWA cases without appointed counsel, and provisions have been made to facilitate remote participation in court proceedings at no charge.