Minnesota Statutes
Public Welfare and Related Activities (Ch. 245-267)
Chapter 260. Juveniles
Minnesota Indian Preservation Act
260.761. Social services agency and private licensed child-placing agency notice to tribes
Subdivision 1. Determination of Indian child's tribe. The local social services agency or private licensed child-placing agency shall determine whether a child brought to its attention for the purposes described in this section is an Indian child and the identity of the Indian child's tribe.
Subd. 2. Agency notice of potential out-of-home placement. When a local social services agency or private child-placing agency determines that an Indian child is in a dependent or other condition that could lead to an out-of-home placement and requires the continued involvement of the agency with the child for a period in excess of 30 days, the agency shall send notice of the condition and of the initial steps taken to remedy it to the Indian child's tribal social services agency within seven days of the determination. At this and any subsequent stage of its involvement with an Indian child, the agency shall, upon request, give the tribal social services agency full cooperation including access to all files concerning the child. If the files contain confidential or private data, the agency may require execution of an agreement with the tribal social services agency that the tribal social services agency shall maintain the data according to statutory provisions applicable to the data. This subdivision applies whenever the court transfers legal custody of an Indian child under section 260B.198, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), clause (1), (2), or (3), following an adjudication for a misdemeanor-level delinquent act.
Subd. 3. Notice of potential preadoptive or adoptive placement. In any voluntary adoptive or preadoptive placement proceeding in which a local social services agency, private child-placing agency, petitioner in the adoption, or any other party has reason to believe that a child who is the subject of an adoptive or preadoptive placement proceeding is or may be an 'Indian child," as defined in section 260.755, subdivision 8, and United States Code, title 25, section 1903(4), the agency or person shall notify the Indian child's tribal social services agency by registered mail with return receipt requested of the pending proceeding and of the right of intervention under subdivision 6. If the identity or location of the child's tribe cannot be determined, the notice must be given to the United States secretary of interior in like manner, who will have 15 days after receipt of the notice to provide the requisite notice to the tribe. No preadoptive or adoptive placement proceeding may be held until at least ten days after receipt of the notice by the tribe or secretary. Upon request, the tribe must be granted up to 20 additional days to prepare for the proceeding. The agency or notifying party shall include in the notice the identity of the birth parents and child absent written objection by the birth parents. The private child-placing agency shall inform the birth parents of the Indian child of any services available to the Indian child through the child's tribal social services agency, including child placement services, and shall additionally provide the birth parents of the Indian child with all information sent from the tribal social services agency in response to the notice.
Subd. 4. Unknown father. If the local social services agency, private child-placing agency, the court, petitioner, or any other party has reason to believe that a child who is the subject of an adoptive placement proceeding is or may be an Indian child but the father of the child is unknown and has not registered with the fathers' adoption registry pursuant to section 259.52, the agency or person shall provide to the tribe believed to be the Indian child's tribe information sufficient to enable the tribe to determine the child's eligibility for membership in the tribe, including, but not limited to, the legal and maiden name of the birth mother, her date of birth, the names and dates of birth of her parents and grandparents, and, if available, information pertaining to the possible identity, tribal affiliation, or location of the birth father.
Subd. 5. Proof of service of notice upon tribe or secretary. In cases where an agency or party to an adoptive placement knows or has reason to believe that a child is or may be an Indian child, proof of service upon the child's tribe or the secretary of interior must be filed with the adoption petition.
Subd. 6. Indian tribe's right of intervention. In any state court proceeding for the voluntary adoptive or preadoptive placement of an Indian child, the Indian child's tribe shall have a right to intervene at any point in the proceeding.
Subd. 7. Identification of extended family members. Any agency considering placement of an Indian child shall make reasonable efforts to identify and locate extended family members.
CREDIT(S)
Laws 1999, c. 139, art. 1, § 4.