Our Kids: Our Business

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Our Kids: Native American children

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April 4: Toni Lodge answers questions from 1 to 3 p.m. about Native American children in the welfare system.

Toni Lodge is the executive director of the NATIVE Project/NATIVE Health Clinic of Spokane, a nonprofit that provides adolescent substance abuse, mental health, education and prevention services to youth of all ethnicities and is a federally qualified health center.

A member of the Local Indian Child Welfare Advisory Committee for the past 27 years, Lodge is in a position to know how Native American children are treated once they enter the welfare system. She is critical of state compliance with the federal Indian Child Welfare Act and the disproportional number of Native American children in the welfare system.

Toni Lodge: Toni Lodge is with us today. A

Q: On this morning’s front page o

Toni Lodge: Unfortunately, we believe ther

Q: According to the Children’s Al

Toni Lodge: As Dr. Reyes and the Casey Fou

Q: Can you discuss substance abus

Toni Lodge: Alcohol is the chemical warfar

Q: How are we doing as a communit

Toni Lodge: I think children are our main<

Bob: Do yu think the non-Indian peo

Toni Lodge: No, big sigh. We had a great<

Mr. B.: Can you discuss obstacles/prob

Toni Lodge: Indian children had the highes

Lenette: Is it ok for a tribe to come t

Toni Lodge: The Indian Child Welfare Act s

Lenette: The tribe sayed that because o

Toni Lodge: This sounds like a case for an

Ron R: Alchol seems to be a factor in

Toni Lodge: My great hope is that someday,

Q: What are the challenges faced<

Toni Lodge: One of the challenges is the f

Q: How can the state address this

Toni Lodge: One of the best ways to addres

Shirley: Tell us about the role of the<

Toni Lodge: NATIVE Health is a FQHC clinic

Toni Lodge: Thanks for the care and concer