Family

Under the new legislation, the state would put a stronger focus on finding foster children permanent homes and prioritize placing them with relatives when possible.

Nationwide, the number of pregnant women using heroin, prescription opioids or medications used to treat opioid addiction has increased more than five-fold and it’s expected to keep rising.

Mississippi’s law was the last of its kind in the U.S. The couples in the case were in a variety of circumstances, from desiring to adopt a child to raising children together.

Central Council President Richard Peterson says that while the court decision is an important milestone, there are still more issues surrounding the administration of tribal child welfare that need to be dealt with, namely among the tribes.

Fathers’ rights groups, such as the National Parents Organization, are pushing the proposals, arguing that they will give fathers a better chance at a fair ruling and pointing to new research that shows how joint custody may be better than sole custody for children’s health.

“It’s about teaching men to be mentors, and getting men involved to stop the violence, domestic abuse, the suicides, the hurts, the pain,” Tagaban said.