The intent of WAC 388-70-091, 388-70-092, 388-70-093, 388-70-095, 388-70-450, and 388-70-600 through 388-70-640 are to ensure protection of the Indian identity of Indian children, their rights as Indian children, and the maximum utilization of available Indian resources for Indian children. To ensure the realization of this intent, information about each current and future case involving Indian children for whom the department of social and health services has a responsibility must be referred to a local Indian child welfare advisory committee on an ongoing basis when a federally recognized tribe has not responded, is unavailable, or requests LICWAC involvement according to procedures which recognize the privacy rights of the families.

The purposes of local Indian child welfare advisory committees are:

(1) To promote social service planning for Indian children.

(2) To encourage the preservation of the Indian family, tribe, heritage, and identity of each Indian child served by the department of social and health services.

(3) To assist in obtaining participation by representatives of tribal governments and Indian organizations in departmental planning for Indian children for whom the department has a responsibility.