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Birth
Records Self-Help Kit: How Native American Adoptees Can Get
Their Birth Records in California (PDF - opens new window).
This guide explains what you need to do if you were adopted; you think
you are Indian; you live in California and/or were born in California;
and you want to enroll in your tribe.
DOWNLOAD INFORMATION: This PDF formatted version of the guide is
very large (3.5 MB) and could take 10 or more minutes to download with a
56k (dialup) connection. We recommend saving the document to your computer once
it has completely downloaded.
HARD COPIES: If you or your organization would like a bound, color copy of the
Birth Records Kit, you can order a Kit from CILS' Central Office for
$10. Click
here to download the order form (PDF - opens new window). If
you are an individual who needs help unsealing your birth records
to show that you are Indian, we encourage you to call
our ACORN Intake Hotline at (800) 829-0284.
Some individuals may qualify for a free black-and-white copy of
the Kit.
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As
a Native American, How Can I Get Financial Help With Housing?
This guide can give you some basic information about tribal housing
programs in California. This guide also tells you how to contact
many of the tribal housing programs in the state, so you can find out
what services they provide and whether you are eligible for help with
housing as a tribal member or Indian living on or near the tribe’s
reservation or rancheria. If you live in an urban area in California,
this guide provides contact information for some programs that may be
able to help you find affordable housing.
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What
is the Indian Child Welfare Act?
This guide explains what the Indian
Child Welfare Act is, why it was passed, and how it applies in
California. If you’re a parent or Indian custodian, this guide
can help you decide if ICWA applies to your situation, and explains
what your rights are if ICWA does apply. It also explains what rights
tribes have in your case, if ICWA applies.
- What
is an Indian Custodian?
This guide explains what an Indian custodian is. It also explains
what responsibilities and rights Indian custodians have. This
guide can help you if you are an Indian custodian or you need to
become one. This guide can also help you if you are an Indian
parent and you think you want someone else to be an Indian custodian
for your child.
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How
Can I Get a Fee Waiver for My Court Fees and Costs?
In most cases, when you use the court system in California, you have
to either pay a fee to "file" (submit)
court papers, or pay other court costs. If you can’t afford to
pay these fees and costs, you can ask the court for a "fee
waiver." This guide explains what a fee waiver is,
and what you have to do to apply for a fee waiver.
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What Do I Need To
Know About Probate When My Indian Loved One Passes Away?
This guide answers some
of the most frequently asked questions about probate that you may have
after an Indian loved one passes away. This guide focuses on
situations where the person who passed away had land in his or her name
(on- or off-reservation). Probate is a complicated area of the law,
and this guide is only an introduction to the probate process.
- Intake Checklist (PDF - opens new window)
- LawHelp California
http://www.lawhelpcalifornia.org (opens new window)
LawHelp California is a free resource for Californians seeking legal information and assistance. The site provides the public with access to legal information handouts, forms, and how-to materials. The site also provides zip code-based referrals to legal aid organizations, lawyer referral services, volunteer attorney groups and court-based services.
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Sources
of Financial Aid Available to Native American Students http://www.nmsu.edu/~ird/
(opens new window)
This link is to the Indian Resource Development Program's website
where you can get a free book that provides up-to-date information on
financial aid for Native American students, as well as information on
co-op and summer employment opportunities. To cover the costs of
postage out of state, IRDP charges a shipping and handling fee to
students out of state.
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