What is Children's Protective Services?

Children's Protective Services (CPS) provides a wide range of services to children and families who have been identified as being abused or neglected.   CPS' responsibility is to perform such other duties in connection of the care, custody and transportation of neglected juveniles, as defined in WSTC 360.110, as the Juvenile Court may require.

What is the Tribes definition of Child Abuse & Neglect? 

*  Make reference to:   WSTC 360.110 (12) (a-d)

Neglected Juvenile means any juvenile whose parent, guardian, or any other person having custody of the juvenile has:

(a)     abandoned the juvenile;

(b)     not provided to the juvenile adequate or necessary food, clothing, housing, education, medical, supervision, maintenance, or other care, including any special care made necessary by the mental or physical condition of the juvenile, to the detriment of the juvenile's health, welfare, safety or morals;

(c)      physically or mentally abused the juvenile;

(d)     created, allowed, or failed to remedy a situation or occupation which causes or threatens to cause injury to the health, safety, welfare or morals of the juvenile.

What do I need to do, if I suspect or witness Child Abuse or Neglect?

Call CPS at 553-3209 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00pm.  Ask to speak with the Family Intake Coordinator who will take your report.  If it is after hours or during the weekend, please call the Warm Springs Police Department at 553-1171. 

What if I want to remain Anonymous?

You can call and ask to remain Anonymous; however, in the event that it goes to Tribal Court, you may be asked to come forward and state your concerns before the Judge.  It also allows CPS and the WSPD to make contact with you, if we should need any more information or further clarification. 

Who must report?

Any person who suspects that a child is being abused/neglected or is at risk of abuse or neglect.  According to WSTC 305.140 "Any public or private official having reasonable cause to believe that any child with whom the official comes in contact with has suffered abuse, or that any person with whom the official comes in contact has abused a child shall report or cause a report to be made".  Those public or private officials include but are not limited to:  doctor, nurse, dentist, optometrist, school personnel, any employee of child serving agency, police, psychologist, clergy, social worker, any employee or provider of day care or foster care, attorney, firefighters, EMT's, therapist, counselor, relatives, neighbors.