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Organized by the Office of Justice Programs, Office of the Assistant Attorney General, the Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety, and Wellness Conference will be held August 18–22 in Billings, MT. This conference comprises three separate events: Government-to-Government Consultation Dialogue Focus Groups; the Indian Health Service (IHS)/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Behavioral Health Conference; and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) National Conference on Child Protection and Child Welfare in Indian Country. Participants are welcome to attend sessions from all three events.

The conference, the seventh in a series which began in December 2006, will focus on juvenile justice issues, and approximately 1,000 attendees are expected. The program includes information workshops, training and technical assistance, and tribal consultations. Portions of the conference are open to the public.

Although most sessions cover information pertaining to general audiences, such as suicide prevention initiatives, case studies on tribal social services, and HIV/AIDS prevention strategies, a number of sessions are geared specifically toward juvenile justice and youth issues. Such topics include case studies on Indian child welfare findings, lessons learned on improving children's mental health systems in tribal communities, and how to prevent underage drinking.

The conference is organized by the Office of Justice Programs and is cosponsored by SAMHSA, IHS, BIA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office on Violence Against Women, the Department of the Interior, the Office of Minority Health, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. This event represents the continued collaboration of efforts between the Department of Justice and Indian Country. Conference attendees will include tribal leaders, law enforcement professionals, grant and program managers, social workers, judges, juvenile justice specialists, court personnel, and detention facilities managers. Governor of Montana Brian Schweitzer, Associate Attorney General Kevin J. O’Connor, and Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey L. Sedgwick have been confirmed to speak.

For more information and to register online, please visit the Tribal Justice and Safety in Indian Country Web site.