Post by Okwes on Apr 26, 2007 11:56:03 GMT -5
Chickasaw Nation fighting addictions
By Derek Frazier
ADA — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native American and Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of suicide in the 15 to 24 age group. And according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Native Americans were more likely than members of other ethnic groups to have a past-year alcohol use disorder and to have a past-year illicit drug use disorder.
With what seems to be a growing epidemic in Native American culture, the Chickasaw Nation has devised a program to diffuse the cause and effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
Called the Substance Abuse Education Program, the program, according to Deanna Hartley, Attorney General for the Chickasaw Nation, helps Native Americans under the age of 18 deal with substance abuse problems.
“It's a nine week program and it basically educates kids on drug and alcohol abuse and the risk factors that sometimes lead to or are a product of that, such as suicide, the risk of HIV, and issues of personal responsibility,” Hartley said.
According to Hartley, one substance abuse program has already taken place in Ada, with another scheduled to commence in February, and one just began last week in Ardmore. She said that each has received good responses.
“I think we've had a real good response in Ardmore, and we'd like to get more kids involved,” she said. “In Ada, we didn't quite fill all of our seats on the first go round, but we're hoping to get a better response this time.”
Hartley said the program is free of charge and is available to any Native American juvenile and not just limited to Chickasaws. Referrals can also be made by anyone.
“We get referrals from schools, school counselors, really anybody can refer a juvenile to this group,” she said. “I think their parents have to come the first couple of times with them. What they do is have the juvenile enter into what is called a behavioral contract, which sets out what is expected of them and what is expected of us. They come to the group and we use a curriculum called ‘Beyond the 7th Generation’ that was developed by Oklahoma University, and it's a curriculum for substance abuse education that's specific to Native Americans.”
Some unique problems that many Native American youth may face, according to Hartley, is cultural isolation, which may lead to depression.
“I think sometimes cultural isolation is just an issue that ties in with depression,” she said. “We try to discuss those types of things. We just try to get kids out of their shells to talk about what might be bothering them. These issues that are bothering them and they don't get dealt with, can lead a person into a substance abuse issue.”
Hartley sees the program as a step in the right direction for Native American juveniles suffering from drug-related problems.
“I think that in my opinion it's a very positive thing,” she said. “Getting kids together and talking about their issues in a peer group is always going to be positive. Of course we have an adult facilitator there to help them through the issues they are talking about. It can have a very positive impact on our community.”
For more information regarding the Substance Abuse Education Program, contact Candy Hightower, substance abuse educator and group leader, at (580) 310-6438.
By Derek Frazier
ADA — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native American and Alaskan Natives have the highest rate of suicide in the 15 to 24 age group. And according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Native Americans were more likely than members of other ethnic groups to have a past-year alcohol use disorder and to have a past-year illicit drug use disorder.
With what seems to be a growing epidemic in Native American culture, the Chickasaw Nation has devised a program to diffuse the cause and effects of drug and alcohol abuse.
Called the Substance Abuse Education Program, the program, according to Deanna Hartley, Attorney General for the Chickasaw Nation, helps Native Americans under the age of 18 deal with substance abuse problems.
“It's a nine week program and it basically educates kids on drug and alcohol abuse and the risk factors that sometimes lead to or are a product of that, such as suicide, the risk of HIV, and issues of personal responsibility,” Hartley said.
According to Hartley, one substance abuse program has already taken place in Ada, with another scheduled to commence in February, and one just began last week in Ardmore. She said that each has received good responses.
“I think we've had a real good response in Ardmore, and we'd like to get more kids involved,” she said. “In Ada, we didn't quite fill all of our seats on the first go round, but we're hoping to get a better response this time.”
Hartley said the program is free of charge and is available to any Native American juvenile and not just limited to Chickasaws. Referrals can also be made by anyone.
“We get referrals from schools, school counselors, really anybody can refer a juvenile to this group,” she said. “I think their parents have to come the first couple of times with them. What they do is have the juvenile enter into what is called a behavioral contract, which sets out what is expected of them and what is expected of us. They come to the group and we use a curriculum called ‘Beyond the 7th Generation’ that was developed by Oklahoma University, and it's a curriculum for substance abuse education that's specific to Native Americans.”
Some unique problems that many Native American youth may face, according to Hartley, is cultural isolation, which may lead to depression.
“I think sometimes cultural isolation is just an issue that ties in with depression,” she said. “We try to discuss those types of things. We just try to get kids out of their shells to talk about what might be bothering them. These issues that are bothering them and they don't get dealt with, can lead a person into a substance abuse issue.”
Hartley sees the program as a step in the right direction for Native American juveniles suffering from drug-related problems.
“I think that in my opinion it's a very positive thing,” she said. “Getting kids together and talking about their issues in a peer group is always going to be positive. Of course we have an adult facilitator there to help them through the issues they are talking about. It can have a very positive impact on our community.”
For more information regarding the Substance Abuse Education Program, contact Candy Hightower, substance abuse educator and group leader, at (580) 310-6438.