Treatment and Recovery: Native American Populations

1
Treatment and Recovery Native American
Populations

• Eva Petoskey, M.S.
• Director, Anishnaabek Healing Circle Access to
  Recovery
• Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan

2
Greetings

• Anishnaabek Introduction
• (Name-Clan-Place)
• Aanii (Hello)
• Anishnaabek (Indigenous people of Michigan the
  Odawa, Ojibwa, and Potawatomi
• Miigwech (Thank you)
• Spelling taken from Eastern Ojibwa-Chippewa-Ottaw
  a Dictionary, Richard A. Rhodes

3
My Background

• Odawa/ Anishnaabekwe Member of the Grand
  Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
• I have lived in Peshawbestown with my husband and
  2 children, for 26 years.
• Thirty five years of work experience with issues
  related to wellness, education, evaluation, and
  culture.
• Served in tribal government for 6 years and was
  the Vice-Chairperson of our Tribal Council for 4
  years.

4
Purpose

• Provide background on the Anishnaabek of Michigan
• Discuss inter-generational trauma and its impact
  on tribal people today.
• Discuss key health disparities.
• Discuss the spiritual and cultural strengths
  inherent in Native American culture.
• Discuss approaches for interfacing with tribal
  communities, families, and individuals in efforts
  that support prevention, treatment, and recovery.

5
Our Origins

• Anishnaabek creation and migration teachings tell
  us that we have always resided on turtle island.
  (North America)
• A long time ago, based on the visions of the
  coming of the Europeans, our ancestors began a
  journey from the Atlantic coast to the great
  lakes region.
• This was a spiritual journey guided by the dreams
  and visions of our ancestors leading us to this
  beautiful place of vast fresh water.

6

• There are 12 Federally recognized tribes in
  Michigan.
• Significant urban Indian populations in Detroit
  and Grand Rapids

7
American Indian Population

• Approximately 55,607 enrolled members living on
  or near reservations in 52 of Michigans 83
  counties.
• The most recent US Census estimate of the number
  of American Indians in Michigan is 69,269. (U.S.
  Census, Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates,
  American Community Survey). This is based on
  persons responding as American Indian only on the
  census.

8
Sovereignty

• American Indian and Alaska Native tribes are
  governments with hundreds of treaties, federal
  laws, and court cases affirming that tribes
  retain the inherent powers to govern themselves
  as nations.
• The federal government works with tribes in a
  government-to-government relationship.
• The foundation for successful collaboration
  between states and tribes is an understanding of
  and appreciation for tribal sovereignty.

9
Change Across the Generations
Indian Wars
Educational Challenges
Loss of Land
Children Removed
Every Indian Family Has Experienced These Risk
Factors
Repression of Ceremonial Life
Anxiety and Depression
Forced Assimilation
Poverty
10
Historical Grief and Trauma

• The Anishnaabek have endured a remarkable journey
  over time carrying the seeds of healing deep in
  our hearts
• The grief and trauma resulting from boarding
  schools, rapid cultural change, lack of economic
  opportunity, and loss of land have contributed to
  the high rates of substance abuse and mental
  health problems experienced by the Anishnaabek
  families and communities today.

11
Michigan Youth Risk Behavior Survey

• Data taken from Michigan Department of Education
  Website
• Detailed Results by Item Spreadsheet
• Grades 9-12

12
Alcohol Use (Before Age 13)
13
Alcohol Use (Past 30 Days)
14
Heavy Drinking(Past 30 Days)
15
Marijuana Use (Before age 13)
16
Marijuana Use (Past 30 Days)
17
Made a Plan to Attempt Suicide (Past 12 Months)
18
Historical Resilience

• The seeds of healing have grown into a strong
  recovery movement with committed people. Over
  the past thirty years a grass roots substance
  abuse recovery movement was born.
• Many Anishnaabek left behind the
  self-perpetuating stereotype of a hard drinking
  Indian and transformed their personal identity
  into that of a sober culturally strong
  Anishnaabek

19
Tribal Governments

• . Tribal governments have created behavioral
  health departments along with policies and
  procedures to guide the delivery of services
  including indigenous healing services that are
  integrated with western approaches.
• Tribes have passed laws supporting health,
  wellness and recovery.

20
Promising Practices

• Indigenous Healing Models based on community
  empowerment
• Helping Healers/Peer Mentors
• Cultural Teachings
• Motivational Interviewing
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

21
Workforce Development

• Continuing need to recruit and train new
  certified addiction counselors and prevention
  staff.
• Continuing need to educate non-native staff on
  how to work effectively with tribal people and
  communities.
• Collaboration between certification boards is
  important. (MCBAP and UMICAD)

22
An Anishnaabek Perspective

• The following slides are based on ideas generated
  from focus groups conducted with Anishnaabek
  people.

23

Opportunities to Deal with Historical Trauma and
Grief

• To address the needs of families with
  generational trauma and grief requires
  specialized training for counselors so they
  understand the unique history of Native people
  and the experiences that have led to the deep
  grief and sadness that many clients carry.

• It is important for treatment and recovery
  support initiatives to recognize the
  multi-generation nature of substance abuse
  problems in many Native families. This
  phenomenon needs to be seen as a reality that
  must be acknowledged.

24

Opportunities to Deal with Historical Trauma and
Grief

• If the treatment system denies the existence of
  historical trauma then there is little hope for
  treatment to help break the cycle of addiction in
  tribal communities.

• It is important to seek out and incorporate
  specialized educational materials and healing
  activities to address these issues.

25
Challenges

• One challenge is the daunting nature of the
  problems. It is difficult to not feel
  discouraged. It is difficult to maintain hope.
  The other challenges related to the
  multi-generational nature of the substance abuse
  problem and the resulting community and family
  communication and trust problems. Jealousy was
  mentioned as a barrier to moving forward in
  constructive community healing initiatives.

26
Challenges Faced by the Service System

• Lack of money to support family involvement such
  as transportation to residential treatment
  located out of state.
• Families have much unfortunate exposure to
  deficit models of treatment.
• Lack of finances available to allow for family
  participation in treatment.
• Lack of adequate specialized programs that are
  culturally designed for our people.
• Convenient times to allow parents to participate.

27
Strategy for change

• There need to be positive peer role models and
  mentors available to help support recovery beyond
  treatment. This is especially critical for people
  returning to the community from treatment and for
  youth receiving outpatient services.

28
Strategy for change

• Recognize that small steps are important.
• Never give up on the client or family.
• Accept that recovery is a process that takes
  time and that relapse and resistance to change
  are a normal part of the process rather than a
  deficit.

29
Opportunities Within Family Systems

• Learning the spiritual teachings of the
  Anishinaabek is important. Cultivating the
  spiritual connection to the sacred places, the
  land, water, and all other living beings is part
  of the process of spiritual growth. Cultivating
  spiritual growth from an Anishinaabek orientation
  was an important theme. However, developing
  spiritually through other spiritual and religious
  affiliations was also mentioned as very helpful
  to people.

30
Tribal Recovery Oriented System of Care

• Shifting the model of intervention from acute
  care of individuals to a sustained recovery
  management approach relies on partnerships with
  individuals, families and communities. White
  Sanders (2004).

31
Winter Teaching Lodge Behavioral Health Cultural
Service Expansion with ATR
Saginaw Chippewa Tribe Behavioral Health
Residential, Outpatient and Recovery Support
Services
32
Access to Recovery Anishnaabek Healing
Circle 2956 Ashmun, Suite A Sault Ste. Marie MI
49783 [phone] www.atrhealingcircle.com
Staff Eva Petoskey, Director Direct line
(231-357-4886) epetoskey_at_centurytel.net Terri
Tavenner, Associate Director ttav_at_itcmi.org
Connie DePlonty, Voucher Coordinator
connied_at_itcmi.org Cora Gravelle, Call In Center
Client Access Outreach cora_at_itcmi.org Sheila
Hammock, Call In Center Client Access Follow-up
shammock_at_itcmi.org
Produced by the Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan
with Access to Recovery (ATR) Anishnaabek Healing
Circle Grant (1H79TI025514) funds from the Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA),
U.S. Department of Health Human Services (HHS).
Content is solely the responsibility of the
authors and does not necessarily represent the
official views of the agency.