Red Lake Nation Profile
Chemical Health Programs Information
Richard Seki, Director
Myron Barrett, Prevention Supervisor
Karen Barrett, NPN Representative
Red Lake Nation
PO Box 114
Red Lake, MN 56671
218-679-3995 (General)
218-679-3876 (Fax)
rlsaptp@paulbunyan.net (General)
Resource Center
Richard Seki, Executive Director
Tom Barrett, Project Director
Red Lake Nation
PO Box 114
Red Lake, MN 56671
218-679-3995 (General)
218-679-2727 (Fax)
rlsaptp@paulbunyan.net (General)
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Brief Overview of Statewide Prevention Plan
RED LAKE NATION'S PREVENTION CONCEPTS
I. PREVENTION DEFINITIONS, MISSION, AND FRAMEWORK:
The mission of the Red Lake Nation Chemical Health Programs is to enhance the wellbeing of all Red Lake Members through alcohol and drug abuse prevention, education, intervention, and treatment.
All programs are based on Anishinaabe Culture and Philosophy to strengthen the mind, body, and spirit of Red Lake Members, Families, and Communities.
The program philosophy is that the wellbeing of the entire tribe is vital to the wellbeing of individual members. As tribal people, youth to Elder, our spiritual and mental health depends vitally on the overall health of the tribe. Therefore, services and activities that combat drug and alcohol abuse benefit far beyond only those individuals who receive direct services. The program seeks to instill the philosophy of tribally shared responsibility, as a way of life into each of its participants.
II. THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMULGATION OF RED LAKE NATION CONCEPTS:
The Red Lake Nation's prevention concepts are driven by past experience and cultural appropriateness, and by Federal Block Grant requirements. Collaboration is highly valued, as the Tribal Council requests this process. It should be noted that until 1953, it was illegal to sell alcoholic beverages to American Indians in the United States. The Chemical Health Programs broad organizational goal is to eliminate drug and alcohol abuse/dependency on the reservation. Over the use movement in this direction has been significant. Program accomplishments are:
- Red Lake Tribal Council unanimously passed a resolution to protect our unborn children.
- Successfully achieved a goal that alcohol and drugs will not be tolerated or allowed at any of our traditional gatherings supported by the community members and the Red Lake Tribal Council.
- Red Lake children are taught resistance skills from pre-school age through high school.
- The number of community members who do not use drugs and alcohol has grown.
- New Years Eve has become an annual event of family activities sponsored in great part by the Red Lake Chemical Health Programs, Red Lake Tribal Council, and other Tribal Programs to provide alternatives to customary New Years Eve drinking.
III. APPROACH TO RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND PURCHASE OF SERVICES:
While there are clear examples of primary prevention activities, Red Lake Nation often combines intervention and treatment personnel and resources in its delivery system. For example, a highly successful "Warrior Down" project is used by schools in a peer counselor/intervention project that coordinates the continuum of services. The Tribal Council and CSAP High Risk Youth (HRY) project combines messages to collaborate on prevention throughout the agency and this grantee is highly successful in its performance. Alternative activities such as a dance troupe, community sobriety New Year's Eve Celebration and "Back-to-School" Celebration reflects the combined resources and talent of all substance abuse staff.
IV. PROFILE OF PREVENTION STRATEGIES/ACTIVITIES:
The Red Lake Nation activities include information and education, community and professional mobilization, social policy and environmental change, alternatives, and early intervention.
Cultural consideration permeates all prevention activities through the use of stories and involvement of Elders. Language/Immersion/Berry Picking Camps, Maple Sugar Camps, and Ojibwe cultural classes are a few of the cultural prevention activities, which are done on the Red Lake reservation.
Single State Agency (SSA) is the organization designated by the State Governor to coordinate substance abuse prevention efforts in that state.
State Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource (RADAR) Network consists of state clearinghouses, prevention resource centers, Department of Education Regional Training Centers, and national, international, and local organization supporting substance abuse prevention activities.
The National Prevention Network (NPN), an organization of State alcohol and other drug abuse prevention representatives, provides a national advocacy and communication system for prevention. NPN is administered by NASADAD.
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