TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS
Ask Raven
Raven will answer your questions
about problems associated with alco
hol, tobacco, and other drugs. You can
call in your questions to the numbers
below or mail them to:
Ra ven
P.O. Box 549
Siletz, OR 97380-0549
ATOD (Alcohol,
Tobacco, and
Other Drugs)
Prevention
Dear Raven: My sister has had
drug problems for a long time. She is
pregnant now and I suspect she has
been using again. What will happen
to the baby if she continues to use
drugs? Worried Sister
Dear Sister: It's good that you are
concerned for your sister and for the
baby. Here is what we know: What the
mother takes, the baby gets.
The stress caused by drugs affects
the way that the baby's brain develops.
There are critical times during brain
development that cause improper brain
development. This leads to develop
mental delays, including delay in
physical skill abilities; hypersensitiv
ity or lack of sensitivity; language
problems; eating problems; lack of self
help skills, such as slow to toilet train;
sleeping problems; attachment prob
lems. including lack of empathy, rage,
negative self-image, and poor bound
aries; poor impulse control, hyperac
tivity, tantrums, and mood swings;
anxiety issues; aggression; sexualized
behavior; and ptxtr social skills with peers.
1 would like to hear from you to
know if you are able to talk with your
sister about your concerns and offer
your support. Consider talking with a
counselor before you talk with your
sister so you can be sure you are not
approaching her with anger or shame.
The counselor also can tell you about
resources that are available to your sis
ter to support her during and after her
pregnancy.
If you do not already attend the
monthly CEDARR meetings I encour
age you to start. It's a good feeling to
participate in a community coalition
that is working to making your com
munity safer. Raven
by Delina John
Siletz Valley School. Tribal Preven
tion staff, and Lincoln County are
working together on the Methamphet
amine Awareness Project (MAP).
This project gives interested middle
school students an opportunity to par
ticipate in making meth awareness vid
eos that could be chosen for broadcast
on a major television station.
Update: The poster contest for the
No Meth, Not Here campaign is com
plete. The top three winners were
Kendra Mura, Darian Dorman, and
Kayla Stokes.
Together with the three winners and
project participants, the signs are be
ing made. When they are finished, the
signs will be distributed throughout
Lincoln County.
We do not have a date yet for the
premiere of the videos at the Perform
ing Arts Center in Newport. We will
notify the community when we know
the dates for this exciting event!
In 1999 a Prevention Planning
Group of tribal staff and community
members developed the Four Healing
Principles. These serve as the mission
statement and guide staff in their work.
They are:
•
•
•
•
Healing from problems associated
with alcohol, tobacco, and other
drugs comes from within - our
selves, our tribe, our community.
Together we will find the support and
resources to heal, renew, and rebuild.
Our journey is linked to the past.
We will use traditions, cultural val
ues, and knowledge to strengthen
ourselves and our community.
We will send a message to our chil
dren and families about the harm
ful effects of alcohol, tobacco, and
other drugs.
The healing of the individual, the
community, and the tribe go hand
in hand and are inseparable.
The Siletz Tribal Prevention Team
currently consists of Delina John, pre
vention coordinator; Jenifer Metcalf,
youth development specialist; DeAnna
Pearl, tobacco prevention coordinator
(541-444-9659 or 1-800-648-0449,
ext. 1659); and Angela Martin, resident
6
•
Siletz News
•
March 2007
advocate/rental program supervisor
(541-444-8311 or 1-800-922-1399,
ext. 1311).
They are starting a Half-Day Club
at Siletz Valley School. Club members
will meet on March 21 and then every
third Wednesday of the month when
school is only in session for half a day.
Staff and club members will plan
activities. So far, button making and
bicycle safety activities are scheduled.
Parents, this club is for all commu
nity youth age 8 to 18. We will meet
at the Siletz Library from 1:30 p.m. to
4 p.m. Please encourage your youth to
participate!
CEDARR
Community Efforts
Demonstrating the Ability
to Rebuild and Restore
March 7 • 5:30 p.m.
Siletz Community
Health Clinic
Please attend!
Delinquency Prevention
by Jenifer Metcalf
The Community Accountability
Board (CAB) is active and serving
tribal youth who are in legal trouble
and eligible for diversion.
CAB volunteers meet with the
youth and parents/guardians to de
velop a culturally specific diversion
plan to help the youth have a positive
diversion experience and give back to
their own community. Currently, CAB
is serving two tribal youth.
Volunteers are always needed. If
you are age 18 or older, a positive role
model in your community, and inter
ested in being a resource to tribal youth,
please contact me at 1-800-600-5599
or 541-444-8267.
Volunteer training is provided. All
volunteers must fill out an application
and agree to a criminal background
check.
Parents ... If you think your child
might be at risk for alcohol, tobacco, or
other drug problems and/or delin
quency behaviors, please call Delina
or Jenifer at 1-800-600-5599 or
541-444-^267.
One of them will talk with you
about risk factors and those things that
help protect your child from developing
those problems. They will help you make
a prevention plan that will support you
as a parent and provide your child with
the tools to make good choices.
Underage Drinking Survey Results
Following are more results of the
survey called the Tribal Underage
Drinking Community Profile, given to
the parents of middle and high school
students and to non-parents. Students
themselves also completed them.
Surveys were given out in the fall
of 2005 and the spring of 2006. Look
for more survey information in April!
Community and/ or youth consider drinking a "right of passage."
□ Middle School
■ High School
□ Adult Non-parent
□ Parent
■ Grand Parent
□ Not Identified
■ Total
Are drugs a problem in your life?
Narcotics Anonymous
We can help. You are not alone.
Please call 1-877-ADDICTS to get meeting times and places.