Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2007)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS Ask Raven Attention! Important Announcement! 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: On Oct. 9, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. on all major television stations throughout the state of Oregon, a community awareness media roadblock called Crystal Darkness will be shown. It will tell the truth about meth. You don’t want to miss this! Raven P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Dear Raven: I heard there is medieine people can take that keeps them off of alcohol. By Anonymous Dear Anonymous: Yes, there is a drug called Naltrexone that doctors can prescribe for some people to help re duce the craving for alcohol. It must be taken every day or it will not be ef fective. There also is a similar inject able drug that can be taken every 30 days. The important thing that doctors will tell you if you are interested is that treating any addiction with medication alone is not advised. That would be like someone with a heart condition taking their heart medicine but still eating what ever they want, not having an exercise program and living a high-stress life. These drugs may help people who are doing everything their counselor recommends but who still are having difficulty managing their craving. I hope 1 have given you the infor mation you were looking for. If not, please write again or talk with your primary care physician. Sincerely, Raven Red Ribbon Week is Oct. 23-31. Check with your local school for activities. Prevention by Delina John Substance abuse prevention works to boost protective factors and eliminate or reduce risk factors for alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Prevention programs are designed for various ages and can be designed for individual or group set tings, such as the school and home. There are three types of programs: • • • TLC Attitudes of Gratitude by Lynn Whit low What do you have to be grateful for? Can you and do you find something ev ery day to give thanks for? How often do you stop and think about the good things in your life, to focus on the posi tives instead of getting dragged down by the negatives - the unpleasant events or disasters that strike our life? Even optimists can get into a “poor me” mode if they/we don’t really fo cus daily on the good in our lives. Make out a list and put it somewhere that you will notice and read often. See if focus ing on your joys and blessings will help you out when the blahs, barbs and blows occur in your life. I asked a TLC resident what she had to be grateful for in her life today. It only took her a few seconds to roll off the following list of blessings in her life: I'm clean and sober, I’m grateful for my fam ily, my Mom, and a good man in my life. I’m grateful that I’m a mom, for my children, for you and what you’ve done for me, for God. I'm grateful for being Native American, for another chance in life, and for being able to change. How quickly can you list at least 10 things you are grateful for? Start now. At TLC we are grateful to Vera Lafferty for donating some current read- 8 • Siletz News • ing material and to John Spence for the gift of salmon. Thanks to both of you! Thank you to A&D staff for taking time to help residents with needs. Thank you to volunteers Alice McCain and Stephanie Rilatos for gifting us with your time and company. Thank you, Trish, for providing weekend “extras” with your big smile. All of you are much appreciated. Women, please join us at TLC for our monthly Talking Circle. It’s always a blessing for the women who attend. Take your burdens off your shoulders and share them with us. Recently a women’s domestic vio lence support group has been started in the area. If you would like more infor mation, give me a call (541-444-8238) and I’ll pass on contact information to you. This is a confidential group. We can always use new volunteers at the TLC. Make a difference in your community. Giving of yourself to others takes some focus off yourself and your concerns. It feels good to help others. Try it. Give me a call at 541-444-8238 or 1-800-922-1399, ext. 1238. Fall is in the air. Put an extra blan ket on the bed! October 2007 Universal Programs address risk and protective factors common to all children in a given setting, such as a school or community. Selective programs target groups of children and teens who have fac tors that further increase their risk of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. Indicated programs are designed for youth who already have begun abusing drugs. When prevention programs are properly implemented by schools and communities, the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is reduced. Such pro grams help teachers, parents, and health care professionals shape youths’ per ceptions about the risks of drug abuse. While many events and factors af fect trends, when youth perceive alco hol, tobacco and other drug use as harmful, they reduce their level of abuse. We at the Siletz Tribal Prevention Program use screening tools to help you get a clear picture of your youth’s risk and protective factors. We then can work with you and your youth to de velop a confidential prevention plan that includes services to meet each young person’s individual needs. The Siletz Tribal Prevention Pro gram works side by side with other tribal programs, community resources, and schools to create a healthier community and be a resource to youth and families. The Four Healing Principles are our guides to how we provide the services and programs for youth in the commu nity. They are: • • • • Healing from problems associated with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs comes from within - ourselves, 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 Pro gram team works hard to provide the best possible services to community members and believes that anything is possible for our youth. If you have any questions or need services, please call I-800-600-5599 or 541-444-8286 and ask for me. A list of activities or services we can provide is as follows: • • • • • • • Community education Youth leadership Ropes course Outdoor activities, including hiking, kayaking, canoeing or whitewater rafting Family and individual prevention planning Siletz Community Accountability Board (CAB) Support services to incarcerated youth *Some information in this article pro vided by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
