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Turnaround Treatment Center may be the site for a tribal youth alcohol residential treatment center.
TRIBES CONSIDER OPERATING YOUTH
RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER
The center would offer residential
alcohol treatment services to youth in
Oregon, Washington and Idaho and
would be the first in the Northwest
operated by tribes.
The Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes have joined efforts
. to establish a Youth Alcoholism Residential Treatment
Center for the region.
As part of the project, the tribes are reviewing the
feasibility of purchasing a three year old facility in
Keizer, Oregon. The facility is currently the Turn
around Treatment Center, and can house 44 patients for
residential treatment.
The treatment center would provide services to Indian
youth assessed to be needing substance abuse treatment,
and who reside in the Portland area of the Indian Health
Service, which includes the states of Oregon, Washing
ton, and Idaho.
Funding for the treatment center would come from the
Indian Health Service and State of Oregon Drug and
Alcohol Program.
The Siletz and Grand Ronde tribes are able to attract
funding for the project through the IHS under federal
laws that give tribes first priority at operating programs
for their membership.
The Youth Treatment Services are currently provided by
the Red Willow Treatment Center in Gervais, Oregon.
However, their contract with IHS ends October 1, the
date the tribes are targeting to begin services. ,
Red Willow is a Native American operated program, but
is not tribally run. If the Grand Ronde and Siletz are
i successful in establishing the Youth Residential Treat
ment Center, it would be the only such tribally-operated
program in the Northwest.
Red Willow plans to stay in business, operating as a
private clinic accepting clients for a fee. The facility has
15 beds for intensive treatment of alcoholdrug related
problems and 20 beds for a transitional living program.
The Grand Ronde and Siletz Tribes decided to exercise
their right to operate a youth alcohol treatment program
because the Red Willow Treatment Center could not
accommodate tribal members in a timely manner.
Patients had to be placed on a waiting list to receive
services or referred to a non-Indian program.
The state, which licenses residential treatment centers,
had also expressed concerns about the Red Willow
Treatment Program following visits in June and July
1987. However, about two months ago, a review team
said enough improvements had been made to grant a
two-year license subject to conditions.
Red Willow completed the transition from a Adult
Treatment Center to a Youth Treatment Center in early
1988.
Under a plan being developed by the Tribes, the Youth
Alcohol Treatment Program would eventually be turned
over to a nine or ten member board comprised of
representatives from Oregon's federally recognized
tribes and a representative from the Chemawa Indian
High School.
The Tribes have received resolutions of support from
. the Burns-Paiute Tribe and the Northwest Portland
Indian Health Board which is comprised of 24 represen
tatives from the Northwest's 38 tribes.
Currently, the Grand Ronde Tribe operates an Out
Patient Prevention-Education Alcohol Program; and a
Rehabilitation Aftercare Alcohol Program.
NEtrfflUAMINA DOCTOR VISITS
WITH TRIBAL COUNCIL
Willamina's newest doctor met with the Grand Ronde
Tribal Council on August 1, 1988.
The visit was part of a week long pre-moving trip to the
area by Dr. Robert Rudas, Md.
At the Tribal Council meeting, Dr. Rudas was given an
overview of the Tribe's current health programs and
informed of future plans.
Future plans for the Tribe involve studying the feasibility
of establishing a clinic in Grand Ronde that would
include at least one full time physician and serve Indians
and non-Indians.
This looks "real positive" said Dr. Rudas about the
plans of the Tribe.
One.of the reasons former Willamina Dr. Rick Bowles
left, was because of having to be on call twenty-four
hours a day, seven days a week. This was due to the lack
of doctors to cover for him while off duty.
According to Gene Taylor, who headed the search
committee for a new doctor for Willamina, there needs
to be more physicians in the area. According to the
1987 Census information, there are approximately
10,000 people in the communities of Sheridan, Willam
ina and Grand Ronde and outlying areas.
There should be a doctor for every 2,500 to 3,000
persons according to Taylor and Rudas. In addition, the
forest-related jobs and Highway 22, on which an
estimated 22,000 vehicles a day pass, translates into an
even greater need for more physicians in the area, said
Taylor.
Dr. Rudas will join Dr. James Molloy of Sheridan, to
meet the local patient needs. Dr. Molloy also partici
pated on the search committee to find a new physician
for Willamina, and will work with Dr. Rudas with
patient overloads.
Dr. Rudas will be relocating from Toelle, Utah, near
Salt Lake City. He will operate a family practice
business and plans to expand his services to include a
urgent care facility.
Dr. Rudas plans to locate his office in the same building
that Dr. Bowles occupied and hopes to begin his
practice about September 20th.
"Its the most beautiful area in the country," said Dr.
Rudas, "a beautiful place to raise a family". Rudas will
relocate to the area with his wife and two children.
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Gene Taylor and Dr. Robert Rudas