Smoke signals., November 01, 2013, Page 5, Image 5

Smoke Signals 5
NOVEMBER 1, 2013
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signals staff writer
The 2013 Indian Child Welfare
Act conference, "Strengthening
Families, Strengthening Nations,"
aimed at bringing best practices to
Tribal child welfare workers who
represented all nine of Oregon's
federally recognized Tribes and the
Smith River Tribe in California.
Those workers met in Grand
Ronde for three days of lectures,
discussions and sharing of personal
experiences from Oct. 22-24. Some
250 filled the Tribal gym where
they heard from Indian Child
Welfare specialists across Oregon
and from Grand Ronde Land and
Culture staff.
They heard about best practices
in such subjects as moving past
historical trauma; vision, courage
and spirit values; the importance
of knowing who you are; preven
tion services for youth; suicide
prevention; and the value of col
laboration. One statistic that makes Tribal
family issues so important, said
Lois Day, Tribal Affairs director for
the Oregon Department of Human
Services, is that Native children
are overrepresented among fami
lies where state and Tribal welfare
workers are forced to intervene.
Successful outcomes, said Dana
Ainam, supervisor of Grand Ronde's
Children and Family Services pro
gram, come when Tribes partner
with state, public and private
Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn Lano givas a walcoma addrass during tha
opaning caramony of tha 201 3 TribalStata annual Indian Child Waif ara Act
Conff aranca In tha Tribal gymnasium on Tuasday, Oct. 22.
groups.
The conference was co-sponsored
by the Grand Ronde Tribe and
the state Department of Human
Services.
Another successful strategy, said
Human Services Director Erinn
Kelley-Siel, "is having an apprecia
tion for similarities and a respect
for differences." Three other keys
for success are vigilance, resources
and advocacy, she said.
In regard to resources, she praised
a statewide legislative initiative
Flu Clinic
Where: Portland Satellite Office
4445 S.W. Barbar Blvd. suite 101
Pordand, Oregon 97239
When: Thursday Nov; 7, 2013
Time: 1 0 a.m.-2 p.m.
Tribal Elders, spouses and direct descendants only
Tribal ID and Medical Card required
For more information
contact Lisa Archuleta at
503 235-4230
that gives child welfare programs
$100 million in the state's bien
nial budget. "People don't invest
in programs that are not working,"
she said.
Recommendations for a study
for Gov. John Kitzhaber included
a policy that addresses the differ
ences among communities. "We
want to make services real for
everybody, not just the majority,"
Kelley-Siel said.
There is now a shift, she said,
from an intervention model to a
prevention model.
In that regard, Chris Martin, an
Indian Child Welfare worker in the
Tribe's Social Services Department,
described his experiences with the
Tribe's family and child welfare
program.
He went from a 10-year battle
with poverty, addiction and the loss
of his children to foster families to
recovery and his current position
with the Tribe.
"I relapsed pretty hard" within
a week after the court allowed
unification with his children, who
returned home for the first time in
1999, Martin said.
"I totally blew it," he said.
"Now, relapse is a common part
of recovery," said Kristi Petite, the
Tribe's Child and Family Services
lead case worker, who participated
in Martin's case from the begin
ning. She watched his successes
and failures, and when he was back
on track, she brought him on board
as a Tribal caseworker.
"I never gave up," Martin said.
"The Tribe and the state worked
together on this case from day one,"
said Petite.
Tina Lara, Youth Prevention
activity assistant, participated in
youth panels, describing connec
tions to the community, culture and
youth prevention activities.
Tribal Historian David Lewis,
with slides, described the floor
plan for Tribe's Chachalu Grand
Ronde Tribal Museum and Cultural
Center. He also described current
and historical Tribal cultural ac
tivities. Land and Culture Manager Jan
Looking Wolf Reibach spoke about
"the importance of connecting
youth with their culture" and said
the Tribe is "formulating a strategy
to get our lands back."
Tribal Council member Jon A.
George gave the invocation on the
first day and later added his per
sonal experiences with family and
children services over the years.
In addition, George described the
traumas that Tribal people have
suffered, and that raised the ques
tion, "How can we heal our people,
culturally and historically?"
In answer, he described a new
sacred Atudship site adjacent to
the Tribal Cemetery. "Historically,
we are stone builders," he said. At
the site, those in need will place
stones on a mound for healing and
forgiveness. The 30th anniversary
of Restoration, coming Nov. 22, is
a significant time to use the mound
and the stones, he added.
Tribal drummers and an honor
guard with veterans from many
Tribes opened the conference.
Tribal Council Chair Reyn Leno
welcomed the group.
"People don't realize who we are,"
Leno said. "They think we're the
casino, but when we drive by the
casino we think of the programs
we support."
The Tribe has made a significant
financial commitment to Tribal
child welfare, Leno said. "At the
end of the day, it's what's best for
our kids." B
T: 1 Co? iedej-ated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Crf i
' it, ' v V .V ' , Tribal History ConfereiK
u tr
Date: November 1 4, 201 3
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Community Center
Save The Date
BVPasoJ-an-lIM arby.
9165 C
Grand iwhn ma