S moke S ignals
may 15, 2014
11
Program cuts time and personnel
LIFESAVER continued
from front page
“They said, ‘No one asked.’ ”
So, he asked.
The program involves a location
transmitter watch that the client
wears and a receiver generally
staffed by a police agency. Every
month, Project Lifesaver personnel
visit clients and replace the watch
batteries.
The program cuts time and per-
sonnel required “drastically,” said
Wellborn. The time is cut to min-
utes and personnel can be limited
to two officers — one to drive and
another to operate the equipment.
Wellborn is statewide coordina-
tor for the program and a national
instructor. He has held the two-day
training sessions – an online course
and field training – all over the
United States. Part of the train-
ing, he said, describes background
information about how people with
different brain types may act.
Alzheimer’s patients try to go
home, he said. With short-term
memory gone, they can start in a
direction they think leads to home
even though that home may be long
gone or far off.
Usually, whatever the intention,
clients are still close to their cur-
rent home when Project Lifesaver
swings into action.
One client that Wellborn recently
found was hiding in the bushes out-
side of a store. Some people wander
off because they think they have
done something wrong or because
they are in a place they don’t want
to be.
The program works with a cli-
entele that meets certain require-
ments, Wellborn said. Those that
might not fit the program could
have a discipline problem not re-
lated to any physical or brain status
issue. It may be that the potential
client can’t keep the band on or cuts
WIC to visit Tribe
Pregnant? Breastfeeding? Family include a child under the age of 5?
You may qualify for the Women, Infants and Children program. With
WIC, you can get answers to nutrition questions and access fruits and
vegetables, whole grains, eggs, milk, cheese, juice, cereal and more.
A WIC representative will be at the Tribal Youth Education Building on
the first and third Tuesday of the month between 9 and 11 a.m. Walk-ins
are welcome. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call
503-623-8175, ext. 2297. n
it off intentionally.
The Yamhill County Sheriff’s
Office now has about 20 clients,
including two who joined in the last
month. Others have since passed on
or moved away. The county unit has
responded to 12 calls with success-
ful finds in less than 20 minutes in
every case, faster than the national
average of 30.
With a grant from the federal
Department of Justice, the Grand
Ronde Police Department has
purchased two receivers and four
transmitters. The local program is
looking for its first client.
Wellborn also started an air-
borne program for Yamhill County
because it had access to helicop-
ters and police officers trained to
fly them. To get that part of the
program going in Grand Ronde,
Wellborn said, he intends to contact
the helicopter company again. The
airborne program is growing across
the country.
A newer addition is the PAL
(Protect and Locate) Program, an
Internet-based system that works
with cell phones and GPS.
To get someone into the program,
contact the local police department.
Wellborn’s phone number is 503-
879-1822. n
Mothers of Tradition training set
The White Bison Mothers of Tradition training returns to the
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde on Tuesday through Thursday,
May 20-22, at the Community Center, 9615 Grand Ronde Road. The
training’s purpose is to increase awareness of how intergenerational
trauma interrupted the culture, language, family ties and parenting
practices among Native peoples.
Participants will learn how to apply cultural teachings to bring
healing to children and relationships.
The training is free, but people must register to attend. Partici-
pants must make a three-day commitment and attend from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
For more information or to register, contact Alcohol and Drug
Counselor Karan Scharf at 503-879-2029.
The training is sponsored by the Tribe’s Behavioral Health
Program and funded by a Meth and Suicide Prevention Initiative
grant. n
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