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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2020)
6 JUNE 1, 2020 Smoke Signals Program aims to help Tribal members succeed after prison New Meth & Opioid Coordinator Elaine Robertson wants to be an advocate for those who are falling through the cracks For more information, call 503-879-2026, e-mail elaine. robertson@grandronde.org or send an inquiry to yeʔlan tilixam haws, 9615 Grand Ronde Road, Grand Ronde, OR, 97347. By Danielle Frost Smoke Signals staff writer For almost 30 years, Tribal mem- ber Elaine Robertson has been helping Native Americans who are in prison. She has volunteered in California and Oregon correctional facilities, providing cultural activities and ceremonies, as well as being an ad- vocate or simply someone to listen. “I know that everyone has value and worth,” Robertson says. “They can move forward with life after prison. Sometimes, you just need someone to help you. A lot of people coming out of the prison system lack self-confidence.” Robertson is the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde’s new Meth & Opioid coordinator, a grant-fund- ed position through the U.S. De- partment of Justice. She is heading up a new program called yeʔlan tilixam haws, which means “helper person office” in Chinuk Wawa. Robertson earned two associate degrees from Native American D-Q University in Davis, Calif., and holds a bachelor’s and master’s in environmental science from Oregon State University in Corvallis. She is the granddaughter of Es- ther LaBonte, and the daughter of Lester LaBonte and Nancy Ridlon. She is married to John Robertson and they have four grown children and one grandchild. Previously, she worked for the Tribe as a tourism coordinator and in the Tribal mentorship program. “At the Tribe we have drug and alcohol services, counselors and support groups,” she says. “But people are still falling through the cracks. I am hoping to get to these people and help them be success- ful.” Robertson’s desire to help Tribal members struggling with drug and alcohol addictions is deeply person- al. One of her close family members has struggled with these issues. “I feel like I have been doing (this job) for a long time,” she says. “So when I saw it was available at the Tribe, I thought it would be the perfect fit.” After her years of volunteering in Oregon prisons and with inmates Mercier, Langley, Leno to seek new terms on Tribal Council By Dean Rhodes Smoke Signals editor Three Tribal Council incumbents up for election in September have confirmed their intention to seek another term. Vice Chair Chris Mercier, 44, said he will run for a sixth term on the Grand Ronde Tribe’s governing body. Michael Langley, 53, and Lisa Leno, 51, confirmed their intentions to seek a second term. “Barring some last-minute change of heart, I plan to seek re-election,” Mercier said in an e-mail on Thursday, May 21. Mercier was first elected to Tribal Council in 2004 and was re-elected in 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2017. He received the most votes in ’07 and ’10. He took one year off during that time to attend law school at Michigan State University and is currently attending law school at Lewis & Clark College in Portland. His 15 years on Tribal Council ties him with former Tribal Council Chair Mark Mercier for notching the fifth most years on the govern- ing body. He also served one year as Tribal Council chair from 2006-07. Langley, who received 708 votes in 2017 – the most ever at the time until Chairwoman Cheryle A. Kennedy received 712 votes the following year – said he will seek a second consecutive term on Tribal Council. “It has been my highest honor to serve our Tribe,” he said in an e-mail. “I feel that this current Tribal Council works well together and each of us has an area of spe- cialty or experience to add to the conversation. I have enjoyed this more import work and believe my background in accounting, internal audit at the casino, budget experi- ence, as well as my commitment to culture has a role to play at the table. “Despite the recent challenges with COVID, we are well-posi- tioned thanks to our dedication to establishing endowments in the past and taking action in the last few years to ensure continued growth in them. Our commitment to establishing relationships at the state and national levels of govern- ment as well as the national Native American organizations was also instrumental in making sure we received appropriate funding due to the pandemic. It may be a chal- lenging time, however I think the next several years will be some of our finest moments. It would be an honor to continue my role at the table so, yes, I will be seeking another term this election year.” Leno finished third in 2017 with 648 votes to garner her first three- year term on Tribal Council. She al- most was elected to Tribal Council the previous year, finishing three votes behind Denise Harvey in fourth place in 2016. Tribal Council nominations are tentatively set for 11 a.m. Sunday, June 28, in the Tribal Community Center. Photo by Timothy J. Gonzalez Meth & Opioid Coordinator Elaine Robertson was recently hired to lead the Tribe’s ye?lan tilixam haws program, which means “helper person office” in Chinuk Wawa. The program aims to help Tribal members who are having issues with drugs and alcohol. after they are released, Robertson has gotten to know parole and probation officers in Polk County. She says she hopes to utilize these connections to help Tribal members who are re-entering society, some- times after an extended period of time. However, the paroled person needs to sign a release stating that it is OK for their probation officer to contact Robertson. “I want to work with the counsel- ors and be there every step of the way,” she says. “I can help connect them with services to be successful. We want to get the word out that this help is available to our Tribal members.” One of the big roadblocks peo- ple face after being released from prison is finding safe and suitable housing. For example, those with felony convictions for drug sales or manufacturing are often barred from rental housing. “I will try to figure out what re- sources people do have and it will mean a lot of outreach and collab- oration so I can send our Tribal members out to where they can succeed,” Robertson says. The new program is a response to needs expressed at Tribal com- munity meetings and surveys over multiple years, which indicate drug and alcohol abuse remain among the highest concerns. According to information pro- vided by Robertson’s office, both marijuana and poppy crops have been found growing on the Res- ervation. Additionally, the Grand Ronde Housing Department spends $109,400 in abatement for metham- phetamines per unit (10 of 21 units in 2017 required abatement). According to information provid- ed to the Department of Justice for the program grant, Grand Ronde represents less than 3 percent of Polk County’s population, but methamphetamine crimes repre- sent four times the rate of other areas in Polk County. Heroin cas- es represent more than 10 times the average rate of Polk County. For driving under the influence of intoxicant arrests, Grand Ronde experiences four times the rate of Polk County. In response, the Tribe applied for and received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice COPS Office to fund Robertson’s position for three years. Grand Ronde Tribal Police Chief Jake McKnight says he has been a “huge advocate” of the new pro- gram. It is his estimate that more than 50 percent of the crimes com- mitted in the community “have some sort of drug nexus.” “I believe this position will help with recidivism because the Tribe will have someone to talk to (Tribal members) while they are incarcer- ated and have a plan for them when they get out,” he says. “I hope the (program) coordinator can stand at the exit of the jail and give these people a ride to rehab before they have a chance to use again.” Robertson encourages Tribal members who are currently incar- cerated and will be released soon, as well as their family members, to reach out if they need assistance. “Ideally, I see myself as an ad- vocate for Tribal members who need help,” Robertson says. “The disparity of the statistics shows me that there is something we are not doing right despite the wonderful services that we have.” Are you frustrated with your diabetes control? Do you have questions about diabetes? Do you need help managing your diabetes? If so… Call the Medical Clinic today at 503-879-2002 To schedule an individual diabetes education appointment