Product of HNI

This week for my Social Work 541 class we were asked to read the book Healing and Mental Health for Native Americans.  The 3rd chapter of the book was on Reducing Substance Abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities, The Healthy Nations Initiative.

While reading this chapter in particular some of my childhood experiences started coming into focus.  Little did I know, the clinic that I have gone to for my entire life, United Indian Health Services (UIHS), was part of the Healthy Nations Initiative.  UIHS was funded by HNI around the time that I was going through High School.  Growing up, I would say that I had a privileged childhood; two parents who loved each other and their children were the center of their world, had a roof over my head with my very own bedroom, plenty of food to eat, and a close tight knit family.  At the beginning of my freshman year in High School tragedy struck our family and my father was killed in an accident at work.  This tragedy sent me and my family into a tailspin.  I slowly, but surely started getting into the party scene and started drinking more and more.  By the time I was a junior in high school I had quite a bit of experience with alcohol, and this is about the time UIHS had joined the HNI.  Even though I was a decent student, played sports, and didn't get into trouble, I was labeled as an "at risk" youth.  I was a Native American student whose father had died and I was drinking alcohol.  Looking back, this was about the time that me and a group of other "at risk" Native American student started getting pulled out of class to attend a group meeting where we hung out and talked about risks of substance abuse as well as our culture and things that interested us.  It was a time in my life that I was needing to feel connected to something and this was an avenue for me to start getting re-connected with my culture and feel like I belonged somewhere.  There were also Native activities that us kids were able to get involved in.  We had contests to design anti smoking logos, basketball tournaments that promoted a substance free lifestyle, Teen Advisory Group (TAG), and culture camps.  By the time my senior  year in high school rolled around I was not interested drinking as much anymore and more looking towards my future and where I was going to college.  As a child, you don't think much about why there are activities for you all of a sudden or the why a push to get more involved with cultural events, you just do them so you aren't bored or you want to hang out with your friends.  It was a trip for me to read that chapter and realize that I am a product of The Healthy Nations Initiative.  Programs like these do work, and I am a living example of that.