Volume 2, No. 8 Fall 2014 “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” — Chief Seattle, 1854 Celebrating Recovery INSIDE Celebrating Recovery in American Celebrating Recovery in American Indian/Alaska Native Communities. .1 Indian/Alaska Native Communities ST Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy . .2 Now in its 25th year, Recovery that has offered sobriety, recovery, New IHS Division Director Month promotes the societal benefits of addic-tions prevention, and wellness of Behavioral Health . .3 prevention, treatment, and recovery for learning resources since 1988. White Eugenia Tyner-Dawson: Connecting Passion mental and substance use disorders. This Bison’s culturally based programs are with Purpose in Coming Full Circle . 3 year’s theme, “Join the Voices for available to the Native American Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out,” community across the country, and many Tribal Programs Gaining in Number encourages people to talk openly about non-Native people also use its training and Strength . 5 mental and substance use disorders. It is resources and products. These programs— Four-Day Run in Celebration of Sobriety important for people to discuss the reality which are implemented in communities, and Health from One Rez to Another . .5 of recovery, ways of recognizing schools, and prisons—have helped thousands behavioral health issues, and how to reach of people in recovery. White Bison Culturally Competent Recovery out for help. offers programs for youth (which include Services and the AI/AN Community . .6 general life teachings) and resources that President Obama Engages Native Youth To celebrate this special month and highlight support healthy fatherhood, motherhood, at My Brother’s Keeper Town Hall . .8 voices for recovery in Indian and families. The President and First Lady’s Historic Country, Prevention & Recovery spoke Visit to Indian Country . .8 with Kateri Coyhis, Director of White “Wellbriety Is a Way of Life” Reflections . .9 Bison in Colorado Springs, CO (http:// “All White Bison’s programs present a www.whitebison.org). White Bison is a core set of culturally based principles, Announcements, Resources & Events . 10 nonprofit organization values, and (continued on page 4) Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy: Native America’s Link to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration “The creation of the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy represents a change in how OTAP’S “LIST OF 10” PRIORITY ACTIONS SAMHSA partners with, advocates for, and supports the behavioral health needs of 1. Initiate development of a SAMHSA Tribal 6. Establish a SAMHSA AI/AN Communica- American Indians/Alaska Natives,” says Mirtha Behavioral Health Policy Agenda that is tions Strategy to more effectively reach and Beadle, Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy developed in concert with tribal engage tribal leaders on issues that may (OTAP) Director. In August, Substance Abuse leaders, representatives of tribal have an impact on their communities. and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator Pamela Hyde organizations, SAMHSA Centers and announced the formation of OTAP, which is Offices, and other partners. organizationally housed in the Office of Planning, Policy, and Innovation. OTAP’s overall goal 2. Actively promote and facilitate tribal, 7. Support the development of a tribal is to improve the behavioral health of federal, state, and local collaborations and affairs landing page on the SAMHSA American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) actions that address the behavioral health website to facilitate access to information by leading and supporting SAMHSA-wide initiatives to deliver resources and services needs of Native youth. that is pertinent to tribal leaders and to tribal commu-nities. OTAP serves as of data that could assist tribes in their tribal communities. SAMHSA’s central resource for all tribal appli-cation for federal grants and manage affairs, tribal policy, tribal consul-tation, tribal their SAMHSA grant projects. advisory, and Tribal Law and Order Act responsibilities. 3. Work to increase the number of SAMHSA 8. Fulfill SAMHSA’s Tribal Law and Order Act Prevention & Recovery spoke with Ms. grants that are awarded to tribes. responsibilities through OIASA, which Beadle about OTAP’s priorities, staff, and seeks to improve federal agency vision. OTAP’s work includes consultation, coordination and achieve meaningful outreach, education, and stakeholder progress on the reduction of alcohol and engagement. The Office of Indian substance abuse among the AI/AN population. Alcohol and Substance Abuse (OIASA), which is now part of OTAP, will be 4. Support efforts to improve the availability 9. Engage with the SAMHSA Tribal Technical involved in these efforts. “With the Advisory Committee to identify AI/AN formation of OTAP, we have an behav-ioral health priorities and shape the unprecedented opportunity to connect agency’s policy agenda. behavioral health-related work—by SAMHSA, and because of OIASA, by other 5. Oversee and effectively manage imple- 10. Ensure progress on the SAMHSA Tribal federal agencies—in a more cohesive and mentation of the updated SAMHSA Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda through the thoughtful way,” says Ms. Beadle. “People Consultation Policy. SAMHSA American Indian Alaska involved with OIASA have worked very hard. This is a good time to refresh the Native Team. commitment to our current partners and engage with new collaborators. Now is a “I’d like to personally thank Rod to mention them by name, we are grateful good time to look at our goals down the Robinson, Director of OIASA for the past 2 for their efforts and look forward to working road and take a fresh perspective on how years, for his commitment to improving with them,” says Ms. Beadle. to get there,” she adds. the lives of tribal communities. Look for his article in this edition of the Prevention OTAP has already mapped out a set of initial steps & Recovery newsletter,” says Ms. Beadle. When asked about her vision for OTAP in 5 years, Ms. Beadle replied: “I would love to see for “getting there” by identifying high-priority The following OTAP staff members are also us speak with one voice about behavioral activities for the coming months (see “OTAP’s ‘List deserving of our thanks and recognition: Sharece Tyer, who serves as communications health issues in Native communities. of 10’ Priority Actions”). “These are certainly not lead; Jean Plaschke, who leads efforts for SAMHSA’s programming should account our only priorities. We narrowed this list of 10 from Native youth; Sheila Cooper, who is the Senior for the uniqueness of tribal communities a larger list of about 40,” Ms. Beadle explains. Advisor for Tribal Affairs; and Michael and meet their behavioral health needs. All too often, we view behavioral health “We encourage OTAP stakeholders to see Koscinski, who coordinates tribal action planning efforts. “OTAP staff will be programming through a general themselves as part of these priorities and to working closely with the Indian Alcohol and population lens and fit Native issues into contact us to become involved in making Substance Abuse Coordinating Committee that perspective. Sometimes that works, but them happen.” Anyone can reach the Office to promote Native American health and it is often inappro-priate. OTAP will have a different approach to addressing grants, by email (otap@ samhsa.hhs.gov). Look for wellness. Of course, OTAP has a host of working to meet the objec-tives of tribal more information on the AI/AN page when the collaborators and partners—within SAMHSA and at other federal agencies—that do leaders, and supporting improve-ments to new SAMHSA website (http://www.samhsa.gov) phenomenal work for Indian Country. state-tribal relationships so the agency can is launched soon. Although we do not have enough space meet the unique behavioral health needs of Native communities.” (contune to page 3) Prevention & Recovery 2 Fall 2014 New IHS Division Director of Behavioral Health as the Director, IHS Division of Prior to IHS, she served as adjunct Behavioral Health. Dr. Cotton is an faculty at Vanderbilt University School enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of of Nursing and was employed at Our Choctaw Indians from the Pearl River Kids Center, Inc. an integrated community in Choctaw, Missis-sippi. She behavioral health and medical holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Vanderbilt University, Masters of evaluation center for children and Science in Nursing as a Primary Care adolescent victims of sexual violence. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from the Her prior positions include various University of Alabama at Birmingham, nursing and management positions in and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing the private sector and with the from the University of Southern Mississippi Choctaw Tribe. In her role as Mississippi. the Director, Division of Behav-ioral Dr. Cotton’s career began with the Health, Dr. Cotton will provide Indian Health Service in 2011 as a public managerial leadership to continue the health advisor in the Division of advancement of the agency’s Alcohol Behavioral Health where she launched and Substance Abuse Program, Mental the Tribal Forensic Healthcare Training Health Program, Domestic Violence Dr. Beverly Cotton Project and helped to revise the recently Prevention Initiative, Tribal Forensic The Indian Health Service (IHS), established Indian Health Manual, Chapter