Prescription Drugs Takes Center Stage at Annual Drug/Gang Summit

FIFTH ANNUAL DRUG/GANG SUMMIT HELD

Royce Kingbird drummer and champion grass dancer

The fifth annual Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit was held at the Red Lake Seven Clans Casino Event Center on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday February 15 to 17, 2011 from 8 am to 4 pm.

The Red Lake Singers Drum

The 2011 Summit, the theme of which was entitled “Leading the Way”, was attended by more than 300 registrants. Daytime activities included workshops, break out sessions, and presentations on street drugs, prescription drugs, public safety, Living a Positive Lifestyle, education, gang identification/intervention, and traditional teachings. As is customary in Indian Country, lunch was served each day, along with door prizes and much more.

Chemical Health Director Tom Barrett visits with Trason Cloud

Tom Barrett, executive director of Red Lake Chemical Health Programs, was the master of ceremonies. In his opening remarks, Barrett commented on Red Lake’s collaboration with Leech Lake and White Earth Reservations on Education, Economic Development and other areas. "Chemical Health is no exception", he said, "and Red Lake has and will continue to work with Leech Lake and White Earth on health issues, which has resulted in a positive collaboration".

“We take clients from other reservations and we send them clients,” Barrett stated. “We help each other out. It’s all about helping people.”

Marilyn Mountain of Chemical Health makes a point.

Something new was introduced at the summit this year as Chemical Health continues investigations into better defining alcohol and drug problems and solutions on the reservation. A survey was passed out called the “Red Lake Epidemiological Outcome Workgroup Adult Community Survey”. The survey was an opportunity to obtain a collection of information from summit participants about their personal experiences with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Information obtained will help better serve the community.

Spiritual Elder Larry Stillday pays homage to the Drum

SUMMIT AGENDA
Presentation Highlights
DAY ONE
The summit kicked off with opening remarks and introductions by Tom Barrett. This was followed by an opening prayer by Spiritual Elder Larry Stillday, and a song by the Red Lake Singers. At about 9:30 AM, welcoming remarks were heard from Red Lake Chairman Floyd Jourdain, Jr. Included in his remarks was a statement that Jourdain would declare a “Public Health Emergency” on the Red Lake Indian Reservation regarding drug abuse and public health, and how to address that problem.

Red Lake Chairman Floyd Jourdain, Jr. declared a public health emergency.

Red Lake Chemical Health provided the first informational presentation. Director Barrett said when he first started his employment with Red Lake Chemical Health Programs, he saw mostly alcohol and marijuana dependency among drug users. “Then crack cocaine came storming in a few years back,” Barret said. “Now it’s prescription drugs.”

According to a national survey, taken in 2009 on drug use and health, from the US Department of Health and Human Services, over half of the non-medical users of prescription-type drugs aged 12 or older received the drugs “from a friend or relative for free.” The majority of these respondents also admitted a friend or relative had obtained the drugs from a doctor.

Charlene Defoe of Red Lake Chemical Health

Colin “Kelly” Brunelle, criminal investigator at Red Lake then took the podium with “Statistics from Public Safety”. He said law enforcement alone cannot stop the drug abuse problem. “We’ve had some deaths on the reservation because of prescription drug abuse,” he said. Prescription medication abuse involves the non-medical use of any prescription-type pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants or sedatives. “We are not alone”, said Brunelle, “all of Indian Country has a prescription drug use problem.”

Charlene and Darren Defoe with hand drums

Brunelle said people assume taking doctor-prescribed medication that is not their own often do not consider their actions as dangerous. “We need to sit down as a community with our law enforcement, our pharmacy and hospital and try and work out a plan,” Brunelle said. “It’s not going to get any better unless we do something now. It is not possible for law enforcement to do this alone.”

Collette Nedeau

When asked how the Chairman’s declared “state of emergency” will affect law enforcement on the reservation, Brunelle said the pharmacy and hospital will now be “forced” to work with law enforcement and come up with a plan to overcome this problem. “One has to also realize the hospital and the pharmacy are a source of the problem. It’s not the only source, but it plays a major role,” Brunelle said.

Cardwell C. Nuckles, next gave a very interesting talk that captured the full attention of the audience. The title of the presentation was “The Addictive Brain”, or how drugs affect the brain. Nuckles is an internationally recognized expert in such areas as behavioral medicine and addictions treatment. His background is in advanced work in medical research, pharmacology, education and psychology.

Mylo Smith as Motivational Speaker

Mylo Smith, a motivational speaker, topped off the day with a presentation on “Living a Positive Lifestyle”. Smith also provided the evening entertainment on Tuesday. Smith is not only a motivational speaker, but an entertainer and stand-up comic with a message about positive life styles and wellness.

Mylo Smith as Stand-Up Comic

Day 2
Rick Moldenhauer started off day two after and opening prayer, with a presentation entitled, “Not What the Doctor Ordered - Alcohol, Opiates and Other Drugs in Minnesota”. Moldenhauer is a treatment services consultant at the Alcohol and Drug abuse Division of the Department of Human Services.

Brent Gish and Dan King Red Lake Schools Superintendent and President of Red Lake Nation College respectively, were next up with a session on “The Importance of Education”.

Evelyn McKenzie and Arlys Stillday discuss the day's happenings

Gary Russell, Program Director at Evergreen Shelter in Bemidji made the last presentation of the day. Evergreen Shelter serves youth 9-17 who are in crisis, homeless or runaways. Russell initiated and facilitated the Bemidji based Multi-County Gang Task Force for four years. The majority of his education on gangs and the gang lifestyle have come directly from gang affiliated youth. Russell did two Sessions separated by a fifteen minute break entitled, “Gang Identification” and “Gang Intervention”.

Day 3
A session on “Traditional Teachings” followed an opening prayer and drum song on the morning of Day Three. This session was followed by a “closing break out session” to evaluate the summit’s activities, brainstorm ideas to champion, and then how to apply those ideas in the reservation’s communities.

Participants met in small groups of four to six to tackle various aspects discussed during the two days of presentations. Traditional teachings were considered quite important to achieve these goals.

During report times, the groups came up with several action items. They included but were not limited to: getting all applicable tribal programs to join with public safety in the fight; more kids need to attend these programs and the drug/gang conference; all at the summit should bring someone new to the event next year; consistent communications are needed between various programs; these ideas need to be applied in the communities, schools, PTO; there needs to be more community involvement with the schools and to provide cultural education; special speakers need to come into the schools, e.g. ex-gang members or ex-drug users; and removing graffiti immediately are just a small number of the ideas expressed.

Elders & kids all enjoy the dance

ROUND DANCE SOCIAL
Wednesday at 6 PM featured a Round Dance Social, featuring hand drumming and singing in the Cree and Ojibwe style.


Perhaps twenty drummers and singers made a circle around several tables in the center of the event center, taking turns with songs. Many watched, listened and danced.

MISSION AND GOAL OF THE DRUG/GANG SUMMIT 

The mission of the Red Lake Drug and Gang Summit is to educate and mobilize tribal agencies, professionals, schools and community members in a variety of efforts opposed to illegal drugs on the Red Lake Reservation. The goal of the summit is to produce committees that will advise communities on how to effectively address issues of crime, drugs and violence while working closely with district representatives and the Red Lake Tribal Council.

Traveling Song

The impetus for the event began at a special Tribal Council meeting in September 2006. At that time it was announced that the Tribal Chairman was calling for a summit on Methamphetamine/crack cocaine to be held. The Indian & Free Drug Program, Project Safe Neighborhoods and the Red Lake Nation Coalition (White Bison) now the Seven Clans Wellbriety Coalition was instructed to head the summit.

Charlene Defoe has advice for all "Party Like It's 1491".