Update: May 2008

 

• GLLATP Steering Committee members represent vested partners – Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Cass Lake – Bena Schools, Cass County and greater Leech Lake area community members – collaborating with a two-year project to determine feasibility of an adolescent treatment center with a foundation of Ojibwe traditions to be located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.  GLLATP continues to meet regularly.  Meetings consist of progress reviews of sub-committee work - Stakeholder, Treatment Modality, and Site and Facility.  GLLATP members and experts in the areas of mental health, chemical dependency, Ojibwe traditions, and land and construction development represent Sub-committee teams.

LINK TO COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

LINK TO GLLATP SYNOPSIS OF WORK PLAN

• Stakeholder Sub-committee reports the Regional Stakeholder Dialogue Meeting held on April 21, 2008, resulted in productive dialogue of areas of interest to those who attended.  Attendance consisted of concerned citizens, native and non-native Mental Health and Chemical Dependency professionals, Cass County Social Services, school Social Workers and educators.  Persons interested in assisting with the project were identified by expertise.

• Treatment Modality Sub-committee reports progress in identifying traditional leaders within the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe whose expertise, rich with traditions and healing practices of the Ojibwe, is the foundation of various components of the adolescent treatment modality development.  The framework of the treatment modality is expected to be complete by the end of May.

• Site and Facility Sub-committee reports favoring a specific land option and is working with the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Land Division to administer various land use assessments assuring feasibility for its intended use.  Technical assistance is required at this phase and a local developer is sought to provide guidance with the conceptual development of the facility, oversight of the land assessments, and assist with the assurances required for grant requests specific to construction projects.

• The needs assessment portion of the Comprehensive Feasibility Study has been completed.  The needs assessment displays the adolescent populace and statistics of tremendous social and economic barriers created by alcohol and drug abuse.

• The feasibility of programming, capacity, and sustainability continues based upon the need for culturally relevant adolescent inpatient treatment for the population of American Indian youth of the Leech Lake Band (2000 +).  Preliminary opinion reveals an increasing need, based on research of historical data of adolescent inpatient treatment indicators.  Documented success rates with American Indian traditional healing practices when utilized with evidenced-based treatment modalities have been identified.