Sterling Harjo spoke to the Native Nations Youth before viewing his recent film "Barking Water" at Youth Services Coffee House in February.
Restoring Harmony Pow Wow - A Great Success
On Saturday, May 8, 2010, the Tulsa Indian Community Advisory Team (TICAT), the Strength & Restoring Harmony (GSRH) System of Care and the Native Nations Youth Council presented the 3rd Annual Restoring Harmony Pow Wow at the Westside YMCA. The Restoring Harmony Pow Wow was presented in partnership with Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa's (IHCRC) GSRH System of Care and Strengthening Our Native Youth (SONY) Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention programs.
Photos of last year's Restoring Harmony Pow Wow
The Restoring Harmony Pow Wow is an annual celebration to recognize National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. Over 800 people attended the event including spectators, dancers, singers, volunteers, arts and crafts vendors and exhibitor booths. The pow wow was a great success, thanks to all of the community support and involvement. We could not have asked for a better day and location for our children and their families to be together around the arena.
Emcees provide the energy necessary for a successful pow wow and IHCRC would like to thank our masters of ceremonies, Mr. Mark Wilson and Mr. Robby Boston, for providing that energy. As well, we want to give a special thank you to Mr. Rob Anquoe, Arena Director, for keeping the arena in rhythm while taking care of the drums, dancers and arena activities. Aho (thank you).
We had several speakers (youth, elders and mental health professionals) throughout the day emphasizing the importance of mental health and its relation to overall wellness. Our keynote speakers were Ms. Carrie Slatton Hodges, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS) Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Jeff Tallent, Executive Director of the Evolution Foundation and Oklahoma Federation of Families consultant, and Ms. Jackie Shipp, ODMHSAS Director of Community Based Services. Mental health awareness messages were also posted on signs around the arena by members of the Native Nations Youth Council.
This special day started with a Mental Health Awareness and Wellness Walk led by IHCRC Activity Specialist Kevin Heeney. Following the walk, Native American sports historian Mr. Matt Roberts (principal at Owasso High School) educated the group and celebrated the history of Native American athletes. Next up on the event program, the Euchee language program students demonstrated some unique and fun ways to teach their Native language. Following the language program presentation, the ceremonial activities got underway in the arena with gourd dancing. A prayer was offered for the host gourd dancer "Dwayne Cahwee" and his family, as they recently experienced the loss of a family member and were unable to attend. As is our custom, Native American people are always ready to help and we were fortunate to have a representative from the Pawnee Black Beard Descendants step up and assume the position of Head Gourd Dancer.
A pow wow is not a pow wow without beautiful songs - a thousand Aho's to Mr. Lance Goodfox, Head Singer and Ryan Goodfox, Head Youth singer. Mr. Joe Don Waters led the host Northern Drum, Tall Grass, and the Red Land drum group also represented the Northern Drum. Many songs were sung and members of the Native Nations Youth Council were invited and received the opportunity to sing with these well respected drum groups.
We want to recognize and thank our Head Man and Lady dancers, Mr. Jiles T. Pourier and Ms. Claudia Tyner Little Axe. Also, special thanks go out to our
Last, but certainly not least, thank you to the pow wow staff for their tireless and dedicated commitment to the event. Every element of the event went smoothly including morning activities, afternoon gourd dancing, vendor and exhibitor booths, dinner, Grand Entry, and pow wow contest dancing.
In closing, we would like to thank all of you for attending the 2010 Restoring Harmony Pow Wow and helping us bring awareness to and destigmatize mental health issues. Please walk in beauty and we'll see you next year.
Native American Systems of Care
Indian Health Care Resource Center of Tulsa (IHCRC) has partnered with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to be a Community Project Site for Oklahoma Systems of Care for the next six years. This collaboration is a follow-up to the Circles of Care community planning grant IHCRC received in 2005. With the Systems of Care project IHCRC will serve Native American youth (ages 0-21) in the greater Tulsa area. To be eligible for participation in this program, the identified youth must have a diagnosable behavioral or emotional disorder (i.e., ADHD, anxiety, depression, alcohol and/or drug use, etc.) with impairment experienced in the home, school, and/or community environments.
Systems of Care involves mental health service providers and other organizations and individuals working together as partners to provide care for children with serious emotional disturbance. With input from the child and the family, the partners plan and put into place a tailored set of services to meet the child's physical, emotional, social, educational and family needs. The goal of the Systems of Care Team is to help these children get all the services they need in or near their own communities. The team finds and builds upon the strengths of the child and family, rather than focusing solely on their problems.
As IHCRC works towards developing and refining the Systems of Care for the Native American population in the greater Tulsa area, we will also be working with other programs/departments within IHCRC towards several goals, including:
- Increasing the number and diversity of culturally relevant activities available to Native American youth and their families;
- Developing prevention/intervention programs for Native American youth having difficulties with substance use and abuse;
- Increasing visibility and access to IHCRC for the Native American population in the greater Tulsa area that are not currently accessing or aware of services available; and
- Developing and implementing social marketing techniques to increase awareness for the need for behavioral health and substance abuse treatment services for Native American children, youth and their families.
What is a System of Care?
A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families and youth work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person's cultural and linguistic needs. A system of care helps children, youth, and families function better at home, in school, in the community, and throughout life.
Why are Systems of Care needed?
Five to nine percent of children and youth between ages 9 and 17 have serious emotional disturbances that cause substantial functional impairment, and many do not receive the supports and services they need to reach their full potential at home, at school, and in their communities. Children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families need supports and services from many different child- and family-serving agencies and organizations. Often, these agencies and organizations are serving the same children, youth, and families. By creating partnerships among these groups, systems of care are able to coordinate services and supports that meet the ever-changing needs of each child, youth, and family. Coordinated services and supports lead to improved outcomes for children, youth, and families, and help prevent the duplication of services for authorized care among government agencies. Source: Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Read more about the transistion from Circles of Care to Systems of Care.