|
BCIFV home
> Newsletter > 1994
Archives > Summer 1994 articles
Hey-way'-noqu'
Healing Circle for Addictions Society
The Hey-way'-noqu' Healing Circle for Addictions Society
has been researching and exploring different treatment modalities
to approach the issues of family violence. You may ask, "Why
is a drug and alcohol program designed for Metis and First
Nations families getting involved with family violence issues?"
It is probably because 80% of our clients have been involved
in or currently have a domestic violence issue in their family.
Hey-way'-noqu' has been focusing on the violence intervention
program being presented by Ina-maka, a First Nation family
outpatient treatment centre in Seattle, Washington. This violence
intervention program is being sponsored by the United Indians
of all Tribes, also based in Seattle, WA.
This program is for perpetrators of family violence. It
has a holistic treatment approach that uses First Nations
traditional ceremonies based on the medicine wheel. This program
also has a drug and alcohol abstinence model built into it.
All participants in this project must remain drug and alcohol
free while they are involved in the treatment process, unlike
other models that feel they cannot include an abstinence process
because no one will show up. Hey-way'-noqu' believes that
alcohol and drugs are inter-connected with family violence
and that this connection must be addressed if the problem
of violence is to be addressed in the family.
In addition, the Ina-maka model works directly with law
enforcement and victim assistance programs. The Ina-maka program
works hand in hand with the court system and to make information
available to victim assistance programs in order to help victims
to have knowledge of the perpetrator's progress in the violence
treatment program for the sake of the victim's safety.
The Ina-maka model time-line of treatment has a lot to offer
clients. When a client comes into the program they will participate
in a 12-week anger management group. After the 12-week group
program is finished the participant will enter a 24-week group
program on the dynamics of spousal assault. When the 24-week
program is finished, there is a one year check-in group that
is also accompanied by once a month one to one counselling.
The model is set up for both men and women. Traditionally,
perpetrator programs have been mainly for men, but little
is known about the issues of women who are perpetrators of
family violence. This was the only program we found that addressed
both men and women.
Hey-way'-noqu' also likes the standards used for training
counsellors to work in the Ina-maka model. The standards for
training are the same as those used for certification in Washington
state, and a counsellor must have a minimum number of hours
of training to attain certification.
Hey-way'-noqu' staff have completed the Ina-maka training
program given at the Northwest Indian College in Lummi, WA.
The Hey-way'-noqu' program is now putting the Ina-maka model
into action. We have already completed the men's and women's
12-week programs this spring. Hey-way'-noqu' is now going
to develop the 24-week program.
The first group has been very successful and the participants
are looking forward to more programs in this area. But Hey-way'-noqu'
needs domestic violence funds now to employ more counsellors
in order to expand the program.
All my relations!!!
Bob Manning, Acting Program Coordinator
Hey-way'-noqu' Healing Circle for Addictions Society
#206 - 33 East Broadway
Vancouver, B.C. V5T 1V4
Phone: (604) 874-1831
Fax: (604) 874-5235
|
