Nechi Institute on Alcohol and Drug Education (From Native Americans, Crime, and Justice, P 271-277, 1996, Marianne O Nielsen and Robert A Silverman, eds. -- See NCJ-168132)

• NCJ Number: 168164
• Author(s): M Hodgson
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 7 pages
• Sale Source: Westview Press, Inc
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. Edited version of an article in Canadian Woman Studies, V 10, N 2/3 (1990).

Annotation

This chapter describes the work of the Nechi Institute in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), which trains Native people in how to design and implement drug treatment and prevention programs in their Native communities.

Abstract

Training has moved from 30 percent on alcoholism and 70 percent personal and community development to 30 percent on personal and community development and 70 percent on alcohol and drug addiction. The training addresses primary prevention and secondary and tertiary skills development. The academic level of entrance to the program has moved from grade 7 to grades 11 and 12, from no reading to regular curriculum with extensive reading requirements, and from no planning to extensive planning in level of prevention. Counselors stay in the field for an average of 2 1/2 years. Studies of a random sample of 300 participants of the 2,000 people that have been trained show that 36 percent have gone on to further education, 49 percent moved into leadership positions, and 65 percent sit on community boards and associations. Some Nechi graduates have continued on into and are completing their education in the fields of psychology, nursing, social work, education, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Nechi organization is now staffed by Indian academics and paraprofessionals. This chapter also describes some of the drug treatment and prevention programs that have been established in Native communities as a result of the leadership of Nechi graduates.