Three Akwesasne individuals recognized for drug and alcohol work

Two women and one man from Akwesasne were recognized last week at the Northern Tier Providers Coalition 11th Annual Conference & Awards Banquet. The event was held on Nov. 5 in Lake Placid.

This year award winners were:

*PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD: Connie Thompson, CASAC, Outpatient Coordination, St. Regis Mohawk Health Services; for demonstrated initiative, foresight and/or a continuing active participation in their official capacity which has resulted in the broadening of knowledge of the field of chemical dependency, or as a result of such activities, increase the level of service in quality or quantity to those suffering from chemical dependency.

Connie has been working in the substance abuse field for 23 years and has been the Outpatient Coordinator at the SRMHS for 17 years. Connie has great foresight and has been able to adapt to the ever-changing field of addictions. Her outpatient program continues to provide quality care in times of adversity and this is the direct result of her ability to educate, train and motivate her clinical staff. Connie is innovative and is always looking for new ways to provide treatment services in a manner that will encourage and motivate clients. She broadens the knowledge of the field of chemical dependency by getting involved in different committees such as: The Family Courts Task Force Committee; the Prenatal Committee; The STOP Domestic Violence Committee, and the Franklin County Drug Court Treatment Team representing our Native American clients. Connie is a hard working public servant who remains dedicated to the provisions of quality care to those individuals suffering form the disease of chemical dependency.

*COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Melerena Back, CPS, Prevention Coordination, St. Regis Mohawk Health Services; for her contribution to the field of chemical dependency in New York State and their commitment to enhancing healthy lifestyles in their community and hiring people in recovery, giving empowerment and taking professional care of the people that may need special support, through their leadership and healthy lifestyle practices and policies within their organization.

Melerena Back has worked in the field of substance abuse prevention for seven years and has been our Prevention Coordinator for four years. Melerena contributes greatly to the field of chemical dependency in New York State by being committed to the provision of substance abuse prevention services on the St. Regis Mohawk Indian Reservation and in the Salmon River Central School District. Melerena’s prevention program enhances healthy lifestyles in the Mohawk community in many ways, including: maintaining a strong prevention coalition; facilitating the “The Too Good For Drugs” curriculum in the Headstart Program, the elementary schools, and the junior high school; providing after-school activities; doing educational lectures in the community; public awareness on the local radio stations, billboards, and in the newspaper; providing educational information to parents; facilitating monthly/prevention activities for our youth; providing summer activities in July; doing school based prevention counseling, intervention, and referral; involving youth in cultural activities and sitting on community committees. Melerena is an excellent role model for our youth being a strong traditionally minded Native American woman, career oriented, wife and mother of four and dedicated to the prevention of alcoholism/chemical dependency in our communities.

*PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Dan Jacobs, CASAC, Clinical Director, St. Regis Mohawk Health Services; given to an individual whose long dedicated service in the field of addiction has benefited treatment and or prevention agencies, their workforce, residents and communities.

Dan Jacobs started his career in the field of addictions 20 years ago as a counselor for the Partridge House inpatient program. He then moved on to become the Inpatient Coordinator for a few years before taking over as Clinical Director 15 years ago. Under Dan’s direction, Partridge House, the only Native American inpatient treatment program east of the Mississippi and licensed by the State of New York OASAS, grew from a 10 bed to a 16 bed facility serving all of the United and South Eastern Tribes. The Prevention Program, which began with one prevention counselor, now has a coordinator and three prevention specialists. The Prevention Program facilitates curriculum in three schools and runs prevention activities through out the year. The Outpatient Program, which is also the only Native American outpatient program licensed by New York State OASAS, has continued to expand its services to meet the needs of the Mohawk community at Akwesasne. Dan has worked very hard to ensure that qualify addiction treatment and prevention services continue to be available to members of the Native American community by encouraging his staff to continue upgrading their knowledge and skills in the field of addictions and to incorporate their Native values and traditions in their approach to treatment. Dan also spearheaded the formation of the Native American Treatment Providers Coalition five years ago. The coalition consists of treatment provider representatives from the Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Tuscarora and Mohawk Nations. The coalition meets quarterly to provide support to one another, to maintain and improve communication between agencies regarding: referrals, continuum of care, payment for services, funding and training. Dan should be commended for his dedication to wellness in his community and for his ability to reach out and share his beliefs and knowledge with surrounding communities.

The Coalition is comprised of chemical dependency program (treatment and prevention) and community service directors of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties to advocate and work cooperatively to insure delivery of a comprehensive continuum of care within Northern New York including prevention, intervention and treatment. Congratulations on your awards.