Community Meeting Focuses on Future Detox Center in Akwesasne

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s atrium was filled to capacity with community members: men and women of all ages, young parents, and Elders. The crowd also included those who work in the field of prevention, addiction, and counseling. The meeting had a united “of one mind” feeling on saving our community from the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction. There were many who spoke openly about their own experiences of being addicted to drugs or alcohol or both. There were family members who spoke of how addiction tears at the core of the family and at the heart of each family member.

With the common thread of creating an avenue of immediately helping an addict through a detox center, people were respectful when speaking and listening to one another. Each speaker drew a round of applause as each idea, each suggestion, each recommendation was taken as valued words to a common plague among small communities such as ours and in large cities across North America.

People shared their theories on why we face such addictions such as the cultural, judicial, environmental and historical genocide, which entrenched our parents, our grandparents and great-grandparents in residential schools, small pox, oppression and internalized oppression. Others spoke of how treatment centers need to focus on bringing our people back within the comfort of our culture and culturally based activities that would strengthen our youth. Several community members stressed the need for a mental health component and how vital it is to the detox center’s success.

SAMHSA was mentioned as a source for support monetary support and information. SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

People said what needed to be said to all to understand the gravity of the situation; a young man no older than 22 sharing his story of how he is free of drugs but his body still wants drugs all – the – time. He started drinking at age 10, did drugs at 12. In his words, “addictions have no choice, they chose anyone”.

Another spoke of how we all know who sells drugs and how each and every community member must take responsibility for their own actions and learn how to be families again.

Yet another spoke of how we need to be educated on the early signs of addiction.

Many spoke on the reintegration of people returning from treatment programs and how we need to provide support in finding a job and housing as many have burned every bridge they had before coming clean.

Another spoke passionately about her recovery and the recovery of her son and how Akwesasne needs to offer more than sports, we need to offer the arts,

Praise was given to the Akwesasne Coalition for Community Empowerment, the people who work every day in direct contact with people who face addiction, those with their “boots on the ground and in the trenches”. They are still here and they are not giving up on our children.

Eagle Watch mentioned this.

The reality of a detox center coming to fruition is money. Where the funding will come from, what restrictions will that money have, where will the actual detox center be housed. A community member offered a large building on Route 37, another stated to be clear of NYS and Federal regulation that would impose restrictions on how the detox center could be run.

Many shared the frustration of restrictions, rules and regulations that often places an addict who is already in a fragile situation in even more dire straits.

Sewakkwatho, a place for continued sobriety, located at 281 Route 37, welcomed over 6000 people through their doors last year to support being alcohol and drug free. They have talking circles for men, women, youth and families with addicted loved ones. They also have AA meetings, Ala-non, NA and CODA meetings.

Sub Chief Cheryl Jacobs chaired the meeting and Chief Ron Lafrance co-chaired, both chiefs encouraged community members to organize and meet on their own and to take steps to bring a detox center to fruition.

Some public comments made included:

“We want help now. Right now. We need change, not tomorrow, not next week, we need it now. We are a community. We are supposed to help; we are their aunts and uncles. I’m a scared mother. I love my son. Every time he comes home clean he goes back into it”.

“We need to invest in our youth. We need to cure them. If we can’t cure them we need to find the help they need. So our children and our grandchildren have a chance.

“We have a lot of offer in Akwesasne”

“You are not alone, no one is alone here”.

“There should be no borders when it comes to this issue”.

“We’re down to the dollars… the Tribe had a priority list what is going to be their next major expenditure. We have over 60 people here, they are serious. We are in pain. We want it fixed. This is an immediate necessity. They have the authority to convert one of theses buildings. People are dying. This has to be a priority”.

“We are worthwhile. We have the ability to do this for ourselves”.

“Talk to your kids, talk about what is out there. Educate yourself, educate your children”.

In closing, Sub Chief Cheryl Jacobs stated, “Now the hard work begins, developing an immediate plan to implement the ideas, concerns and suggestions made at last night’s community meeting.”