|
The Cherokee Nation
With support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, NOFAS is launching an FAS/FASD prevention campaign at the Cherokee Nation. The three strategies for FASD prevention include (1) training health professionals who serve the Cherokee Nation, (2) raising community-level awareness through health education and promotion activities and (3) coordinating an FASD community media campaign tailored specifically for the Cherokee Nation.
Community-based Training at the Cherokee Nation
The Jack Brown Treatment Center presents Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Community-based Training on Thursday, August 19, 2004.
Training Health Professionals at the Cherokee Nation
Health professionals play a critical role in FASD prevention. NOFAS will offer training to health professionals who serve the Cherokee Nation through interactive sessions that address the etiology of FASD and the pathology of alcoholism. Providers, such as physicians, nurses, counselors, health educators, psychologists and medical assistants, will be able to address FASD prevention and integrate proposed strategies into practice.
Providers will be able to use a screening tool designed to assess alcohol use during pregnancy. This tool has been validated previously for use among American Indian/Alaska Native populations. The training also will address coordinating treatment and support services for women who use alcohol before, during and after pregnancy.
Community-Based FASD Prevention at the Cherokee Nation
Numerous studies show that the most effective interventions for American Indian/Alaska Native and tribal communities incorporate the ideas, culture and input from members of the community. NOFAS, in partnership with the Jack Brown Treatment Center, will organize a community advisory board to guide FASD prevention activities. The board will provide insight about program developments and will advise NOFAS on integrating cultural aspects such as artwork, musical venues, community festivals and community powwows.
NOFAS also will host a community art contest. Submissions will be judged for each age category based on message, artistry, cultural appropriateness and potential impact. Local schools and community organizations, educational forums and art and musical venues will be used to illustrate the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy, the effect of alcoholism on the family and the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy.
FASD Media Campaign at the Cherokee Nation
A media campaign is the third FAS/FASD prevention strategy that will be used at the Cherokee Nation. The winning submissions from the art contest will be paired with preventive tagline messages and used in print materials for distribution in the five Cherokee counties targeted for this project. Messages also will be disseminated with local newspapers and radio and television stations.
Peer Education Model for Native American Youth for FASD Prevention
Studies show that promoting positive attitudes and healthy behaviors in youth is important in influencing their decisions and overall development. With support from the Harry and Jennet Weinberg Foundation, the peer educational model was developed to provide counseling, outreach and peer education for American Indian/Alaska Native youth. The goal of this project is to increase awareness of FASD prevention at four sites: the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, the Navajo Nation and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Local youth will be educated about FASD and trained on methods for peer outreach and education, planning, implementation and evaluation. Community involvement will be central to the development and success of this project. Strengths, weaknesses and outcomes from this project will be combined in a user-friendly guide and made available for other communities.
|
