Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2006, $250,000)
The FY 2006 Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program allows American Indian and Alaska Native communities to plan and implement activities that will reduce and control crime associated with the distribution and use of alcohol and controlled substances in tribal communities. Through this program, the recipient will develop new or enhance existing strategies that prevent, interdict, and treat alcohol and drug use by tribal members. Awards will used to develop a project activity team; identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who illegally transport, distribute, and use alcohol and controlled substances; prevent and reduce the number of alcohol and substance-abuse-related crimes, traffic fatalities, and injuries; develop and enhance collaborations with federal, state, tribal, and local criminal justice agencies; integrate tribal and non-tribal services for offenders and their families; and make available culturally appropriate treatment and other services.
The Picuris Pueblo is comprised of a tribal population exceeding 300 and is the most isolated (location) of all the eight Northern New Mexico tribes. The Pueblo is small and does not have a mechanism in place to collect and disseminate data on alcohol and substance abuse issues occurring within the reservation. Currently, offenders are provided assistance to combat [their] alcohol and substance abuse issues through culturally-based treatment services offered by only two organizations within the reservation. These services are a valuable necessity and are in need of expansion. The Picuris Pueblo has requested federal funds to continue supporting these essential services while expanding certain treatment options to include [tribal] community participation in treatment programs.
The 2006 IASAP award will assist the Pueblo in reducing the current level of alcohol and substance abuse cases and preventing new cases by supporting activities that involve agency collaboration, offender accountability, and treatment and traditional practices. To accomplish this goal, the Picuris Pueblo's Community Health Representative Program (CHR) will take the lead in developing, facilitating, implementing, and monitoring an inter-tribal and intra-agency collaborative involving law enforcement, the tribal court and council, BIA, Indian Health Services, Penasco Independent Schools, and community members.
Specific project goals include: (1) Shifting the CHR focus and framework to include primary and secondary prevention and treatment services; (2) Adding alcohol and substance abuse components to the CHR (e.g., provide preventative measures; integrate federal, state, tribal, and local services; engage tribal elders in treatment programs; and hire a full-time licensed alcohol and substance abuse counselor); (3) Integrating the community into the treatment programs by increasing coordination among all levels of government and expand current services provided by the Child Protection Team to include alcohol and substance abuse prevention strategies; (4) Hiring a full-time tribal probation/police officer to supervise adult and juvenile defendants; and (5) Gathering baseline data on tribal alcohol and substance abuse issues for statistical purposes. Federal funds will cover four staff positions (project director, program manager, licensed counselor, and probation/police officer); travel expenses for BJA trainings/TA workshops and local client supervision activities; equipment (cell phone usage); office supplies; internet access; and evaluation services.
CA/NCF