White Earth Band of Ojibwe Underage Drinking Prevention and Enforcement Efforts

1. White Earth Band of Ojibwe Underage Drinking Prevention and Enforcement Efforts Presentation by: Marlin Farley

2. Demographics • Family Poverty • 250 miles northwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul • Poverty is significant in our rural communities • over 30% of families with children live below the poverty level. (worst in the state), compared to the Minnesota average of 12%. • Education Level of Parents • 60% of students graduate from high school • 11% attend an institution of higher education compared to the Minnesota average of 21.7 % • *The following data was collected January of 2005 by the White Earth Substance Abuse Collaboration and the White Earth Chemical Dependency Program and Planning Dept.

3. Demographics • Family Conflict • 32% of our children were placed in out-of-home placement in 2004 • 100% of the children were American Indian • 95% of placements and neglect issues were due to substance abuse

4. Local Social Factors that Influence Underage Drinking • Need to Strengthen Family Bonds • 17% of students report that they do not feel useful or important in their family • 14% stated their parents do not tell their children they love them. • Parental Supervision • 56% of the students reported that their parents keep track of where they are and who they are with when not at home

5. Local Social Factors that Influence Underage Drinking • Parent Rules about Alcohol Use • 56% of youth report that their parents talk to them about the consequences of using alcohol, controlled substances, or any other high risk behavior. • Perceived Adult Approval of Alcohol Use • 27% of students that drink alcohol get access to beer, wine, and other liquors directly from parents and other adult family members. • Perceived Peer Approval of Alcohol Use • 58% of high risk students agree that they use alcohol because friends drink

6. Local Environmental Factors that Influence Underage Drinking • Access to Alcohol • The top three ways youth get access to alcohol: • 1) 70% of students that drink alcohol report they get it from friends that are 21 years of age or older • 2) 42% get it from people that are not of legal drinking age, and • 3) 27% get it from parents or other family members. • Cultural Norms Around Alcohol Use • 33% of students that use alcohol indicated they agree that their community accepts there is an underage drinking problem going on and nothing is being done to discourage it.

7. Local Environmental Factors that Influence Underage Drinking • Access to Assessment and Counseling Services • Waiting list for a substance abuse assessment is 1.5 months. • Transportation is a major barrier to access support and intervention services. • Current Alcohol Use • 65% of our students reported consuming alcoholic beverages. • 29.9% report that they have taken their first drink before the 6th grade. • 33% of the students report binge drinking.

8. Prevention Efforts • Peacemaking Circles in 2001 • 2002- focus efforts on reducing youth drinking. 90% of youth crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol. • 2005- the Mahnomen County Peacemaking Circle Coordinator started minor consuming program on the harmful effects of alcohol. Today, youth crime has decreased by over 50%. • May 2004- 40 members of the White Earth Band received White Bison’s 7 trainings in Bemidji Minnesota. Members of the Red Lake Nation and Leech Lake Nation also attended the training for a total of 120 people.

9. Prevention Efforts • Fall of 2004- prevention programs using White Bison’s “Sons of Tradition and Daughters of Tradition” curriculum. We have graduated over 200 youth. Underage drinking has reduced and more children are involved in cultural activities such as the drum, pow wow, and traditional ceremony than we have seen in decades. • Fall of 2004- the White Earth Wellbriety Coalition and the Wellbriety Movement of the Ojibwe. White Earth Wellbriety Coalition grew to over 50 members. Fund raising, sober event planning, and our Wellbriety Family Sober Camp. Video’s using our storytellers to convey healthy lifestyles and choices through our traditional stories. Coalition Building: Using Clan Knowledge.

10. Prevention Efforts • 2005- the coalition negotiated with two convenience stores that were going to sell alcohol on the reservation. The funding source for these c-stores agreed not to allow alcohol sales after meeting with the members of the coalition. • Three members of the Wellbriety Coalition attended the 6th Annual National Leadership Conference in Tucson Arizona. White Earth Underage Drinking Task Force. White Earth was selected as one of the Native American pilot projects. • 5 youth from White Earth were selected to attend CADCA’s youth leadership training in the winter of 2005.

11. Prevention Efforts • Winter 2005- received media advocacy training from PIRE. • The White Earth Underage Drinking Taskforce • educational presentations to community councils, school boards • the movie “This Place” • personal testimony • state and local statistics • youth are asking community members to sign an oath not to buy alcohol for underage drinkers and for youth to vow not to drink. These oaths will be displayed in the public schools and posted in the local newspapers.

12. Prevention Efforts • Law enforcement from two of the three counties and our Tribal Police departments are collaborating efforts and will be trained in late May on Party Prevention and Controlled Party Dispersal. Youth volunteers. We will conduct this exercise in of our Tribal Housing units. • The White Earth Wellbriety Drum was honored to be selected as the National Wellbriety Drum group by White Bison for the years 2005-2010. This is the first of 100 Wellbriety Drums in the United States, all of the drums will come together at a gathering in 2010. • White Earth has committed to healing and wellness in all of our communities which also indicates that we are committed to reduce underage drinking.