Whole Health Strategies: Integrating Behavioral Health, Criminal Justice and Indigenous Culture for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN)
This event took place virtually on May 17 – 18, 2022.
AI/AN are over-represented in our Federal, State and local prisons and jails. While the understanding of trauma in our criminal justice system needs substantial development, the understanding of historical trauma, particularly as it impacts the AI/AN community, is minimal. Failed recovery and rehabilitation while in custody leads to re-incarceration and rippling negative impacts on the individual, family, and community. This webinar will help you develop strategies to incorporate indigenous culture into the recovery and rehabilitation process that may help decrease incarceration for AI/AN. The duration of the webinar is a day and half.
Audience: Staff who work with incarcerated AI/AN in criminal justice or behavioral health settings, in Tribal or urban communities; All who are interested in having the criminal justice and behavioral health systems better support and serve the needs of AI/AN individuals and communities; All who are interested in integrated health.
Session Information
Traditional Native American Drumming with The Women of Native Ways, The Haven, Tucson, AZ and Denise Miller, Drumming Instructor
Welcome & Announcements with Len Wisneski, M.D., Chair Emeritus, Integrative Health Policy Consortium
Traditional Blessing with Mark Standing Eagle Baez, Ph.D., Bemidji State University
Land Acknowledgement
The Intersection of Criminal Justice, Integrative Health, and Indigenous Culture with Hon. Jan W. Norris (Ret.), Director of the National Tribal Judicial Center and Hon. Charles R. Pyle (Ret.), Former U.S. Magistrate Judge, District of Arizona
Drum-Assisted Recovery Therapy for Native Americans with Daniel L. Dickerson, D.O., M.P.H., University of California, Los Angeles
Panel: A Conversation with Elders and Health Practitioners with
- Leatrice Lewis, M.P.H.,
- Faith Spotted Eagle,
- JoAnn Crow Dog, Lakota, and,
- Roland Begay, Chinle Health Clinic, Chinle, AZ
Trauma and Substance Use in American Indian Communities with Julie A. Gameon, Ph.D., Post-Doctoral Fellow, Trauma and Resilience Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Keynote with Ramon Pérez (Tigre), Leader of the Zapaliname Community on the Red Road
This presentation was given in Spanish. The English translation transcript document is available below with presentation video.
Culturally Responsive Treatments for American Indians and Alaska Native Adults with Kait Hirchak, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Elson S. Floyd College, Washington State University
Impact of Western Justice on Native American Culture with Robert Yazzie, Chief Justice Emeritus of the Navajo Nation Supreme Court
Acudetox 101: The Spirit of NADA with Sara Bursac, Former Executive Director of NADA, and Phyllis Spears, NADA Registered Trainer
Closing Remarks - Len Wisneski, M.D., Chair Emeritus, Integrative Health Policy Consortium
Session Information Day 2
Traditional Native Music with
- Native Music Coalition, Tucson, AZ,
- Vincent Flores, Executive Director, and,
- Miguel Flores, Clinical Director
Welcome and Announcements with Len Wisneski, M.D., Chair Emeritus, Integrative Health Policy Consortium
Traditional Blessing with Patti LaBoucane-Benson, Ph.D., Senator and Government Liaison for Alberta Canada
In Search of Your Warrior Program, Alberta, Canada with Patti LaBoucane – Benson, Ph.D., Senator and Government Liaison for Alberta Canada
Panel: Red Road to Wellbriety and Wellness Courts with
- Facilitator: Mose Herne, M.P.H., M.S., Senior Advisor, Tribal Health Research Office, National Institutes of Health
- Micaelee Horn, Coordinator, Healing to Wellness Court, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
- Kristina Pacheco, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
The Healing Power of Tradition: Indigenous Contemplative Practices, Mindfulness and Neurodecolonization with Michael Yellow Bird, Ph.D., University of Manitoba
Incorporating Tribal Culture and Ceremony into Tribal and non-Tribal Criminal Justice Systems with Charles Flanagan, Chief U.S. Probation Officer, District of Arizona and Lorenzo Jim, LADAC, Center for InterCultural Care, Albuquerque, NM
Preserving Culture with Traditional Dance and Clothing with Kenneth Shirley, Indigenous Enterprise
Closing Remarks with Len Wisneski, M.D., Chair Emeritus, Integrative Health Policy Consortium
Traditional Blessing with Lorenzo Jim, LADAC
Conference Emcee
Len Wisneski, MD, FACP
Len is Clinical Professor of Medicine at George Washington University. Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Division of Integrative Physiology, at Georgetown University. He also holds faculty positions in the Department of Medicine as well as The Department of Nursing at The University of Colorado. He holds fellowship positions in The American College of Physicians, The American College of Nutrition, and The American Institute of Stress. He served on the board of the American Holistic Medical Association. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium which promotes national legislation pertaining to integrative healthcare. He has published over 30 scientific articles and a textbook, “The Scientific Basis of Integrative Medicine”. He has been in the clinical practice of endocrinology and integrative medicine for over 30 years.
Speaker Bio
Hon. Jan W. Morris (Ret.) (Choctow)
Director of the National Tribal Judicial Center
Hon. Jan Morris (Ret.) is the Director of the National Tribal Judicial Center at the National College in Reno, Nevada. He has worked in numerous tribal courts during his 30+ year legal career including as a litigator, in court administration, and for over 20 years on trial and appellate benches. Prior to joining the NTJC as Director, Judge Morris served for 15 years as faculty for tribal judicial bench skills and court management courses at the NTJC and received the designation of NJC Distinguished Faculty in 2020. He is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Daniel L. Dickerson, D.O., M.P.H. (Inupiaq)
Associate Research Psychiatrist at UCLA
Daniel Dickerson, D.O., M.P.H., Inupiaq, is Associate Research Psychiatrist at UCLA, Integrated Substance Abuse Programs (ISAP). His research focuses on the development of substance abuse treatment and prevention programs for Native American youth and adults. He is currently Co-Principal and Principal Investigator on National Institutes of Health-funded studies that focus on the utilization of Native American traditional practices for substance use prevention and treatment.
Julie A. Gameon, Ph.D.
Post-Doctoral Fellow, Trauma and Resilience Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Julie Gameon is currently a post-doctoral fellow at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Trauma and Resilience Center. As a research psychologist, her research activities have focused on using community-based participatory research methods to understand and address health inequalities in underserved communities. Specific research interests include developing and implementing culturally grounded treatments for trauma and addiction-related health inequities.
Katherine “Kait” Hirchak, Ph.D. (Eastern Shoshone)
Assistant Professor, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University
Katherine (Kait) Hirchak, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State University and is a descendant of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. She completed her postdoctoral training at the University of New Mexico's Center on Alcohol, Substance use, And Addictions (CASAA) as a NIAAA T32 Fellow. For almost 15 years, she has partnered with Tribal communities to address health inequities and enhance well-being. Broadly, Dr. Hirchak's research interests, activities, and training include health policy, substance use disorder prevention and culturally adapting evidence-based interventions.
Sara Bursac
Former Executive Director of NADA
Phyllis Spears (Cherokee)
NADA Registered Trainer
I am a Cherokee Nation citizen living in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. I have 40 years’ experience as an RN and 20 years’ experience working as an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist (ADS) and a National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Registered Trainer (RT). Most of my NADA work has been in Native communities. Today, I provide Acudetox/AcuWellness consultation and training in Oklahoma and on Reservations. I am working to introduce Acudetox to Oklahoma as I am the only trainer in the state, but not the only ADS. My hope is that we could have weekly AcuWellness Cafes throughout Oklahoma in our many small towns.
Patti LaBoucane – Benson, PhD (Metis)
Senator and Government Liaison for Alberta Canada
Charles Flanagan
Chief U.S. Probation Officer, District of Arizona
Lecture Accessibility Statement
The presentations and presentation materials available on this page have not, to our knowledge, been assessed with WCAG 2.0 level AA. Not assessed means that the content has not been evaluated or the evaluation results are not available. These resources are being presented in the original manner the Strauss Library received them from the presenters at the time the lectures took place. We cannot guarantee this content meets accessibility standards.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities. It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. The Strauss Library utilizes WCAG 2.1 Level AA as a target for meeting commitments related to accessibility.