**PROGRAM DESCRIPTION**

**\*Inpatient subacute psychiatric unit for Native American
adolescents**

**\*16 bed hospital based unit on the Navajo Nation in Fort Defiance,
Arizona**

**\*60 day treatment cycles with cohort admissions to strengthen group
cohesion**

**\*Comprehensive treatment which integrates traditional and western
approaches to healing**

**\*Families commit to weekly participation in family therapy and parent
support group**

**\*Open as an inpatient treatment center for two years**

**\*Staff includes psychiatrist, traditional practitioner, social
workers, psychologist, nurses, educators, nurse practitioner, and mental
health technicians**

**CULTURAL TEACHINGS**

**\*Twice weekly class on traditional beliefs, stories, and ceremonies**

**\*Class on the Dine' (Navajo) language**

**\*Discussion of the beliefs and teachings of other tribes**

**\*Significant emphasis on teachings of self identity**

**\*Traditional practitioner, therapists, staff and patients all
participate in ceremonies together which provides opportunity for
healing, teaching, and insight**

**RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES: Cultural**

**\*Outings to spiritual sites such as Canyon de Chelly or the Sacred
Mountains**

**\*Evening traditional story telling sessions**

**\*Classes on traditional dances**

**\*Weaving looms are ordered for future weaving classes**

**\*Traditional Native American game sessions**

**\*Movie nights with Native American Films**

**\*Evening drumming and singing sessions**

**TEE PEE and HOGAN**

**\*Teachings on the spiritual significance of each**

**\*Adolescents taught how to raise the Tee Pee**

**\*Opening Circle at the start of each cycle held here to ask for
blessings on the treatment and set a therapeutic atmosphere**

**\*Closing Circle and blessing held here at end of**

**each cycle in celebration of the changes gained by each individual**

**\*Native American Church drumming sessions held weekly**

**MORNING BLESSING CEREMONY**

**\* Staff and patients start each day with blessing ceremony**

**\*Sing the Sacred Mountains song and recite the Corn Pollen prayer**

**\*Cedar offerings made for each individual's positive statement for
the day**

**\*Songs or prayers from other tribes may be included**

**SWEAT LODGE**

**\*The sweat lodge provides a sacred and therapeutic place for
teachings, offering songs of prayer, and purification of the mind, body,
and spirit**

**\*Male and female group sweat lodge ceremony held weekly**

**\*Individual healing sweat lodge for each teen provides a safe place
to focus on personal issues**

**\*Family members often participate in the individual sweat lodge
ceremony**

**\*Biweekly sweat lodge offered as part of aftercare**

**\*Sweat lodges are located on the unit's grounds**

**TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT**

**\*Interview with adolescent and parents at admission**

**\*Gathers information about individual's traditional beliefs and
experiences**

**\*Introduction given to traditional healing component of the program**

**\*Traditional diagnosis and recommendation for appropriate ceremony to
be done if warranted**

**\*Gather information about any previous traditional diagnosis and
ceremonies held**

**WESTERN ASSESSMENT**

**\*Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation completed for each patient at
time of admission with ongoing reevaluation**

**\*Psychological testing available as needed for diagnosis and
treatment planning**

**\*Ongoing evaluation for medication if indicated**

**\*Psychosocial assessment completed for each patient**

**\*Individualized treatment plan and crisis management plan**

**EDUCATION**

**-Daily classes taught by licensed special educator and assistant
covering academic subjects**

**\*Emphasis on skills needed to be successful in a school setting**

**\*Art classes several times per week with  therapeutic emphasis**

**\*Health oriented classes on nutrition, sexually transmitted diseases,
life skills, and relationships**

**THERAPEUTIC SERVICES**

**\*Individual therapy with primary therapist a minimum of twice per
week**

**\*Five group therapy sessions weekly covering anger management, grief
and loss, substance abuse, boys' issues, girls' issues, and families of
alcoholics**

**\*Check-in with primary therapist each morning to plan for the day**

**\*Mediation meetings to address issues that arise and learn conflict
resolution skills**

**\*Family therapy sessions once per week**

**\*Parent support group once per week which includes a parent education
component**

**BENEFITS TO INTEGRATION**

**\*Interventions address the whole person**

**\*Stronger alliance and trust between family and treatment center**

**\*Strengthens a positive identity and pride as a Native American
youth**

**\*Develops a deeper respect for cultural traditions and spirituality**

**\*Improved aftercare supports**

**\*Promotes a healthier and more respectful atmosphere in the treatment
setting**