Residential Volatile Substance Misuse Treatment for Indigenous Youth in Canada

Abstract

The Youth Solvent Addiction Program (YSAP) was established in in response to the misuse of volatile substances among First Nations and Inuit youth in Canada. This article outlines the role of Indigenous culture and its intersection with Western approaches to recovery in YSAP's operation of nine residential treatment centers for youth. Treatment practices and client outcome data are used to illustrate YSAP's approach. Limitations of the article are noted.

Keywords :

• Indigenous culture
• resiliency
• positive psychology
• emotional intelligence
• wellness
• residential treatment
• recovery
• historical trauma

THE AUTHORS

Debra Dell, M.A., has been working in residential VSM treatment in Canada for more than 25 years, having had many roles from frontline counseling to executive positions, including her current role as National Coordinator for the YSAC network. Debra has a masters degree in Counseling Psychology. Debra has a special interest in all aspects of positive psychology including work with resiliency theory and emotional intelligence in addictions programming.

Carol Hopkins, M.S.W., is Wolf Clan from the Lenni Lenape Nation, otherwise known as the Delaware of the Thames First Nation located in southwestern Ontario. Carol is the mother of four and grandmother of six. She is the Executive Director of the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation, whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of and support the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program and the National Youth Solvent Addiction Program for First Nations and Inuit people in Canada. Carol is also the Cochair of the NNADAP/YSAP Renewal Leadership Team whose mandate is to guide the renewal of NNADAP/YSAP. She is also a part-time professor at Kings College, School of Social Work at the University of Western Ontario, and an international speaker on Indigenous culture in addictions.

Notes

1 “The Constitution Act of 1982 specifies that the Aboriginal people in Canada consist of three groups—Indians, Inuit, and Métis.… The term First Nations came into common use in the 1970s to replace Indian, which some people found offensive. Many communities have also replaced “band” with “First Nation” in their names.” (Assembly of First Nations, 2010)