Wellbriety For Prisons
A Continuum of Recovery Support from Prison to Community

Recovery Support for Native Americans in Prison

Firestarter Training for Probation, Parole and Correctional professionals: Medicine Wheel and 12 Step training is provided for professionals who are in recovery themselves and who would like to be able to provide support for, or facilitate Medicine Wheel and 12 Step training programs in prisons, half-way houses, prerelease centers and through community probation and parole departments.

Providing a Continuum of Recovery Support: The law enforcement statistics show us that too many Native Americans are in prison because of alcohol and substance abuse related offenses. These individuals need cultural and spiritual support during and after treatment in order to maintain their journey on the Red Road. The Wellbriety Movement for Prisons is designed to provide the knowledge and understanding on the part of those who work with recovering Native Americans in the correctional system.

Linking with local Communities: The goal is to set up Circles of Recovery in the prison, in half-way houses, in prerelease centers and through local probation/parole offices. These Circles of Recovery (led by Firestarters) would enable recovering Native Americans who are returning to their communities from prison to maintain continuous emotional and social support during their recovery journey. Those who participate in the Medicine Wheel and 12 Step programs are less likely to re-offend or return to prison.

Culturally Appropriate Promising Practice: The Department of Justice recognized the value of the Medicine Wheel and 12 Step programs in the correctional environment in 1999. They published a report: Promising Practices and Strategies to Reduce Alcohol and Substance Abuse among American Indians and Alaska Natives in which the Medicine Wheel and 12 Step programs at the Montana State prison were highlighted as a culturally appropriate promising practice.

What you can do to Help: If you are a professional who works in the correctional system and you are also in recovery yourself and would like to participate as a Firestarter, you can complete an application on the White Bison website: www.whitebison.org. Each quarter we schedule a regional training as soon as we get 30-40 people who are available in that area. Dates and locations are listed on the website. Since this is a self-sustaining program, we would also ask that those who wish to have a training in their area help us with copying the Medicine Wheel and 12 Step videos and training materials. We also need financial support for paying the fees and travel for the Master Firestarter who will conduct the training and assistance in finding space for the training and help with the logistics. Sometimes federal, state or foundation grants provide support for Medicine Wheel and 12 Step trainings. So if you are willing to be a coordinator for a training in your area or if you have connections to sponsors who could provide financial support for the trainings, please call White Bison at 1-877-871-1495.

Products, Services and Trainings Available through White Bison, Inc.
Training and Consulting: White Bison provides training and consulting in the following areas:
Grassroots Wellbriety Kit --7 trainings (Medicine Wheel and 12 Steps for men, for women for friends and family, Family Series, Sons of Tradition, Daughters of Tradition, and Children of Alcoholics); Diversity Training, Servant Leadership, Community Development training (The Healing Forest) White Bison also provides keynotes and training on Addictions, Recovery and Diversity issues. See the website for a complete listing of training, keynote, and consulting topics.

Products available through the website: Products are continuously being developed by White Bison to meet the needs of the recovery community and for those who provide prevention and treatment services. Some of the useful products that you will find on our website include videos, audio cassette tapes, books, and pamphlets. Many of these are designed to help the individual in his or her recovery journey. The Medicine Wheel and 12 Step Videos are for individual development. Others, like the Sacred Hoop Journeys: Healing of the Nation are resources for communities to begin implementing Wellbriety activities and events.

• Click here to download the PDF Wellbriety for Prisons Brochure