Education, culture signal success

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Bertha Fontaine has noticed some changes in the 19 years she's been with the Native Alcoholism Council of Manitoba

"People tend to reach out for help a lot younger than they used to...and we used

to have a lot of repeaters; there aren't as many now."

Fontaine points to the two factors as signs of the success of the organization, which consists of a residential treatment centre and an outreach program.

Fontaine, the executive director, says the success is partly because people are better educated about the problems of alcoholism and partly because of the council's strong emphasis on Native culture.

About nine per cent of the treatment program is culturally relevant, says Fontaine. That includes such things as traditional gatherings like pipe ceremonies, sharing circles, burning sweetgrass, feasts, gathering sacred plants and a Native slant to the education aspect of the program. The counsellors and staff are all Native.

"We try to teach them how to utilize their culture to maintain a good lifestyle...the cultural focus works well because it involves every area of your life, spiritually, mentally and physically."

The cultural involvement worked for Will Johnson, a recovered Metis alcoholic who had tried to stop drinking before without success. Other programs helped him quit, says Johnson, but he wasn't involved enough to stay dry.

"I knew I had needed AA, but my enthusiasm wasn't there, I wasn't involved in

the fellowship," he says.

Three years after going into the residential program, his culture remains an important part of his life.

But both Fontaine and Johnson agree the structure of the program doesn't work for everyone. Addicts have to have a strong urge to quit, and to change their lifestyles.

"You have to choose some kind of path," says Fontaine. "It's not enough to get sober. Being traditional, we suggest they have something spiritual as well."

The council was started in 1972 with a mandate to serve the aboriginal people

of Manitoba. While there are residential rehab programs on a few reserves around the province, the Winnipeg facility continues to draw people from all over.

Apart from the month-long residential treatment program, there is an outreach program that offers similar services on an out-patient basis.

Last year, 270 people went through the residential program and close to 400

used the outreach services.

No statistics are kept on how successful clients are at remaining sober a year or two after taking the program. But an independent study done in 1986 showed 84 per

cent of the people who start the residential program stay the month and finish it. That, says Fontaine, was higher than any other program sponsored by the Alcoholism Foundation of Manitoba.

Some drop out and some don't stay dry. But for Fontaine and program counsellors, the success stories make it worthwhile.

At a Sobriety Powwow organized by the council in September for Natives who wanted to celebrate their sobriety. Fontaine saw many people she hadn't seen in years.

"I met one woman who had been through the program 12 years go and she was still sober," says Fontaine. "Seeing people like that we haven't seen in a long time, that's

a bonus for us. We need that."