NCJ Number
170872
Journal
Drugs & Society Volume: 12 Issue: 1/2 Dated: (1998) Pages: 53-60
Date Published
1998
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The goal of the Family Circles Program was to prevent or reduce alcohol and drug abuse among American Indian high-risk youth on the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation in Wisconsin through cultural enhancement of their family systems.
Abstract
The program targeted families of high-risk youth who ranged in age from 4 to 18 years. A family systems approach was used that involved the entire family--children, adolescents, parents, and grandparents. A culturally-oriented curriculum was developed that emphasized American Indian values, beliefs, and practices and that related them to contemporary life. Program activities included language instruction, individual family outreach meetings, family cultural gatherings, support groups, and special family cultural celebrations. Factors that contributed to the success of the Family Circles Program included the development of interagency linkages, the retention of staff committed to the program's philosophy, and the evolution of the program into a comprehensive and holistic system of services for the entire community.