Timothy Horan, Executive Director

The RVIHA hosted a Methamphetamine Awareness Training on Wednesday, October 12th in the Covelo Recreation Center. The all day event was attended by 107 people. I would like to thank Karen Breedlove who did an excellent job of coordinating this event.

The National American Indian Housing Council has embarked on an ambitious program of education and awareness about the dangers of methamphetamines. NAIHC Chairman Chester Carl (Navajo Nation) has said that the production and use of meth is a danger not only to the individual doing it, but to the entire community surrounding them. The NAIHC has become involved in meth and crime prevention training because use and the illicit manufacture of meth or “meth labs” are becoming a major plague in Indian Country. To this end the NAIHC has hired a full-time staff person to make presentations across Indian Country. That new staff person is presenter Jay Barton.

Jay Barton is a seasoned law enforcement officer. He is currently on leave from the Harrah, Oklahoma Police Department. He has 17 years of law enforcement experience, mostly with the Potawatomi County Sheriffs Department. He also served for 2 years as the Captain of the Absentee Shawnee Housing Authority Police Department. Additionally he was recognized as the 1999 Oklahoma Police Officer of the Year. During his police experience he was instrumental in battling the methamphetamine epidemic which was sweeping Oklahoma and the rural areas of our country.

Jay Barton doesn't pull his punches. Like a soldier who has been on the front lines of numerous battles he has seen the horror of methamphetamine use and the way that it destroys human beings and those that depend upon them. He is a man on a mission to tell us about what he has seen. He has a powerful message to present and he does it with the right mix of humor, information, pathos and passion. And his passion comes through. The audience was visibly moved, especially during some of the more graphic portions of the presentation. It was the kind of presentation that gets under your skin (not to mention the meth bugs). He did a good job of shocking us out of our complacency and awakening us to the very real dangers that methamphetamines are posing to the community around us and society at large. It was particularly the plight of the innocent and unwitting children, affected by this scourge, that was most moving to the audience.

Participants who attended the training came away with an understanding of:

-What a meth lab is, the dangers it poses, and the costs it may entail.

-Types of illegal meth labs specifically targeted to the participant's locality.

-How and why meth labs are an epidemic in Indian Country and elsewhere.

-How to identify warning signs that a meth lab may be in a tribal housing area.

-How to safely deal with a running meth lab in a tribal housing unit.

-How to develop identification and prevention programs.

-Who is responsible for clean-up of a meth lab.

-How to safely clean up a meth lab.

Most gratifying to the Housing Authority was the cross section of people from throughout the valley who took the time out of their very busy schedules to educate themselves about methamphetamines. In attendance were school children, teachers, school administrators, public health officials, utility district employees, law enforcement officers, clergymen, tribal administrators, tribal council members, housing commissioners, housing professionals, elders, local businessmen, and interested citizens. The message was heard by a good cross representation of the community. That's good and that's what we hoped would happen. It's going to take a community to deal with this epidemic.

Synchronicity is in the air. Independently of this program, sponsored by the Housing Authority, a local community group spearheaded by County Commissioner Hal Wagenet had just begun holding meetings about methamphetamine use and its related problems for the valley. Upon attending the funeral of Michael Wolf, Supervisor Wagenet was so moved by the event that he initiated and is encouraging local support for

what he is tentatively calling the Michael Wolf Project to help stem the use of drugs by young people - a dream that Michael hoped would come to pass. After attending the initial meeting of this community effort the RVIHA decided that our event would be the kick off for the local effort.

If you are interested in joining a group of local citizens, tribal and non tribal, who want to help the community deal with methamphetamines you can contact County Supervisor Hal Wagenet at 463-4221 or by email at wagenet@co.mendocino.ca.usa. The next meeting will be held on November 16, 2005 at the Round Valley Unified School District. Please check in advance for the time.

There has also been a request from Superintendent Joy Muhleck to look into bringing Jay Barton back to make a presentation to the student body, staff and community. More on this as it develops.