ALASKA NATIVES COMMISSION
JOINT FEDERAL-STATE COMMISSION
ON
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AFFECTING
ALASKA NATIVES
4000 Old Seward Highway, Suite 100
Anchorage,
Alaska 99503
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Witness List | PDF
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COMMISSIONER SEBESTA: And,
Myra? Could you introduce yourself and share your comments
with us?
MS. HEAPS: Yes, my name is Myra Heaps. I'm from Fort Yukon. I now live in Fairbanks. That's where I'm working. My subject is training for the Native counselors. I worked in a -- in the Native Center for twelve and a half years, in every part of the program, which includes the long-term, the short-term, the outpatient, and also doing evaluation for people who are requesting admission to treatment. And during these years, I have observed many qualified Native counselors coming to work as counselors only to be -- only to leave feeling disenchanted, because of the undercurrent problems that exist on the work place. I guess I've survived, because I'm not one to easily be defeated. I'm not going to admit defeat. I will carry on. I -- one of the reasons that I quit my job was -- resigned was because, after years of putting my time -- my valuable time in this area, which was my choice to work in, it was - - I had asked for advancement or a promotion, and -- only to be turned down; and I was also turned down twice when my immediate supervisor requested raises. That wasn't so much, you know, the reason I quit. It was because someone who had less experience, who was a non-Native, and who didn't have the degrees, who was put as my supervisor. I'm kind of rambling off. I'm just a little nervous right now; but I think, you know, that when -- we're always talking about the Native people:
"Well, they're not -- you know, they can't -- we can' t hire them because they can’t
stay on the job, because of the lack of training, or many other
reasons;"
and I've heard this over, and over, and over. When I question:
"Well, why can't we hire some qualified
Native people that I know that have come through the program
as counselors? Why can't we do something to keep them on, such
as utilizing the upward mobility program, providing training,
and all?"
And the answer was always was:
"Well, we don't have enough funds for training,
we don' t -- we have to eliminate this position, because of
lack of funds."
And so this is the excuse -- an ongoing excuse that we near constantly. And the reason that they use this platform is because you get a qualified Native counselor -- Alaskan Native counselor in, and they will stay on no more than a year; at most, four years, if even that. And they stay stagnant, because for you -- to be a successful counselor, we have to keep up with the new information that surfaces, such as the AIDS Program, the Adult Children of Alcoholics, such programs that are new information that surfaces, and on -- in these areas. And so I'd like to see the upward mobility program become mandatory in every treatment center. Now, when I say treatment center, the problems that we see is right there in Fairbanks. And the programs in the villages is new; they're just starting; and we know that the problems are various. The families are broken up; we know that we have problems in the -- with suicide; and I think that, you know, the in an area of suicide, we look at -- we look at it, and we're trying to justify the amount of suicide that is taking place in the villages, by saying, well, they can't really integrate, you know, from their culture to this other culture. Well the main problem is alcohol and other drugs. That is the problem. When the person is addicted, they lose their identity; they lose their culture; they lose their traditional lifestyle; they lose everything; and until we give them back their sobriety, I say give it back to them is -- we give it back to them when we are committed.
When we enter the field of alcoholism and other drugs, we have to be committed. We see the individual as a human being who has the right to their culture, to their tradition, to their way of living, their lifestyle that God has given them; and I truly believe, you know, that commitment is one of the most important instrument that we have when we have it. And so I'd like to see more training in the treatment center, not only in Fairbanks, Anchorage) and every other major cities in Alaska who provide services -- the short-term services.
And the -- I'm -- I really appreciate some of the young folks that are coming forward with assertiveness. I feel that it's real important to give them the support and all the backbone, all the support that we can give them, because they are coming forward; and I truly enjoy and value their approach, because that was something that I have had to work for many years. And I feel that God has helped me, and -- to be where I am today; because, without the help of God, I would be way back. And because of the many things -- the many problems that we are facing in this world today, and God is giving us the chance -- the opportunity. I'm sure that the state has the money there, and we can use more of it. And if even individuals who plan to go into you know, business for themselves, program -- set the programs to provide these services, then I'd like to see that, too.
COMMISSIONER SEBESTA: Well, thank you very much, Myra. I think that either direct comments or inferred comments about commitment seemed to have come up in other remarks made this morning; and I certainly hear that in what you're saying, too. And I appreciate it. I think it's something that is important for myself appreciate very much your comments and thank you for testifying. Are there any questions from the other panel members?
(Pause.)
Okay. Thank you very much.
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