Indian Time - A Voice from the Eastern Door

Emmy Mitchell and Debbie Francis opened their Tsitewatenikonhrakwata:ko – Native Connections Home Detox on Nov. 23, 2011 and to date have seen a total of 14-patients seeking treatment for their various problems.

“In November there was a community member who posted about their son who had been missing for 22-days, so Emmy and her sister-in-law went to help find him and bring him home,” said Debbie Francis. “Emmy brought him into her home and brought others in to help him go through the whole withdrawal process.”

Since then Emmy Mitchell had approached the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe to discuss the development of Tsitewatenikonhrakwata:ko – Native Connections Home Detox and how it could work within the community. Out of the 14 patients to date 10-12 of them had gone on for further treatment to help themselves. Their facility currently allows for 4-beds that are presently filled to capacity. Once all of the spots are taken they still offer an extended support care program.

“If there are no beds available we do everything we can in-house,” said Francis. “But we don’t stop there, we also refer to the different outpatient programs with both the MCA and SRMT. We use every agency available to assist in getting people help.”

Together the team is not trying to reinvent the wheel, but maximize it. They find the best combinations within the services to make sure that each individual patient gets the specific help that they need. The services that they offer in-house are: readings, sweat lodges, cultural teachings, grieving circles, family support, exercise room, acupuncture, infrared sauna, massage, reliv nutrition, empowerment workshops, family circles, referrals to rehabilitation and moon ceremonies.

“We have a holistic approach with culturally based methods,” said Francis. “It gives each patient a sense of identity for where they belong.”

Once a patient is brought into the program they always have two staff members on duty who are there 24/7 with each for peer support. Most of their staff had worked with Emmy Mitchell in the past to get through their own battles with substance abuse and are able to help the patients by knowing themselves what the person is going through. Because these patients are never left alone and have constant interaction they don’t think about the pain.

“Our programs are stronger because it involves people who have been through this already and can relate to it,” said Mitchell. “The staff are the ones who have a harder time with it, but they put in the work to get each patient through.”

Tsitewatenikonhrakwata:ko – Native Connections Home Detox is located at 247 School Road in Tsi Snaihne and can be reached by phone at 613-575-2862. They can also be reached by email at nativeconnectionshomedetox@gmail.com; they are currently taking any donations for their programs, and are really in need of towels and firewood to help with some of their sweat lodges.