Alcohol Rehab Getting a Boost from ''Grandmother Guides''

About 300 Canadian Aboriginal grandmothers from the Cree, Blackfoot and other First Nations throughout the Province of Alberta are reviving the ancient custom of senior mentoring of young native people. Their target is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), caused by drinking alcohol while pregnant, which has reached endemic levels among the tribes. Substance abuse of all kinds plagues the reserves, but the "grandmother guides" are proving to be an effective addition to the limited availability of alcohol rehab programs for native peoples.

Health Canada, the federal department of health, trained the first 300 grandmother guides at the urging of the grandmothers themselves, who believed the ancient system of senior mentoring might help. The government has been so impressed with the grandmothers' success, it is hiring more drug and alcohol rehab and counseling experts to train more native grandmothers. The program could possible expand to other First Nations reserves in other provinces.

Research has revealed that nearly one in every five children on the reserves is showing some symptoms of FAS – nearly 20 times greater than among the general population. Government officials as well as tribal leaders are concerned that not enough has been done to eradicate the rampant drug and alcohol addiction among youths, and say more alcohol rehab centers are badly needed.

FAS covers a range of mostly untreatable birth defects that occur in the children of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol children can be disruptive in school: The condition causes poor memory, attention deficits, impulsive behavior, and other mental health problems. These routinely lead to later drug and alcohol addiction, substance-related crime, violence, and run-ins with the law. In fact, people with FAS are more likely to die violent deaths than other kids. Drug and alcohol rehab can help straighten out one's life, but it cannot cure FAS – so often at the root of the drug alcohol abuse problems.

For the past few years, native reserves have been the scene of increasing gang violence, shootings and murders. On the Hobbema reserve, which is typical, over half of the 12,000 residents are under the age of 18 - youths disenchanted with poverty and limited opportunities who turn to alcohol, drugs and gangs. Aboriginal Canadians, who make up only three percent of the national population, comprise 18 percent of prisons inmates.

Richard Woodman, an Aboriginal youth social worker who was raised on a reserve near Slave Lake, Alberta, says government action isn't enough. Entire communities need to get involved and provide aboriginal youth with positive role models. At least in part, the grandmother guides are fulfilling that promise by helping young mothers and would-be mothers learn about FAS and adjust their behavior. But the rampant drug and alcohol addiction among teenagers and young adults on the reserves will continue to be a difficult situation until more drug and alcohol rehab programs are provided.