HITTING THE BOOKS — Division 260 Council Leader Admola Oluwo reviews materials from the union training class at the Cornell Leadership Institute.

Member honored for her unique role in treating addictions
Native American women benefit with holistic treatment

By DEBORAH A. MILES
Successfully treating clients with addiction problems through a holistic and spiritual way has earned PEF member Valerie Staats a prestigious award from Prevention Focus, a group known for its substance abuse and domestic violence prevention programs.

Staats, an alcohol and substance abuse counselor at the Stutzman Addiction Treatment Center in Buffalo, received the Joan A. Levine award for her dedication to improving the quality of life for women in Western New York through professional and volunteer services.

The award is named after the late Joan Levine who was the Executive Director of Prevention Focus.

“I met Joan Levine several years ago and she was very instrumental in inspiring me to actively participate in the community,” Staats said. “When I found out I received the award I was awe-struck.

“The award challenged me. I felt very humbled but I also realized that even more had to be done for the under-served in the Native American community.”

Staats, a member of the Mohawk/Turtle Clan, created a statewide treatment program at Stutzman called Freedom Way, which she calls “a journey of hope and healing” for Native American’s seeking recovery from addiction.

“Valerie uses a holistic approach and has so much passion,” said PEF Division 311 Council Leader Marcia Kubiak. “Her techniques give people a sense of well-being and confidence to more forward in their treatment. She is a dedicated and very gentle spirit.

“Valerie has earned an incredible reputation for counseling Native Americans. Because of the work she has done, we generate clients from Syracuse to Canada,” Kubiak added.

Based on “wellbriety”
Staats initiated Freedom Way with guidance from White Bison, Inc., a national Native American organization dedicated to a concept called “wellbriety,” — a process for recovery from alcoholism in a holistic way.

The Freedom Way program, in part, heals addiction by returning to the values of the tribe’s ancestors such as love, respect and courage. Participants in the counseling group are encourage to let go of the “mind changers” — the alcohol and drugs — and focus on personal space to invoke their total well-being.

“One of the personal enhancement methods is called the healing circle,” Staats said. “In this circle, people feel safe. We use song, drums and prayer to call upon our creator. Then a feather is passed to each participant in the circle. The person holding the feather shares their perspective with the group. And what we learn is that the power of the circle is greater than the sum of its parts. We listen to each one, and we understand the whole.”

More for mothers with children
Staats also initiated another program, which compliments Freedom Way, and is geared for Native American women and their children.

“The mothers and children program offers Native American women an opportunity for recovery so they can again become the heartbeat of the earth and pass values down to their children,” Staats said.

In addition to her work at Stutzman and volunteer work, Staats is also a member of the Erie County Mental Hygiene Community Services Board and a founding board member of Native American Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Inc. Recently, she was appointed to the New York State-Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Project 2015 Task Force, a program that will focus on the impact that the baby boom population will have on addiction service delivery by that year.

COMMUNICATOR HOMEPAGE
Inside This Issue:
Features
Union sticks with Pataki, Hevesi
Benson pledges: No more zeroes
Hallum: Strict fiscal controls, methods paying off
UFT leader shares negotiating tips
Convention delegates adopt eight resolutions
Delegates amend PEF Constitution

Departments
President's Message: Standing together
You Said It: Member's letters this month
Member Mobilization: Div. 240 awards
Legislative Action: Delegates give thumbs-up
Nurses' Station: Convention roundtable on OT
Health Notes: Flex Spending/Dependent Care
Member Mobilization: Divisions testing system
PEF Membership Benefits Program & Travel Corp

Union Matters
PEF brings tough new outlook to contract talks
Early retirement window opens at Mental Health
PEF to launch new ad campaign
Arbitrator overturns member’s suspension at DOH
Multi-union program mentors future leaders
Member honored for her unique role
PEF endorses 7 more candidates in Nov. 5 election
Financial Statement

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