The Catholic Social Teaching Principles are a tool to achieve the common good. In the past and in

IHS is a very complex organization that serves the American Indian and Alaskan Native population. Effective health services for American Indians and Alaskan Natives had to integrate the philosophies of the tribes with those of the medical community. Because not all tribes signed treaties with the United States some people with Indian heritage were not eligible to participate with the federal government programs. Eligible people with Indian heritage were provided various services throughout the IHS programs; however, some IHS locations did not have the necessary equipment or facilities to provide comprehensive services.

The conditions within these boarding schools were often very poor for students. They were underfunded and created on a basis of racism. There were two types of these schools: boarding schools and the mission schools. The boarding schools were

Confirmation of this idea takes place when Jackson remarks that “being homeless is probably the only thing I’ve ever been good at [since arriving in Seattle]” (Alexie). Living on the streets of Seattle, Jackson has a skewed view of what he’s capable of doing; he seemingly feels as though he has no identity except for that which the dominant culture has placed on him. Therefore, he has accepted this identity and is feeling ashamed of himself for letting go of his Spokane heritage. Consequently, he has resorted to alcohol to cope with his identity crisis. This notion that American Indians loss of culture is a result of social issues such as alcoholism is not a new one, for the Indian peoples’ themselves have indicated that their living situation is a result of these problems (Beauvais 253). Furthermore, in cases such as that of Jackson Jackson, there is a connection between psychological disorders and extensive alcohol abuse; the issue is more pronounced within the American Indian community according to what the Indian peoples believe (253). Hypothetically, as Fred Beauvais notes, “people with psychological problems use alcohol to relieve certain symptoms” (253). This idea further supports the fact that Jackson is coping with his “asocial disorder” through the use of alcohol (Alexie). His psychological issues and substance abuse are key drivers for why Jackson

“tribal hero” status. Victor, incapable of coping with rejection, turns to the bottle for solace like a

To begin with Anna Leah King’s presentation to the class on her personal experience of her parents attending residential schools makes it feel very real. As we go through school as aspiring educators we learn a lot about the residential schools, truth and reconciliation, etc, because we need to be aware of Canada’s past and need to be able to lead the future as we are the ones transferring information into young minds. Now Anna’s story I found was very strong and truthful as she gave two different experiences in these schools. She said her father was older and bigger when he attended the school so things like physical abuse did not affect him as he just worked on carpentry the whole time. Where as her mother’s experience was very different because her

Native American people have a unique struggle in society. This stems from cultural epidemics like drug addiction, alcoholism, obesity, and rampant suicide, but also systemic racism and a sort of cultural lag. This is not meant to be a critique of culture, simply an observation of the condition of the families I have helped serve over the course of this internship. To be “Native” has become a slew of stereotypical representations. Stereotypes do not represent reality, but they do affect how individuals view themselves, and limit their ability to become anything but what they are expected to be. This is called the self-fulfilling prophecy. If Native American children grow up in a closed network, such as a reservation or a boundary, they are presented

Sam Hider is a $14 million health center opened recently in Jay, Oklahoma. The Sam Hider center is one of the many projects that were built using casino profits. Besides all the standard healthcare services offered in this center, a physical therapy is now available for the first time to the patients as well. It is projected that the center will leave significant impact on the Cherokee nation because of its efficient staff and unique capability of handling more than 77,00 panties. After all, the Sam Hider Health Center and every other hospital are dedicated to provide the best health care that the Cherokee people demand. Besides the treatment of physical illness like the Hepatitis C and diabetes, the Cherokee nation is also maintaining an optimal level of healthcare toward mental

With regards to this, healthcare workers also identified a number of emerging positive attitudes across Indian country. Tribes of Native American communities, for example, report that they are taking steps themselves to eliminate abuse. The feeling is growing that the best--perhaps only way--to overcome Indian alcohol and substance abuse

From the article entitled Catholic Social Teaching – Convictions and Connections by Russell Connors (Catherine Core Reader, 2011)

Alcoholism is the leading health and social problem of American Indians than any other race. Native Americans who end up leaving the reservation to pursue education or employment opportunities express a high degree of discomfort and anxiety as a result of “feeling caught in two worlds.” By leaving the reservation they are abandoning their traditions, however temporarily, and suffering a sense of personal loss and insecurity. In entering a new world, this sense of loss and insecurity is heightened and becomes exacerbated, particularly if they do not experience success or acceptance in the new environment (Major, A.K. A 2003). However, if success and acceptance in the new world occurs, these individuals will still suffer the pangs of abandonment since they can never fully return to the reservation. In some cases, forced assimilation has extinguished the culture from many Indians as their grandparents and parents were forced to abandon the old ways in order to become more American. Thomas Jefferson, as well as many others believed that Native Americans can be just as ‘White’ Americans. In an attempt to increase local employment opportunities, many tribes have turned to gambling casinos and the collateral business which support these ventures. Illegal activities would certainly increase among Indians because of the simple fact that they need to survive by any means necessary. This can all

Usually, with treatment, there “tends to be a focus on Western medicine techniques that may be interpreted as belittling the culture’s traditional practices (Beiser 1985) or not validating American Indian spiritual ceremonies as therapy” (Larois et al., 2011). The American Indian culture is vastly different with specific customs. Naturally, “individuals entering treatment may desire treatment programs that are more culturally specific and can attend to the needs of their communities” (Larois et al., 2011). Clinicians can provide a level of comfort if therapeutic approaches are catered to the culture of American Indian clients. The barrier clinician’s run into is that “funding sources require the use of EBTs and these programs find themselves adapting their treatments to fulfill these requirements” (Larois et al., 2011). Insurances have an immense impact and say on the services offered because they are the ones paying. Clinicians can find themselves in a bind because they ultimately have to answer to these insurances companies who pay them for their services. The system is set up in a manner that is not conducive to the American Indian culture.

The principle of human dignity based on catholic social teaching is that every human being is the live image of a god himself (Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, 2016). therefore, every individual in our society is worth of respect as a member of the

I chose to research the Oneida Nation Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin Elderly Heath Care. Here is a little background on the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. They are located in Brown and Outagamie Counties. They are descendants of an indigenous Iroquoian-speaking nation that arose in the present-day central-western New York. The Oneida Tribe is a sovereign government. Oneida means “long awaited” and they spoke Oneida. Lastly, they have three clans: Turtle, Bear, and Wolf Clan. The Turtle Clan represents the shifting of the earth and the cycles of the moon. The people of this clan represent the well of information and the keepers of the land. The Bear Clan known as Medicine people, the healers. There are stories passed down about how the Bear

Access to the communities is provided year round by Wasaya Airline and airstrips that are maintained by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Of course, each Aboriginal community is unique with its own set of traditions and ways of healing but my observation after working within the communities for over ten years is that they all suffer from improperished conditions and substandard housing. The local economies are primarily based upon government services (Indian and Northern Affairs) (INAC) and small business. Most of the reserves have six hundred people or less, and each community has a nursing station. The nursing stations are well-maintained functional buildings built in or about the early 1960’s and are maintained by Health Canada. First Nations and Inuit Health (FNIH) maintains responsibility for primary care services in the majority of the northwest Ontario reserve communities. In the north, nurses are the primary care givers working in an extended scope of practice, and client care is centrally coordinated by nurses working within interdisciplinary teams. The majority of the nursing and medical staff working for FNIH in the Sioux Lookout zone are Caucasian and do not come from local communities. This could outwardly appear as a reinforcement of power relations in the racial identities. There is only very limited cultural training given to employees when they are employed by FNIH. Medical advice and

Racism is a persistent issue directly threatening the values and teachings of Catholic theology and humanities advancement towards unity and peace. A destructive ideology such as racism debunks the entire foundation from which Catholicism is built. Catholicism follows the life and teachings of Jesus and the idea of solidarity, one of seven principals of Catholic Social Teaching; preaching for a single human family despite any national, racial, ethnic, economic, or ideological differences. Accepting or remaining silent when presented with an act of racial discrimination is equally as damaging as committing the act itself, as it contributes to an environment tolerant of racial prejudices. The Catholic church and its followers have a duty to acknowledge racism to its fullest extent and provide resolution. Through a collective stance against racism between the Catholic establishment and society while simultaneously providing education on the issue with realistic solutions, a progressed cultural environment can ultimately be developed that is reluctant to condone racism and all associated ideologies, utilizing peace, unity, and Catholic values as its foundational core.