The National AI/AN ATTC met in Santee, Nebraska as planned on October 17-18 for a two-day training.  It was a very successful meeting and the presenters discussed both Western clinical approaches to diagnosis/assessment and traditional Native approaches to healing and treatment planning.  We had both an in-person audience and a virtual audience totaling about 20 participants.  Discussion is already underway for panning another training session in the future. 

The goal of this training was to assist American Indian & Alaska Native substance abuse counselors apply components of DSM-5 and ASAM in their clinical practice. The training addressed Indigenous cultural considerations, treatment planning, and treatment placement. The final day involved practicing DSM-5 diagnosis and making appropriate treatment recommendations using ASAM criteria.

Thank you to Mr. Doug Widow Jr. and the Santee Health/ Wellness Center and the Tokaheya Takuye Program staff for hosting such a great training event.  We hope to see you again in 2023.

Steven G. Steine National AI/AN ATTC Addictions Program Manager