Treatment for Native American youths begins with building trust Clackamas County News - - OregonLive.com:
"OREGON CITY -- It's easy to swoop past the fenced facility on tree-lined Clackamas River Road as the pavement bends and curves along the winding river.
But advocates hope it will be harder to miss the import of what Cedar Bough does for Native American youths in Oregon, and beyond.
Cedar Bough, a residential center run by ChristieCare that treats mentally ill Native American and Native Alaskan youths, opened a year ago on the site of a former operator that was shut down by the state.
In that time, the center has treated more than 60 kids from middle through high school. The center, which includes academics, equine therapy, counseling and more, is especially vital for youth who face a high risk of substance abuse, foster placement and juvenile detention.
But for Cedar Bough to even open its doors, administrators at parent ChristieCare first had to close their mouths.
They were, after all, a non-Native organization offering to house and treat the youths of tribes with a long history of abuse from white America. Memories of children being taken from tribes, ordered to cut their hair and prevented from learning their culture remain fresh."
"OREGON CITY -- It's easy to swoop past the fenced facility on tree-lined Clackamas River Road as the pavement bends and curves along the winding river.
But advocates hope it will be harder to miss the import of what Cedar Bough does for Native American youths in Oregon, and beyond.
Cedar Bough, a residential center run by ChristieCare that treats mentally ill Native American and Native Alaskan youths, opened a year ago on the site of a former operator that was shut down by the state.
In that time, the center has treated more than 60 kids from middle through high school. The center, which includes academics, equine therapy, counseling and more, is especially vital for youth who face a high risk of substance abuse, foster placement and juvenile detention.
But for Cedar Bough to even open its doors, administrators at parent ChristieCare first had to close their mouths.
They were, after all, a non-Native organization offering to house and treat the youths of tribes with a long history of abuse from white America. Memories of children being taken from tribes, ordered to cut their hair and prevented from learning their culture remain fresh."
