Information Overload!!

Today I had the amazing opportunity to spend time at the behavioral health services center for Cherokee children, adults, and families. This facility serves as the Cherokee version of DCFS back in Illinois. They are presented with cases dealing only with child abuse and neglect that happens within the tribe lands. If for any reason these children are taken away from their parents or guardians, they can be placed within a foster home with other members of the tribe. What I found more interesting however is that these children can also be placed with a responsible adult parental figure that has been a constant positive aspect in the child’s life. For example, if a child has always been close with one of the childhood neighbors, the child could be placed in the permanent care of that neighbor if the child were to ever be removed from his family due to abuse or neglect. Additionally, I learned during this course that the grandparents are commonly the primary care provider of the children. There have been multiple cases within the Cherokee reservation where grandparents have become the legal guardians of their own grandchildren because the mother and father are both in jail. Some other cultures I have studied in school such as Hispanic culture care for the grandparents as they age, but I have learned through the Cherokee culture that at some times the situation within the family can be the complete opposite.

Within the Cherokee culture, the elders and the women of the tribe have the most respect and authority. The elders are seen to have the most wisdom because of their old age. The rest of the tribe looks to them for advice from their wealth of knowledge that they have gained over their lifetime. The women of the tribe are also respected because they are responsible for raising their children and keeping the family structure solid while instilling values and belief systems into their children. One particular family structure observed during my clinical experience was unlike any other that I have witnesses prior to traveling to Cherokee. A family arrived for their appointment with a child to see one of the primary care pediatric physicians. When I entered the room with the nurse, the grandmother of this child was alert and present at the bedside with the child while answering all the questions being asked by the nurse. While this was going on, the child’s mother was seated on the other side of the room silently. This behavior continued until the child’s father entered the room later during the appointment where he took place of the grandmother at the child’s bedside and comforted the child. After what I have learned so far during this week in Cherokee, this type of family dynamic is typical and practiced among many families.

Some of the support systems include John A. Ketcher Youth Center, Cherokee Indian Hospital, and the elders of the tribe. According to Cherokee Nation (2017), “The mission of the Cherokee Nation’s John A. Ketcher Youth Center is to strengthen the wellness of children, youth and families through prevention and redirecting those who have gotten off track” (Cherokee Nation 2017). In hospital within the tribe provides multiple healthcare services to tribe members in need. In addition to healthcare, the elders of the tribe are seen as a support system by providing advice and guidance to younger members of the tribe. One topic that can be instilled in the younger generations from the elders is resilience. Elders of the Cherokee tribe are considered to have multiple years of experience and resilience displayed during their life in order to survive. Families that display this type of resilience display characteristics such as a strong set of values and beliefs. These families and the members within them rely strongly on their morals and belief systems to get them through difficult times. Their resilience is seen in their efforts to continue on and push through times of struggle they may face within their lifetime.

 Reference 

Cherokee Nation. (2017). Children, Youth, and Family Services. Retrieved from http://www.cherokee.org/Services/Human-Services/Children-Youth-Family-Services