Rosebud, SD - Oyate Teca Owicakiya
("Helping Young People" in the Lakota Language)

Reclaiming Futures Oyate Teca Owicakiya (Lakota Language for Helping Young People) is located in the Sovereign Tribal Nation of Sicangu Lakota in Rosebud, South Dakota. We are one of first 10 projects funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to create new approaches to help teens in trouble with drugs, alcohol and crime.

The Rosebud Reservation covers one million acres in south central South Dakota. The Sicangu Lakota living there face extreme economic and social hardships including alcohol and other drug abuse. In 2003, more than 75 percent of Rosebud juvenile justice court cases were related to underage drinking. More than 125 of these teens received help for their drug and alcohol problems. Youth inpatient treatment services used to be located off the reservation. Sometimes teens are unable to return to their families after treatment because of drug and alcohol abuse in the home.

Reclaiming Futures Oyate Teca Owicakiya has partnered with the community and more than 15 agencies and programs to increase alcohol and drug treatment, and prevention services to young people and their families in the following ways:

• Screen first time offenders, and assess and refer teens for treatment
• Use care teams for youth within its Wellness Court
• Have residential treatment for youth on the reservation. Use innovative treatment approaches include equine therapy, archery and a range of Lakota cultural practices.
• Involve members of the Sicangu Lakota Nation to share cultural traditions, spiritual knowledge and life experiences.
• Promote indigenous practices such as peacemaking and family group decision making to repair harm and keep cases out of the court system.
• Have youth business at the juvenile detention center to teach teens traditional values, work ethics and home-based business skills
• Include families in assessment, treatment and family recovery programs

Our core partners
Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Alcohol Program
Rosebud Indian Health Service-Mental Health
Sicangu Child and Family Services
Rosebud Sioux Tribe Education Department
Todd County School District No. 66-1
St. Francis Indian School K-12
St. Francis Mission
Sinte Gleska University
Piya Mani Otipi
RST Diabetes Program
Native American Advocacy Program
Wanbli Wiconi Tipi (JDC)
Radio Station KINI
Oyate Networking Project

Contact: Marlies White Hat
Address: Sicangu Policy Institute, P.O. Box 557
Mission, SD 57555
Phone: 605.856.8203
Email: Marlies.WhiteHat@sintegleska.edu