Home » Our Departments » Wabanaki Public Health » Community Healing
Culture and language are key protective factors in reducing high-risk behaviors in youth and adults. The work of the Community Healing division facilitates cultural programs and activities to promote and support education. We aim to strengthen cultural identity and promote a positive connection to our community and culture in order to improve mental health, reduce suicide and substance use disorder, and prevent intentional and unintentional injury.
We develop programs that bring together elders, mentors and youth to practice and share cultural teachings and language. Doing ceremony on a consistent basis increases language competence and cultural knowledge in all of our community members. Click here to learn more about our cultural activities and programs.
The Injury & Violence Prevention Division aims to prevent intentional and unintentional injury and reduce injury related disability and death by providing culturally appropriate and trauma informed programming within our tribal communities. Click here to learn more about our Injury & Violence prevention programs.
We promote and support secondary and post-secondary educational opportunities for youth (ages 12 -24) and/or their parents to improve overall health and well-being. Through this program, we can connect students to economic opportunities to take care of themselves and their families. Our programs aim to support 8th grade students identify their goals and plans for the future, engage high school students in building relationships for future success, and develop wrap-around programming for struggling youth.
We also assist with curriculum development and implementation of Wabanaki language and history education within all three MIE schools as required by LD 291 (State legislation that requires the teaching of Wabanaki curriculum at all grade levels at all Maine schools) and provide assistance and guidance to other school districts on the implementation of LD 291.
