Intensive home-based and wellness services to native American families living on reservations: A model

For decades, providing services to Native American families residing on res ervations has presented challenges to the social work profession. Historica lly, and in some locations currently, the federal government has been the p rimary family service provider, Non-Indian workers in key programs and admi nistrative positions often staff these federal services, Often service deli very by non-Native workers is organized, administered, and delivered in a c ulturally insensitive manner. There has recently been an increase in Americ an Indians that provide services for their own and neighboring Indian commu nities, but the issue of effective service delivery remains. This paper sug gests a model of intensive home-based treatment and wellness services to Na tive American families living on reservations. The model acknowledges the i mportance of culturally competent leadership and workers, focuses on the pr evention of placing of adults, elders, and children off the reservation, an d maintaining balance In the family by emphasizing tribal values and wellne ss.