Task Force Members: Left to right: Valarie Fallsdown, Director Domestic Violence (Crow); Thomasine Woodenlegs, Northern Cheyenne Human Services; Addie Baker, Northern Cheyenne Foster Care licensing; Kim Dahle, Youth Detention Center; Amy White Woman, BIA Police Department; August Scalpcane, Office of Public Instruction Wrap Around Progrm; William Walksalong, Northern Cheyenne Administration; Wesley Stops, Director, Youth Empowerment; Londa Simpson, Absaalooka Uniting Families, MSPI Director,; Sarah Good Luck, Dirctor of Office of Justice, Crow Tribe' Task force members not pictured: Troy Spang, St. Labre Schools; Mark Roundstone and Robyn Spang, Indian Child Welfare Act and Joe Weaselbear, Northern Cheyenne Recovery Center.

Northern Cheyenne raise funds for Adolescent Safe Home
By Clara Caufield
Native Sun News Correspondent

LAME DEER, Mont. –– The Northern Cheyenne Adolescent Safety Task Force (NCASTF) had a rather large presence at the All American Indian Shootout Basketball tournament, Dec. 10, 11 and 12 in Billings, an annual and largely attended Native American basketball tournament involving schools from across the state. NCASTF was there in full force, beginning to raise funds for an adolescent “Safe Home” on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.

NCASTF is a grassroots effort to bring together agencies that work with youth on the reservation by providing a forum and impetus to fill the service and family gaps that allow “too many” youth to fall through the system, said Troy Spang, current chairman. The Task Force, was the brainchild of Lacey Alexander – Small, former director of Second Seasons youth program, who said “Second Seasons was designed to give youthful offenders a second chance with positive alternatives to incarceration in juvenile detention facilities."

"During the course of our work, we became keenly aware that many youth who get into trouble are in serious need of a stable home or shelter environment," Alexander – Small said. "That eventually led to the development of NCASTF, as all providers came together to discuss the problem and how we might address it.”

The group, officially formed more than a year ago, is addressing issues for youth from a systemic viewpoint, promoting collaboration between the agencies that work with youth and families. A primary goal is to provide a safe environment on a temporary basis for youth from troubled families through the envisioned Safe Home.

Read the rest of the story on the all new Native Sun News website: Northern Cheyenne raise funds for Adolescent Safe Home

(Clara Caufield can be reached at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

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