Hazelden Betty Ford launches program focusing on mental health, generational trauma in Native American communities

MINNEAPOLIS — Hazelden Betty Ford has launched a free virtual program that helps Native American community members address generational trauma and the various struggles that come with it.

Jason Delmont, a descendant of the Mendota Dakota helps lead the program.

"Trauma, we haven't know what to do with," he said. "Trauma that, that's just the way it is."

His people have seen pain, and he has too. After getting treatment at Hazelden Betty Ford he is eight years sober and now a counselor himself.

"At some point you cross that line and can't just quit, you can't physiologically, emotionally, you just can't. I think that is probably the most misunderstood is the science of the disease itself," he said.

He also thinks there's a misunderstanding of why more Indigenous people struggle with addiction.

"Trauma is handed down," he explained. "Maybe some of our Native addicts and alcoholics never saw abuse but they are carrying that with them genetically."

So now Hazelden has launched a free program that he helps lead. They have virtual free meetings as part of the Native American Family Program.

"Whether they are from a tribe in California or Nebraska or Oklahoma or Texas or Minnesota, it's all familiar.  When you hear 'oh that was us too,' you see eyes light up, you see kind of an 'oh, this isn't so unusual' and some people just start talking and talking and talking, or crying, that's even more beautiful."

They've also added a smudge room to the main treatment center, and a Recovery Equity Podcast, all in an effort to honor a culture worthy of celebration.

"The hope I have for this again is bringing good medicine to the reservation," Delmont said. "I want to see families bring back at least hope back home."

The Native American Family Program is a free virtual program that families dealing with addiction can join. It started with one person, now the meetings have more than 40 people.