Chief Austin Bear Honoured As A Man Of Vision And Commitment By The Saskatchewan Nnadap Regional Advisory Board

Muskoday, Saskatchewan, April 10, 2006 - After many years of Service, Chief Austin Bear, Chief of the Muskoday Fierst Nation in Sakatchewan, leaves his seat as Chair of the Saskatchewan NNADAP Regional Advisory Board (RAB) The National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) is a First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) program now largely controlled by First Nations communities and organizations. The Saskatchewan NNADAP Regional Advisory Board (RAB) is a group of Chiefs and expert representatives of SK First Nations who oversee alcohol and drug services on behalf of First Nations.

Since 1982, the RAB has committed to serving the best interests of SK First Nations on addictions issues. The Board serves as a collective voice to provide expert advice to First Nations and the Federal Government on addictions issues. The RAB promotes access to quality addictions services, managed and controlled by SK First Nations. They also promote standards of excellence, plan, manage and finance accredited training and professional development opportunities to continuous learning for frontline workers. The RAB commissions research in the addictions field to identify best practices for incorporation in the addictions system. The Board offers many opportunities to strengthen the skills of the work force and elevate the capacity of the Saskatchewan NNADAP workers.

Chief Bear’s hallmark as Member and chair of the Saskatchewan NNADAP Regional Advisory Board has been his capacity to maintain his vision and chosen life goal, "to serve - with respect" at the core of all his dreams and his concrete undertakings on behalf of his community and of all Aboriginal Peoples.

Chief Bear’s involvement with NNADAP began as a NNADAP Co-coordinator/ Community Worker for the Muskoday First Nation. In the five years he served in this position, he developed alcohol and substance abuse prevention programming for the community.

Chief Bear has enjoyed 21 years of sobriety and is a Certified Addictions Counsellor. He attained his training through the Chemical Dependency Program at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Arts and Technology (SIAST). His special interest, as a NNADAP worker and in his role as Chief, was the development and promotion of youth activities. “Present-day leaders and community people will be relying on the youth of today for future leadership,” he says. As the NNADAP Co-ordinator he was able to establish community- based peer counselling, implemented training in the areas of relationships, solvent abuse and alcohol and drug prevention.

Member of the Saskatchewan NNADAP Regional Advisory Board joined Sharon Clarke, Executive Director of the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation in thanking Chief Bear for his dedication and leadership and in honouring him as a man of great vision, commitment and of many achievements.