Instructors:

Clara Bushyhead (Preventionist)

Ms. Clara Bushyhead, a member of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma was until recently the Prevention Specialist for the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) Partnership for Success Cooperative Agreement, a sub-recipient of a SAMHSA grant awarded to the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board. She has 20+ years working for the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.

Through the use of the Strategic Prevention Framework, Ms. Bushyhead began collecting Native specific data in Northwest Oklahoma, both for alcohol and nonmedical use of prescription drugs as it relates to tribal youth.

Through the data collection process, a new youth movement called Tradition Not Addiction was conceived, created and established. Because of the success of this program the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe have provided full administrative and financial support to enlarge the scope of the program.

Special Acknowledgement: Clara Bushyhead is the main author, although she is no longer on the grant, we want to acknowledge the phenomenal work that she contributed to the field of prevention, her community, and most importantly to the youth of the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes.
 

Melanie Johnson M.Ed. (Project Manager)

Melanie Johnson, a member of the Sac and Fox Tribe of Oklahoma, is the Project Manager for the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success Grant funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), within The Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, Oklahoma Tribal Epidemiology Center, focusing on substance abuse prevention among Native youth.

She received a Master of Education Degree, with a concentration in American Indian Education, from The University of Oklahoma. Currently, her focus is to advocate for promising practices and strategies to reduce alcohol and substance abuse among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

She and Clara worked hand in hand to implement the Tradition Not Addiction program.
 

Sucharat (Gift) Tayarachakul, MPH (Epidemiologist)

Ms. Sucharat Tayarachakul is a lead Epidemiologist at the Southern Plains Tribal Health Board, Oklahoma Area Tribal Epidemiology Center focusing on substance abuse prevention among Native youth and Maternal and Child Health.

She received a Master of Public Health Degree, with a concentration in Epidemiology, from Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health.

Currently, her focus is providing data support (analysis and reporting) to tribal partners and overseeing the Tribal Epidemiological Outcomes Workgroup (TEOW).