Evelyn Hernandez, MSW

Evelyn Hernandez, MSW, is a Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribal member with numerous kinship connections throughout the Reservation. She dances at powwow celebrations and attends jump dances, sweats, and wakes. During the past year, in her capacity as addition specialist, she has had contacts with social work practitioners, social service agencies and clients, professional associations, regulatory agencies, and the community at large. Evelyn serves on the board of the Two Eagle River School (all native alternative school) and the Coalition for Kids on the Flathead Reservation. She also works as the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Crime Victim Advocate Outreach Coordinator, facilitates women’s support groups, and works with community organizations to educate about domestic violence and substance abuse. Additional activities include:
· Tribal domestic violence prevention program, putting together culturally based support groups for Indian people in every town on the Reservation
· DOVES, Polson, and Safe Harbour, Pablo (violence crisis centers)
· Alcoholics Anonymous—various leadership capacities; Circuit Speaker
· Part-time work with Providence Addictions Treatment Center, Missoula—leads groups; does a spiritual/cultural lecture for family members on AA and Native American cultural beliefs
· Coordinates with other faculty to be sure students have an understanding of addictions, because of the high rate of alcoholism on Indian reservations; spoke in various classes about Native Americans and addictions
· Worked with the Clothesline Project making t-shirts commemorating abuse victims
· Co-coordinated a day-long workshop on methadone and inhalant abuse and intervention
· Attended the National CSWE Conference in Los Angeles
· Serves as a White Bison "Fire Starter" (White Bison is a national organization that integrates AA and Native American spirituality); arranged for the new Native American Big Book to be placed in SKC Library

Evelyn seeks new ways to raise awareness of drug abuse. She is a leader in this field and was co-coordinator of a workshop on methadone and inhalant abuse and intervention. She regularly invites Native American presenters into her addictions classes and seeks new ways to work to assist Social Work students in reaching out to the community, such as providing culturally relevant mentoring and mountain camps for children who are at high risk for addictions. Evelyn's special interest is developing innovative ways to assist children who are not doing well in school and incorporating cultural relevant activities and opportunities in these efforts. In her capacity as Board member of the Two Eagle Rivers School and the Coalition for kids she is able to provide leadership in incorporating innovative treatment programs and insure there is a safe and nurturing place for children to live and grow that respect cultural diversity

Evelyn Hernandez’s academic and research interests concern the link between spirituality and recovery from addictions, with particular focus on Native American Women. She has organized a support group specifically designed for Native Women who have been survivors of domestic abuse and written a training manual for working with these women.

Evelyn Hernandez 's CV