Osage Nation Prevention Staff Selected to Speak at National Prevention Network Conference

Braiding Culture into Evidence-Based Programs

Chicago, IL. – August 28, 2019, Osage Nation Prevention Program (ONPP) Prevention Specialist Peaches Hail and Project Coordinator Daisy Spicer presented at the 32nd Annual National Prevention (NPN) Network Conference in Chicago.
The conference was hosted by the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors and highlighted building on evidence-based prevention to connect to communities. The purpose of the NPN is to present the latest research in the substance use prevention field. It provides a forum for prevention professionals, leaders, researchers, and federal partners to incorporate research into prevention practice.

Hail and Spicer presented a session that examined how the Osage Nation integrates tribal culture into their strategy for utilizing the Mendez Foundation’s Too Good programs. Participants were able to get hands-on experience with the activities. The workshop focused on the ONPP’s use of Too Good for Drugs and Violence at Daposka Ahnkodapi. The staff have used puppets dressed in Osage clothes to integrate culture and reinforce the program’s strategy. The puppets include: Tuggles the Teddy Bear for the Kindergarten curriculum, Carmen the Cool Cat for first grade, and Wagner the Peace-Able Pup for the second grade. The ONPP is grateful to have worked interdependently with the Osage Nation Cultural Center, who created the traditional Osage clothes for the puppets.

ONPP has been implementing Too Good programs for over ten years. Hail and Spicer are certified to teach these programs and train other teachers at the Osage Nation. They have worked in classrooms ranging from Pre-K-12th grade. The school districts include: Pawhuska, Fairfax, Prue, Shidler, Wynona, Hominy, and Barnsdall. The vision is to reach every school in Osage county one day.

For more information about the Osage Nation Prevention Program, please visit: https://www.osagenation-nsn.gov/what-we-do/prevention-programs

Peaches and Daisy NPN Conference