MESA, Ariz. — A new outpatient clinic to help Native American people seek treatment is officially opening its doors on Monday in Mesa.
In the wake of fraudulent sober living homes taking advantage of those needing help across Arizona, Albert Pooley is opening his outpatient clinic with programs he designed that are tailored to Native Americans with their culture in mind.
"There's been a lot of difficulties in, in service to Native Americans over the past few months, over the past few years. And so we're very well aware of that," Pooley said. "There is a way to change, there is a way to serve our people in the right way."
Pooley, the Founder and President of the Native American Fathers and Families Association (NAFFA) has helped tribes across the United States implement the programs he's designed around families for years through trained facilitators.
"It's stuff we've known that we've lost our way through different historical events," Diana Billy-Elliott, the Vice Chair of Hopland Band of Pomo Indians, said.
The new NAFFA Wellness became licensed through the Arizona Department of Health Services this week, and will officially open its doors on Monday at NAFFA's location in Mesa.
The program will be led by Pooley himself, using his curriculum to help those with mental health struggles and substance use treatment.
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"The heart of our Native people is not the songs, it's not the dances, it's not the language—all those are important— but the heart of who we are is family," Pooley said.
NAFFA Wellness will focus on three pillars: Self-worth, identity and purpose.
"There are a lot of things out there written for people in treatment programs, in counseling, in therapy, therapeutic modalities— there are so many things written out there that are not for us because they don't know us," Cheryl Honnie, director of training at NAFFA said. "And so what Mr. Pooley's done is he's written these curriculums that will meet the needs of what we know we are."
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