August 5, 2013

Ethical Issues in Clinical Practice within Tribal Communities

An engaged audience attended Dr. Antony Stately’s discussion of “Ethical Issues in Clinical Practice within Tribal Communities,” the inaugural offering of the IWRI NCoE Speaker Series. In his talk, Antony emphasized the importance of taking context and community into account in mental health clinical practice with tribal communities. Among other topics, he outlined how historical trauma can affect communities and individuals, and why the researcher/clinician must have an understanding of its possible impact. He also touched on ethical decision making, suggesting that that people in the position of making decisions ask themselves, “If I or my family were on the receiving end of this decision, would I accept it as fair and just? Does it respect the rights of all persons concerned?”

Dr. Stately spoke from experience as Director of Behavioral Health at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Minnesota. Antony (Ojibwe/Oneida) holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. He worked previously at the Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, University of Washington-Seattle, as director for the HONOR Project (a survey looking at the impact of historical trauma, discrimination and other stressors on the health and wellness of Native Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, transgender and Two-spirited men and women) and co-investigator for a grant addressing obesity and cardiovascular disease with a Northwest tribe. He was inaugural Program Director of Seven Generations Child and Family Counseling Services, a clinic serving American Indian children and families, which he helped to establish in Los Angeles. Antony has been a consultant to numerous international, national, and local agencies, and has taught in several graduate programs in clinical psychology.

The presentation was given over the lunch hour on Monday, May 20, and was attended by members of the community including students, staff and faculty.