Benjamin Hale

My name is Benjamin A. Hale, I am of the Red House clan of the Navajo Nation; my original homeland is a small community called Oak springs located in Northeastern Arizona. I was born, raised, educated and a proud lifetime member of the American Indian community here in Southern California. I serve as the Traditional Indian Health Program Coordinator / Community Outreach Specialist representing the American Indian Healing Center, a State Licensed non-Profit, Community Clinic. I have the honor in serving as a liaison, connecting the American Indian community as well as the general community at large with access to the highest quality healthcare possible. For me, this is a responsible, respectful role to the community that I call home and have come to love.

The clinic has entrusted me in creating our Traditional Indian Health Program, which I am the Coordinator. In this program we utilize ceremonies, prayers, songs, alters, instruments that our North American Indian ancestors lived by, doing our best to understand these philosophies & teachings and incorporating them into our daily lives here in the Los Angeles urban area for the benefit of our North American Indian Community members.

I am also affiliated with the Native American Family Center which provides counseling services in the area of control substance abuse recovery, with 2 offices located in San Bernardino, & Long Beach CA. I'm an authorized provider for the Access to American Indian Recovery program, providing services as a qualified Spiritual Leader. I provide the culturally appropriate counseling for this organization. Through this work I am contracted as a consultant providing culturally appropriate counseling, anger management, parenting sessions as well as facilitating the weekly Community Council Fire (talking circle) on the Morongo Indian Community by the Morongo Child Family Services Dept. At the Soboba Tribal (TANF) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families I facilitate the White Bison “Healing American Indian Communities curriculum” for their teen youth programs. I provide cultural activities, talking circles weekly at Changing Spirits, Men's Rehabilitation program. Native American Choices Residential Treatment Program both located in Long Beach CA.

I am also Leadership Council member at the American Indian Community Council one of 9 councils that makes up the 1 of 9 Service Planning Areas of Los Angeles County. Some of our work areas include Mental Health, Indian Child Welfare Act, Financial stability for our community, Youth, Better communications in our community, Sustainability of our culture. Through this council work I was elected to a seat on the Under Represented Ethnic Population group of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, as well as the L.A. County Department of Mental Health's Chaplaincy Advisory, Planning Committee.

I am also director of the Eagle Spirit Dancers, family, spiritually based presentation, presenting the North American Indian Culture through Stories, Songs, & Dances. We educate about our culture to many different events, learning institutions, & communities through this program.

My knowledge, wisdom, understanding about my traditional teachings is very important in all of the above work, I'm proud to be affiliated with the Native Programs listed below.

• American Indian Healing Center, 12456 E. Washington Blvd, Whittier CA 90602
• Traditional Indian Health Program Coordinator/Community Outreach, AIHC.
• Leadership, American Indian Children's Council, of Los Angeles County.
• Culturally appropriate counseling, Native American Family Center
• Culturally appropriate counseling, Morongo Indian Community, Cabazon CA
• White Bison curriculum facilitator, Soboba Tribal TANF.
• Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health UREP group, Chaplaincy Advisory, Planning Committee.
• American Indian Changing Spirits, Men's Rehabilitation Program, Long Beach, CA
• Native American Choices Residential Treatment Program, Long Beach, CA
• Director, Eagles Spirit Dancers, North American Indian Culture through stories, songs, & dances.