Jan. 3, 2025
Episode 1 Introduction – My Journey in Social Work and Tribal Child Welfare
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Welcome to The Forgotten Trail, where we uncover the challenges, triumphs, and lessons of child welfare and preventative care. I’m Damion, sharing my journey from Tribal child welfare investigator to preventative care advocate and medical social worker. Through real stories, case reviews, and critical discussions, we’ll explore the complexities of this field and the impact it has on lives. Whether you're in the field, studying, or simply curious, join me to reflect, learn, and grow together. Subscribe and let’s walk this trail of understanding and change.
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00:00 - Untitled
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,000
Welcome to the Forgotten Trail podcast where we explore the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in child welfare and preventative care.
2
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:22,000
My name is Damien and today I want to share my story with you. A story of dedication, growth, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference in people's lives.
3
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:33,000
Let me take you back a few years. You see, after I graduated from college, I began my career as a tribal child welfare investigator.
4
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:41,000
For two years, I worked on the front lines, facing some of my life's most challenging yet meaningful experiences.
5
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:50,000
As an investigator, my role was to ensure the safety of children while also respecting and preserving the culture values in the tribal community.
6
00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:56,000
Every day was different. Some filled with hope, other days it was heartbreak.
7
00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:07,000
I often found myself in situations where decisions weren't just about safety, but also about the identity, the family, and the healing of generational wounds.
8
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:14,000
There were people that I worked with who would ask me questions on why I wanted to get into this line of work.
9
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:24,000
It was mainly to gain as much experience as possible, and also see if this was something I could do, because this field is not for everyone.
10
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:33,000
I worked with law enforcement, I worked with the state child protective workers, federal agents, and other tribes involving other cases.
11
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:43,000
I know what it feels like to be on call every week, in response to emergencies, and I have seen families at their lowest points in their lives.
12
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:49,000
After two years, I transitioned into a preventative care role.
13
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:59,000
I spent the next three years focusing on protective solutions and helping families address issues before they escalated into a bigger issue.
14
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:04,000
This work was, to me, empowering.
15
00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,000
It was about giving parents the tools they needed to succeed,
16
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,000
and strengthening the community ties that could support these families.
17
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:22,000
I facilitated parenting classes, life skills, and worked directly with the families to create a lasting change.
18
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:30,000
One of my proudest achievements was working with a struggling single mother, who was trying to find some form of stability.
19
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:39,000
Through the community resources and guidance, she transformed her life and created a safe, loving environment for her and her children.
20
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,000
Moments like this remind me why preventative care was so vital.
21
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:51,000
It's not just about stopping a crisis, but also learning how to build a future.
22
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:56,000
Most recently, I spent a year working in the medical field.
23
00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:05,000
Now, this role brought new challenges, requiring me to navigate the intersections of health care and social services.
24
00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:14,000
I supported patients dealing with complex medical conditions, helping them access resources, understanding their options,
25
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000
and cope with the emotional and financial burdens of illnesses.
26
00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:26,000
It was a humbling experience to witness the resilience of families during some of these most difficult times in their lives.
27
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,000
So why a podcast?
28
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,000
Now, over the years, I've gained insight and knowledge that could benefit others.
29
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:39,000
I've learned how systems work, and I've also seen how systems don't work.
30
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:50,000
I've seen the strength of individuals and families in the face of adversity and witnessed how the proper support at the right time can change everything.
31
00:03:50,000 --> 00:04:02,000
Through this platform, I hope to share these stories, review real-world situations on cases, and discuss the critical issues facing social work and child welfare today.
32
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:09,000
I aim to create a space where we can learn, reflect, and grow together.
33
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:20,000
Whether you're a fellow individual working in this field right now, or a student, or someone who's curious about this line of work, then this podcast is for you.
34
00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:31,000
I'll share my experiences, and in the future, hopefully, invite guests to provide a perspective and tackle some of these questions and challenges that matter the most.
35
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,000
Thank you for tuning in on this first episode on the Forgotten Trail Podcast.
36
00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:42,000
I'm excited to embark on this journey with you and to share the stories and lessons that have shaped my career.
37
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:49,000
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who might benefit from this conversation.
38
00:04:49,000 --> 00:05:02,000
We'll see you on the next one.
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,000
Welcome to the Forgotten Trail podcast where we explore the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned in child welfare and preventative care.
2
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:22,000
My name is Damien and today I want to share my story with you. A story of dedication, growth, and an unwavering commitment to making a difference in people's lives.
3
00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:33,000
Let me take you back a few years. You see, after I graduated from college, I began my career as a tribal child welfare investigator.
4
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:41,000
For two years, I worked on the front lines, facing some of my life's most challenging yet meaningful experiences.
5
00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:50,000
As an investigator, my role was to ensure the safety of children while also respecting and preserving the culture values in the tribal community.
6
00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:56,000
Every day was different. Some filled with hope, other days it was heartbreak.
7
00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:07,000
I often found myself in situations where decisions weren't just about safety, but also about the identity, the family, and the healing of generational wounds.
8
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:14,000
There were people that I worked with who would ask me questions on why I wanted to get into this line of work.
9
00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:24,000
It was mainly to gain as much experience as possible, and also see if this was something I could do, because this field is not for everyone.
10
00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:33,000
I worked with law enforcement, I worked with the state child protective workers, federal agents, and other tribes involving other cases.
11
00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:43,000
I know what it feels like to be on call every week, in response to emergencies, and I have seen families at their lowest points in their lives.
12
00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:49,000
After two years, I transitioned into a preventative care role.
13
00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:59,000
I spent the next three years focusing on protective solutions and helping families address issues before they escalated into a bigger issue.
14
00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:04,000
This work was, to me, empowering.
15
00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:09,000
It was about giving parents the tools they needed to succeed,
16
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,000
and strengthening the community ties that could support these families.
17
00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:22,000
I facilitated parenting classes, life skills, and worked directly with the families to create a lasting change.
18
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:30,000
One of my proudest achievements was working with a struggling single mother, who was trying to find some form of stability.
19
00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:39,000
Through the community resources and guidance, she transformed her life and created a safe, loving environment for her and her children.
20
00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,000
Moments like this remind me why preventative care was so vital.
21
00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:51,000
It's not just about stopping a crisis, but also learning how to build a future.
22
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:56,000
Most recently, I spent a year working in the medical field.
23
00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:05,000
Now, this role brought new challenges, requiring me to navigate the intersections of health care and social services.
24
00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:14,000
I supported patients dealing with complex medical conditions, helping them access resources, understanding their options,
25
00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:18,000
and cope with the emotional and financial burdens of illnesses.
26
00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:26,000
It was a humbling experience to witness the resilience of families during some of these most difficult times in their lives.
27
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,000
So why a podcast?
28
00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:34,000
Now, over the years, I've gained insight and knowledge that could benefit others.
29
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:39,000
I've learned how systems work, and I've also seen how systems don't work.
30
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:50,000
I've seen the strength of individuals and families in the face of adversity and witnessed how the proper support at the right time can change everything.
31
00:03:50,000 --> 00:04:02,000
Through this platform, I hope to share these stories, review real-world situations on cases, and discuss the critical issues facing social work and child welfare today.
32
00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:09,000
I aim to create a space where we can learn, reflect, and grow together.
33
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:20,000
Whether you're a fellow individual working in this field right now, or a student, or someone who's curious about this line of work, then this podcast is for you.
34
00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:31,000
I'll share my experiences, and in the future, hopefully, invite guests to provide a perspective and tackle some of these questions and challenges that matter the most.
35
00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,000
Thank you for tuning in on this first episode on the Forgotten Trail Podcast.
36
00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:42,000
I'm excited to embark on this journey with you and to share the stories and lessons that have shaped my career.
37
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:49,000
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with others who might benefit from this conversation.
38
00:04:49,000 --> 00:05:02,000
We'll see you on the next one.
