NATIVE ASPIRATIONS

TT&TA #4Phoenix, AZ

Gary Neumann & Gloria Guillory

Why Native Aspirations was initiated by SAMHSA

• Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Indian youth The purpose of this contract is as follows:

to promote/enhance community led youth violence, bullying, and suicide prevention planning;

to build pro-social/help-seeking behaviors of Native youth and their families; and

to increase protective factors/decrease risk factors contributing to youth violence, bullying, and suicide.

Native Aspirations Team• The Native Aspirations project team includes staff

and expert consultants in the following areas: Behavioral Health; Community Assessment and Facilitation; Native Culture and Ceremony; Project Management; Evaluation and Research; and Database Management.

In addition, consultants specializing in AI/AN behavioral health issues of children, families, and communities will be engaged throughout the project.

Community Selection and Invitation

The Native Aspirations (NA) Community Selection Process

Examined national data sets Identified the IHS Areas at “highest risk” Coordinated regional expert administrative stakeholders in IHS

Areas who interviewed and selected communities “most in need”

Ranked the selected communities within Area Extended an invitation to participate

Communities We Serve

7. Crow Creek Reservation, SD

4. Cheyenne River Reservation, SD

6. Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD

3. Ft. Belknap Indian Reservation, MT

1. Ft. Peck Indian Reservation, MT

2. Wind River Reservation, WY8. Noorvik Native Community, AK

5. Native Village of Savoonga, AK

1. Northern Cheyenne, MT

2. Crow Tribe, MT

6. Rosebud Sioux Tribe, SD

3. Turtle Mountain Chippewa Tribe, ND

5. Angoon Community Association, AK

4. Huslia Tribe, AK

9. Native Village of Alakanuk, AK

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How it operates Native Aspirations 2 (NA2) Activities and Events: Letters of invitation sent; Introductory site visits conducted; Oversight

panel identified Community Readiness information gathered Training and technical assistance provided for onsite GONA Events

and Community Mobilization Planning (CMP) Event Develop/enhance community plan Develop/enhance inter-agency prevention budget Technical assistance to implement CMP and evidence-, practice-, and

cultural-based interventions (EBI/PBI/CBIs) provided Participate in Project Evaluation (outcomes)

Existing Nine Communities Continued Technical Assistance Continued EBI/PBI/CBIs

A grandmother attending the Wind River GONA with her granddaughter stated that her “grandson was the 9-year-old that committed suicide and you all saw his picture up on the screen all week long.” She brought her granddaughter to the GONA because she is on a suicide watch and was so thankful as her granddaughter and others shared a lot about her brother and cried together. “Now other people from here know about my granddaughter. We all can help her, because we all know about her now.”

How it operates • Native Aspirations (NA) Utilizes the Community Readiness Model

Provides communities with a personalized assessment of readiness for the development of appropriate strategies that are more successful and cost effective. – Tri Ethnic Center for Prevention Research, Colorado State University

• NA promotes utilizing the following:– Evidence-Based Interventions;– Practice-Based Interventions; and– Cultural-Based Interventions.

• Native Aspirations involves building community recognition and ownership.

GONA - Community Intervention

“Where we’ve been!”Intergenerational trauma results in the

following:– cultural disorientation;– social friction;– distrust;– collective guilt and shame, as well as damage in

the fabric of cultural identity; and– system territorialism.

In order for both individual and community healing to occur, awareness and understanding of (community-specific) historical trauma must be addressed.

The GONA provides this opportunity for community healing through an experiential community process that includes four phases:

Belonging MasteryInterdependence

Generosity

A grandmother’s commitment following the GONA – To become more involved with this (Native Aspirations) program, because I have children and had a troubled youth. I tried to commit suicide—now I see the error of my own ways. I commit to get involved and involve my children so they can learn from my mistakes.

Community Mobilization Planning (CMP)

“Where we’re going!”

The CMP training/planning event is conducted after the GONA.

Participants include the community oversight panel and key community youth, adults, and elders.

12 Key Components of

Effective Planning

1. Enroll a multi-agency oversight panel2. Review a resource and referral system3. Utilize a youth screening instrument4. Identify a Gatekeeper’s Training Plan5. Create a Community Crisis Response Plan6. Assemble a Clinical Coordination Team

12 Key Components (continued)

7. Review evidence-, practice-, and cultural-based interventions

8. Create a Community Awareness Media Campaign

9. Establish/Enhance Cross-Agency Data Collection Systems

10. Review tribal codes and school policies11. Expand vocational, career, and mentoring

opportunities for youth12. Support the “Voice of Youth” in prevention

planning

Lessons We Have LearnedA grassroots approach promotes community

ownership.• Culturally tailored and community-specific approach• Grassroots focus • Community buy-in and ownership are essential

An example of community buy-in occurred at one of the GONA events. One of the attending tribal council members had planned only to attend the first 2 days of the event, but returned on Days 3 and 4 stating, “I just turned my cell phone off, I had 15 calls already this morning, but this is important work and it’s good that I am here.”

Lessons We Have Learned A community platform is essential.

• Native Aspirations provides a community platform for an Oversight Panel, Community Mobilization Planning (CMP) Process, and CMP Plan, that enhance cross-collaboration with IHS, State, and National efforts, as well as the coordination of prevention efforts within community.

MEGAN REICHERT, MISS WYOMING 2004, WORKED WITH THE CORONER’S OFFICE, THE TASK FORCE, AND INSPIRE AS PART OF

HER STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR PREVENTION.

What We Have LearnedCommunity planning needs youth involvement.

ABERDEEN IHS AREA :

Lakota Youth Movement organize an inter-tribal youth council

“…we have given up on the adults, it is time to organize and provide for our own healthy activities in our communities.” – Lakota Youth Movement

ALASKA VILLAGE:

Alakanuk youth and elders organize weekly Yup’ik culture and language classes.

MT/WY IHS AREA:

The Fort Belknap Youth Advisory Council is developing a schedule of prevention activities.

Changes in the Communities

Suicide Prevention Coordinators in Communities

OVERALL - Reduction of stigma and increased awareness regarding Youth Violence, Bullying, and Suicide Prevention.

• Elders/Youth Group • Peer-to-Peer Helpers • Talking Circles • Capacity Building and Empowerment• Increased Volunteers (*All Communities)• Nine Community Plans • ERTeam and QPR Trainings• Clinical Coordination Team

• Culture Nights • Baseball Field • Survivor Support

Group• Identified Gatekeepers• Increased Knowledge• Skill Building• Coordination of Efforts Enhanced• Oversight Panels Established

Anticipated Outcomes

1) A community plan and budget

2) Coordinated efforts 3) Inclusion of youth voice 4) A cross-agency MOA

Future Research, Opportunities, and Support• Further research is still needed to assess issues

of sustainability• Opportunities exist for continued and new

collaboration (County, State, Inter-Tribal) • The project has offered hope!

“This needs to continue and it won’t cost anything for me.”

One participant committed to opening her home, once a week, for any of the 120 GONA participants to come and participate in a traditional Talking Circle in order to continue the healing and collaboration that resulted from the trust and safety developed at the Wind River GONA.

Native Aspirations has presented drums to each of the participating communities during their onsite GONA Events. The drums are presented during the ‘Generosity’ phase.

,Native Aspirations

(NA) TeamElizabeth Rose, Community CoordinatorSavoonga – Alakanuk – NoorvikHuslia – Angoon

Judy Flett, Community CoordinatorBlackfeet Nation – Rocky Boy

Ila McKay, Community CoordinatorPine Ridge – Cheyenne River – Rosebud – Turtle Mountain – Crow Creek

Barbara Gongyin, Project Specialist

Dr. Cindy Hansen, SAMHSA Project Officer

Jo Ann Kauffman, KAI President

Gloria Guillory, NA2 Project Manager; Admin Focus

Gary Neumann, NA2 Project Manager; Community FocusFort Peck – Wind River

Paulette Running Wolf, Community Intervention Director Fort Belknap

Fredricka Hunter,Community Coordinator

Thank You

1-866-806-4671

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-

SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-

IC STUDY COMBINED WITH

THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY

YEARS OF EXPERTS

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-

SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-

IC STUDY COMBINED WITH

THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY

YEARS OF EXPERTS

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-

SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-

IC STUDY COMBINED WITH

THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY

YEARS OF EXPERTS

FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-

SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-

IC STUDY COMBINED WITH

THE EXPERIENCE OF MANY

YEARS OF EXPERTS