Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Trauma and Violence Prevention Initiative - Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board (GPTLHB) is responding to the ongoing domestic violence (DV) crisis among American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and the dire need to expand culturally appropriate and trauma-informed domestic violence prevention (DVP) services. When examining Great Plains Area (GPA) data, SD has the third-highest state rape incidence rate in the country, with a documented 72.6 rapes per 100,000 inhabitants. Data from the last decade indicates a trend of increasing rape and sexual violence incidents in North Dakota.3 And in Nebraska, AI/AN missing persons make up 4.6 percent of the total number but account for just 1.5 percent of the state population.4 In addition, a local leader of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota estimated that 100% of youth on his reservation are exposed to violence. While these numbers display the gravity and preponderance of violence, domestic violence (DV), and sexual assault among GPA AI/AN, it is essential to note the profound limitations that exist within tribal-specific data. Few indigenous DV programs operate within the region and many facilities are not trained to deal with the effects of COVID-19 on the DV crisis. Due to the lack of services, there are major discrepancies between local DV shelter reports and state and tribal reports. Without proper documentation and reporting many areas do not have the tools to advocate for increasing services. AI/AN survivors also lack access to properly-trained advocates and advocacy organizations, which are essential to help navigate intervention, treatment, and prevention services. Recognizing that DV and sexual abuse affects all ages and gender identities, our Trauma and Violence Prevention Initiative (TVPI) will focus on this priority population encompassing all AI/AN residing in the GPA. TVPI will implement services across the region, with program staff based at GTPLHB central office in Rapid City, SD. These tribal nations are exceptionally diverse, representing a wide variety of priorities, needs, capacities, logistics, and other factors of significance. TVPI will partner with the Great Plains Epidemiology Center (GPTEC), Emergency Operations Center, Oyate Health Center, Maternal Child Health Program, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Task Force (MMIR) to address these existing regional gaps in data sharing, reporting, education, and advocacy. Through these partnerships, TVPI will conduct needs-based assessments within 16 tribal communities and design a strategic training curriculum for tribal law enforcement, tribal school administrative staff and students, DV shelter staff, and community members. By engaging with local, tribal, state, and federal organizations and GPA coalitions to improve DVP resource sharing and response approaches TVPI will expand awareness and access to culturally appropriate, trauma informed DVP services that affect positive outcomes and well-being for survivors.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).