Abstract: Mescalero Apache Prevention Program SASP SPIP
The Mescalero Prevention Program has a well-documented history (1998-Current) of
providing substance abuse and suicide prevention services to the Mescalero Apache Tribe. We
propose to continue to work to prevent suicide (789.06 / 100,000 rate of suicide 2004-2013
among our 10–24-year-old population) by using evidence programs including Natural Helpers in
the schools ad Zero Suicide community wide. We will also implement community wide
education on QPR (Questions, Persuade, Refer) and Mental Health First Aid. Our need for
funding to address suicide includes the need to develop capacity and infrastructure.
Community Readiness Assessments and Capacity Scans indicate an ongoing lack of basic
infrastructure such as limited outpatient behavioral health treatment regionally for adults and
adolescents, no in-patient treatment for adolescents, no Mescalero licensed psychologist or
psychiatrist, WIFI, software and hardware for internet and virtual access and use, no adolescent
corrections / jail facility, siloing and territoriality between departments and agencies that leads
to limited services or duplication of services, and many other needs. A data system and method
to coordinate and share information about at-risk individuals and their families is non-existent.
We propose the following goal and objectives to eradicate suicide on the reservation.
Goal: Improve community wellness, including physical, social, emotional, and mental health
by reducing depression, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicides.
Objective 1: Decrease suicides on the reservation from baseline to zero by implementing the
Zero Suicide Model beginning April 2022.
Objective 2: Increase resiliency in the Mescalero on-reservation community members by 5%
through the implementation of a calendar of traditional workshops and educational sessions
that follows the Apache traditional calendar by April 2023.
Objective 3: Decrease chronic depression among people on the reservation by 10% through
counseling, outpatient treatment, and implementation of the Natural Helpers program at the
Mescalero School beginning April 2022 and assessed by April 2023.
We have three community-wide coalitions that are working together on suicide
prevention at this time: The Mescalero Service Provider’s Coalition; the Mescalero Suicide
Prevention Coalition; and the Mescalero Youth Coalition. These coalitions will 1) review all data;
2) help collect data; 3)develop a strategic plan; 4)implement evidence-based programs;
5)recruit participants; 6)identify at-risk individuals and their families; 7)help to evaluate all
efforts to stop suicide. An Adolescent and an Adult Counselor will be hired to provide treatment
and postvention services to at-risk individuals and their families.
We will use our outside Evaluator, Ann Del Vecchio, Ph.D. dba Alpha Assessment
Associates, LLC to work with the MPP Team and partners to design appropriate measures and
methods to evaluate the process and outcomes for the SASP-SPIP. The MPP Team is
knowledgeable and skilled at collecting and using data for needs assessment, planning,
implementation, and evaluation. We will work with designated partners such as Albuquerque
Area Southwest Tribal Epi Center, the Mescalero Fire and Rescue and Mescalero Courts and
Police, as well as with Mescalero IHS, to collect annual and every other year surveys (Youth Risk
and Resiliency Survey and the New Mexico Community Survey NMCS) and we will collect CRA
Community Readiness Assessments per our usual timeline. Data will be shared with the key
stakeholders and the community as appropriate and approved by Tribal Council.