Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
The Chickasaw Nation Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Project - The Chickasaw Nation (CN) is a federally recognized First American tribe located in south central Oklahoma. The CN defines a treaty territory as being a reservation, which has not been disestablished and refers to Native Americans as First Americans. Presently, there are over 73,000 enrolled Chickasaw citizens and 57 percent reside in Oklahoma. The CN’s treaty territory includes 7,648 square miles that encompass all or part of 13 Oklahoma counties including: Bryan, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc and Stephens. According to the United States (U.S.) Census Bureau, the total population of this area is approximately 362,248 with 12 percent (29,193) identifying as exclusively First Americans. Within the CN’s treaty territory, there are 6,733 Chickasaw children, ages 0 to 17, amongst the 13 counties. The CN SPIP Project proposes the implementation of a Training and Transition (T&T) Suicide Prevention Program that is dually focused on providing a robust array of gatekeeper coursework within and around the CN and expanding capacity for care coordination and transition tracking for patients at-risk of suicide. The T&T team will consist of three staff: a senior prevention coordinator and two navigators. A dual focused program offers the opportunity to assist in direct patient care coordination when training courses are not being conducted. This maximizes employee productivity opportunities and engages trainers in front line patient care work, which in turn, informs their teaching practices immensely. A Chickasaw language name for the program will be explored if funded. The following project goals are proposed: Goal 1 - Implement transition team to manage the CN Suicide Care Pathway (SCP) for the CN Department of Family Services (CNDFS) and Goal 2 - Implement training team to provide suicide prevention gatekeeper training across the CN.
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).