Wednesday, March 12, 2025
3/12/2025
The Tanana Chiefs Conference Native Connections Project builds the capacity of the seven communities of TCC’s Upper Tanana Subregion, located in the Interior region of Alaska, to prevent suicide and substance use and promote mental health among youth and young adults age 10-24 through extensive outreach, engagement, community involvement, and training in evidence-based strategies. Project activities will be based on comprehensive assessment and asset mapping processes in each community. Population to be Served: The Tanana Chiefs Conference Native Connections Project serves individuals age 10-24 in TCC’s Upper Tanana subregion. An estimated 349 individuals age 10-24 reside in the seven communities of the subregion, which range in size from just 26 individuals in the smallest community of Healy Lake, to 1,223 in the largest community of Tok. Rates of historical trauma and substance use among the Alaska Native population are high. Suicide rates are anywhere from one to five times higher than for the entire State of Alaska, and more than one in eight high school students report attempting suicide in the past 12 months. Villages are extremely isolated and small, with limited educational and economic opportunities. Strategies/Interventions: Evidence-based strategies and interventions adaptable to the cultural needs of the Alaska Native population will be selected based on community assessment and resource/asset mapping processes conducted during Years 1-2 of the project. Based on action plans developed, a Train the Trainers model will be used to train leaders in each community in the evidence-based strategies, building community capacity to prevent substance use and suicide and promote mental health. Project staff will work with tribal leaders and Community Prevention Response Teams in each community to develop and implement policies and procedures to promote coordination among youth-serving agencies, ensure youth at risk for suicide receive follow-up and treatment, and provide communities with suicide postvention protocols. Project Goals and Measurable Objectives: The project goal is to increase the local infrastructure and capacity of the seven communities of TCC’s Upper Tanana Subregion to build resilience to the impacts of trauma, to promote mental health, to decrease substance use, and to reduce suicidal behavior among youth and young adults age 10-24. Measurable objectives to support this goal are to 1) complete a community assessment, community resource/asset map, and action plan for each community that addresses suicide, impacts of trauma, substance use, and mental health among youth and young adults; 2) train at least three people in each community in culturally relevant Evidence Based Practices shown to reduce suicidal behavior, promote mental health, and build resilience; 3) implement suicide postvention policies and procedures in each community; and 4) establish policies, procedures and protocols in community that ensure coordination and integration of services and supports for youth and young adults at risk for suicide. The project will serve an estimated 349 individuals age 10-24 annually, and a total of 441 individuals over the entire five-year project period.
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).