Tuesday, May 30, 2023
5/30/2023
The Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) through their Tribal Emergency Youth Shelter (EYS) proposes the Native Connections Youth Suicide Prevention project to enhance the behavioral health (substance abuse/mental health disorders/suicidal behavior/impact of trauma) care for tribal youth aged youth, 12-17 years old that receive services at the emergency shelter and their families/primary caregivers, residing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota. The project will assure access to evidence-based assessment, treatment modalities, recovery services and prevention education supported by bolstering the current infrastructure. The goals of the project include: strengthen program services capacity by hiring 4 residential coordinators, clinical social worker and project evaluator; develop the Native Connections program implementation plan and protocols; conduct needs assessments, community readiness assessments and resource maps; develop an action plan; strengthen the capacity of EYS program and tribal systems to increase utilization of evidence-based programs for providing clinical services and supports to address behavioral health disorders among youth 12-17 years old at EYS; increase collaborations among Tribal and non-Tribal agencies to increase early access to behavioral health care for EYS youth; prevent the initiation and progression of youth substance abuse (including tobacco use) in the community by implementing promotion and prevention strategies with school age youth in educational settings; and promote family and community support for individuals with behavioral health issues and their families. To achieve these goals the project team will utilize the following strategies: increase staff capacity through new hires; develop a systematic network of communication channels for improved coordination of care for EYS youth; utilize the Approved Assessments Tool, an online tool that gathers information from patients seeking a substance misuse and mental health assessment; improve patient tracking system among providers; compile existing/or revise/or develop policies and procedures for behavioral health including suicide related response protocols; and postvention protocols for service coordination among youth serving organizations; provide education on the revised/developed protocols; plan and organize culturally relevant and cross-cultural training of primary care, behavioral health providers, and all departments of IHS serving OST Tribal members; and promote healthy lifestyles choices, positive communication, personal success and cultural involvement to support strong family relationships. The project is slated to serve fifty (50) unduplicated youth and their families in the first year, and an additional one hundred fifty (150) unduplicated youth and their families in each subsequent year. Additionally, we hope to reach the reservation population of 28,652 through community education and media messages.
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).
