The Pueblo of Nambé Mental health Initiative is a proposed project designed to 1) create a resilient community in Nambé O-Ween-Gé through prevention techniques and 2) reduce the impact of mental health issues, suicide, and substance abuse through comprehensive experiential intervention techniques and effective crises response. The project will fund application of outdoor behavioral health & experiential therapeutic approaches, clinical development, facilitation of community engagement techniques, and development of a robust network of resources. Nambé O-Ween-Gé, known as the Pueblo of Nambé, is a small American Indian tribe of less than 1,000 members and is located in northern New Mexico. Surrounded by native and non-native communities in a rural part of the state, Nambé residents, and youth specifically are at high risk for mental health challenges, substance use and abuse, and suicide. New Mexico is one of the states with the highest substance abuse and suicide rates in the nation and the impact to its American Indian communities is disproportionately high, requiring complex and comprehensive mitigation and prevention approaches. In addition, the youth are at great risk of suicide and substance abuse, requiring youth engagement in these approaches.
If funded, this project will be managed by the Nambé Tewa Roots Society, a collective of clinical, behavioral health, and wellness program coordinators providing services in areas including domestic violence, substance abuse, suicide prevention, health and wellness, and child welfare. To meet the immanent needs of the community, if funded, the programs strives to serve the entire community (500-1000 people for the duration of the project), those at high risk of suicide and substance abuse, surrounding Native American communities with lack of resources, and those who have shown signs of or already attempted suicide or are already abusing substances. The program is targeted specifically at youth and their families but extends to the entire community of Nambé. To meet these objectives, the programs goals include 1) Identify high-risk areas in Nambé every two years and target programming to meet the needs of those areas. 2) Increase by 10% each year the engagement of tribal members and their families in the well-being of the tribe and its individuals. 3) Increase services offered by Nambé to combat substance abuse and mental health challenges. 4) Establish a crisis response protocol to effectively respond to various crises, as well as build resilience though supporting the wellbeing of the community during times of crisis. These goals will be met through actions including outreach and promotion; establishment of a Native Youth Council; Development of evidence based clinical services; application of an experiential therapy approach; development of crisis response protocols; and development of a robust treatment network outside of what the program can offer.