Thursday, April 25, 2024
4/25/2024
Project Title, Payomkawichum Suicide and Substance Abuse Prevention for Amihum: The Native Connections Project, proposed by the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Avellaka Program, will develop culturally respectful prevention strategies in response to suicide and substance misuse to ultimately promote mental health and address and reduce the trauma amongst Payomkawichum youth through the age of 24 years. The sense of urgency and importance regarding the severity and frequency of suicide in the community is supported by statistics. Statistics that consistently illustrate suicide disproportionately affecting AI/AN communities. According to the CDC, in 2015 death by suicides rates for AI/AN adolescents and young adults ages 15-35 was 1.5x higher than the national average for that age group 19.5 per 1000,000 vs. 12.9 per 100,000. Alcohol and substance misuse is an intergenerational problem compounded among AI/AN youth. AI/AN youth aged 12-17 have highest rate of alcohol use of all racial/ethnic groups. In 2006, more than 20%, or 1/5, engaged in underage drinking. More than 28% (28.2) of AI/ANs ages 12 and over binge drink, the highest rate of all racial groups: comparative rates are 24.6% for Whites, 23.4% for Hispanics, 19.1% for Blacks, and 12.6% for Asians. The physical isolation of reservations also contributes to a sense of loneliness and a missing and/or lacking sense of community in rural areas particularly when Payomkawichum tribal citizens must hike 9 miles down the mountain to reach the nearest bus stop. This aligns with research and information presented by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), among others, who list feeling alone as a top risk factor for suicide and suggests, promoting opportunities and settings that strengthen connections among people, families, and communities, as a prevention strategy. To address this, the La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians Avellaka Program goals are to 1. motivate its people to recognize and prioritize suicide and substance misuse strategies to reduce the intergenerational trauma on its Payomkawichum people and 2. inspire and equip people, move them away from being uncomfortable with the topic, to have open conversations about suicide and mental health by implementing evidence-based trainings; to ultimately, 3. decrease the stigma and increase help seeking behaviors among youth by creating and/or incorporating culturally responsive education and resources. To reach these overarching goals, the Avellaka Program will 1. By the end of grant year one, establish a Native Youth Advisory Committee (NYAC) with at least 10 members that meet monthly to center and amplify youth voices; 2. By the end of grant year one and continuing, offer a minimum of semi-annual cultural connection opportunities for youth and their families to promote community healing; 3. By September 2022, execute suicide and substance misuse tribal policies and procedures to promote coordination among the Tribes youth-serving services - to include a comprehensive directory of San Diego County services and resources; 4. By December 2022, launch a youth behavior change campaign on the Reservation to decrease the stigma that surrounds mental health and suicide , reaching 50% of youth within the first year, as measured by an increase in utilization of services; 5. By September 2023, provide a minimum of 10 trainings to partner agencies (i.e. schools) that interact with Payomkawichum youth on the recommended procedures and cultural preferences to ensure continuum of care; 6. By March 2024, train 50% of the Tribes caregivers, and respective youth, on the selected evidence-based suicide prevention curriculum; 7. At the close of every project year, facilitate a community workshop to evaluate the progress and impact of the Native Connections Strategic Action Plan and make the necessary responsive adaptions. As a result of this grant, 685 direct beneficiaries and over 2,000 indirect beneficiaries will be served.
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).
