Tuesday, April 23, 2024
4/23/2024
The purpose of the proposed project is to work within the Chickasaw Nation (CN) to increase suicide awareness, mental health promotion and identification and referral of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, between the ages of 11 to 24, who are identified as at-risk for suicide using evidenced based best practices. The project is proposing to hire two additional suicide prevention specialist positions, level II, through project funds, who will assist in ensuring each patient identified as at-risk for suicide has received appropriate treatment, safety planning and follow-up. The CN Ach’onna’chi (meaning “to persevere” in Chickasaw) project will serve AI/AN youth, ages 11 to 24, who are at-risk for suicide and the adults who care for them. The Ach’onna’chi project will provide additional training to the staff and providers who treat patients in the CN’s health and family services system. Ach’onna’chi will utilize the Zero Suicide framework and evidenced based treatments in a culturally appropriate context, such as Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Attachment Based Family Therapy (ABFT). Additionally, the suicide prevention specialists will use targeted approaches to display and share resources that promote mental wellness education and available resources to at-risk patients, their caregivers and staff. Last year, the CN medical family therapy program identified 347 patients at-risk for suicide between the ages of 11 to 24. The Ach’onna’chi project expects that with increased education, screening and the additional resources to identify those at-risk, this number will increase to 1,000 patients by the end of the five year project. The following goals are for the CN Ach’onna’chi project; Goal One: Provide wrap around services for AI/AN youth patients within the CN health system that are identified as at-risk for suicide. Goal Two: Increase suicide awareness among staff, caregivers of those at-risk for suicide and patients identified as at-risk for suicide. Goal Three: Promote positive mental health in a culturally supportive environment. Goal Four: Engage stakeholders in the community to inform them of project related activities and progress and to discuss needs for policy and processes to address youth in crisis. There will be multiple objectives with each goal that will support the overall efforts of the Ach’onna’chi project.
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).
