The Lac du Flambeau Native Connections Suicide Prevention Program, will provide services to the Lac du Flambeau Tribe in northern Wisconsin. The Tribe has a population of approximately 3,435 tribal and non-tribal residents. Our catchment area for this project will be the Lac du Flambeau Reservation and the schools in Vilas and Oneida County (see above) where Lac du Flambeau youth attend. Our population focus for this project will be tribal youth residing on or near the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, up to age 24 years. This program anticipates that it will serve approximately 470 individuals between the ages of 16-24 years, with a set of proposed goals and objectives that will build on our existing program strengths, as well as expand to address new efforts. We expect to serve 60 individuals during Year One, 75 non-duplicative individuals in Year Two, 90 non-duplicative individuals in Year Three, 110 non-duplicative individuals in Year Four, and 135 non-duplicative individuals in Year Five. In addition to our current youth talking circle activities at the Tribal Youth Center, Tribal Grade School, and local high school, we seek to expand to other local “feeder” elementary schools. We will enhance our current collaborations with Project AWARE and the Family Circles cultural parenting program. We will distribute cultural craft and activity kits to provide virtual cultural teachings that include: beadwork, basket making, quill work, ribbon skirt making, ribbon shirts, leather pouches, dreamcatchers, and hand drums. Once in-person gatherings are safe to resume, we will resume our education/awareness booths at local community events. We will also adapt the suicide crisis protocol, developed for our Tribal Clinic, to implement with existing tribal entities and departments.
