Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The Denver Indian Health and Family Services (DIHFS) region includes 8 counties in the Denver, CO Metro Area where there were an estimated 54,241 individuals identified as AI/AN alone or in combination with one or more races, 40 percent of which were under the age of 25. The scope of the problem includes a wide range of social determinants of health that put individuals at risk for suicide. In our catchment, these challenges and service gaps include poverty, challenges accessing health services in an overburdened system, and disproportionate impact of behavioral health issues such as substance use disorder and suicide in AI/AN communities, especially youth. The DIHFS Native Connections program will prevent suicide and substance misuse, reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental health among American Indian-Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth through the age of 24 years by instilling protective factors and preventing the loss of cultural identity for our youth. Connection to culture is an effective prevention effort for AI/AN youth and families. We will embed opportunities to promote cultural practices into the evidence-based initiatives we implement and reach a minimum of 435 individuals over the course of the project. The project aims to serve a minimum total of 435 individuals over the five-year project, with the goals of (1) raising community knowledge of the impacts of how suicide and substance misuse impact our youth, (2) raising tribal community knowledge of the accessible prevention and intervention resources provided by DIHFS, (3) providing cultural and traditional practices as a way of embedding protective factors for Native youth, and (4) increasing cultural pride and self-awareness among youth in our catchment.
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).
