Creating Culturally-Informed, Trauma-Informed Schools on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: Project AWARE. - SUMMARY: Project AWARE operates on South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to serve K–12 students that experience disproportionately high rates of historical and contemporary traumas. By implementing a trauma-informed school model, the project equips students, parents, families, and community members to appropriately respond to trauma and provide mental and behavioral health interventions.
PROJECT NAME: Project AWARE on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE SERVED: 2,522 (lifetime). 1,210 (unduplicated individuals to be served in year 1); 328 (unduplicated individuals to be served in year 2, 3, 4, and 5).
POPULATION TO BE SERVED: This project will serve K–12 students enrolled at four schools on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: 99% of students are Native American. Students served have high rates of traumatic backgrounds as measured by the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire; all surveyed students had backgrounds that included some significant trauma.
STRATEGIES AND INTERVENTIONS: To address this trauma, Project AWARE will implement the trauma-informed schools model, an evidence-based best-practice. This will permit intervention with mental and behavioral health counseling to help students cope with trauma, heal, and refocus on academic learning. The trauma-informed schools model will be implemented in a culturally relevant manner and include training and services for students, school staff, families, and community members. Our schools partner with a tribally chartered organization, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Health Administration Program, which provides access to telehealth and related services.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goals: (1) Increase knowledge of local school district staff members to identify, report, and support students demonstrating behavioral/mental health consequences of trauma; (2) Increase student access to culturally competent, evidence-based, behavioral/mental health counseling in their own schools; and (3) Increase positive student perception of the school environment. Each goal has two measurable objectives: (1a) By the end of 2026, all staff members will have received an annual training about the trauma-informed schools model from a certified professional in the subject; (1b) By the end of each year, at least 190 community members will have attended a training about the trauma-informed schools model from a certified presenter. (2a) By the end of December 2021, every school will have at least one full-time wayawa kin slolic’iya wicaye (“WKSW”) focused on mental and behavioral health; (2b) By the end of May 2022, project will develop a common framework for responding to trauma-induced mental/behavioral health concerns displayed by students; (3a) By the end of each year, student Tripod Surveys will increase by at least 5% annually, demonstrating increased positive perception of school environment; and (3b) By December 2021, all schools will be providing individual and small group counseling support sessions for students identified at risk for trauma-induced mental/behavioral health warning signs.
