Monday, October 7, 2024
10/7/2024
Project Name: Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Navigating In Between Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) is a consortium of federally recognized tribes located in Interior Alaska. The total population of the region is estimated at just over 100,000 of which approximately 16,000 are Natives. TCC is the primary provider of health, behavioral health, and social services to Alaska Natives within the rural interior and operates a comprehensive behavioral health system based out of Fairbanks. TCC is a current Healthy Transitions grantee but proposes a new focus with this application. Building on lessons learned in our previous funding cycle, we have identified serious gaps in the system of care and new partners who are willing to work with us to resolve them by bringing improved resources and support. Population to be Served: We will serve Alaska Natives ages 16-25 who live in Interior Alaska with emotional or mental health disorders who need support in their transition to adulthood due to involvement with courts, child services, foster care, or similar trauma related experiences. There are approximately 4,000 transitional aged youth and young adults in Interior Alaska who are Alaska Native or living in one of TCC’s service villages. Rates of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACES) are high and access to care is complicated by stigma, lack of trust, limited access in rural communities, and a complicated and fragmented system of care. Strategies/Interventions: We propose using underutilized beds in a tribally managed youth substance use residential treatment center by adapting it for co-occurring needs, specializing in trauma recovery and transition skills. In the need development stage of this project, TCC, has begun establishing key collaborative partnerships inclusive of state agencies such as the Division of Juvenile Justice, Office of Children’s Services, and the District Attorney’s Office, as well as private treatment providers such as Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Family Centered Services of Alaska, and Presbyterian Hospitality House, and education through local boarding schools (Galena Interior Learning Academy and Nenana Living Center). In addition, we are working within our own agency and tribal region to connect better with the Tribal Court Systems and Tribal Family and Youth Services. With these partners we will be able to move forward quickly once funded to conduct a needs assessment, implement a training plan, and establish intradepartmental and interagency agreements to streamline referral pathways and identify policies to facilitate seamless access to mental health services for YYA. Project Goals and Measurable Objectives: Project goals are 1) to increase TCC’s capacity to provide comprehensive services to YYA age 16-25 with serious mental disorders within Interior Alaska, 2) to implement a comprehensive outreach and engagement plan to identify and engage YYA with untreated serious mental disorders, and 3) to increase the number of YYA age 16-25 with serious mental disorders who receive relevant and culturally appropriate services. Within these goals, our objectives are to serve 90 unduplicated individuals throughout the project’s lifetime (approximately 20 per year) in a newly developed post crisis residential stabilization healing home. Other objectives include 1) to train staff and partners serving the project’s population in evidence based and evidence informed screening, outreach, intervention, and treatment approaches, 2) facilitating the least restrictive crisis stabilizing approaches for YYA, and 3) transitioning them more quickly to a safe and supportive treatment environment.
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).
