The Organized Village of Kake, a federally recognized Tlingit Tribe, located in Southeast Alaska has been successfully implementing a Native 5-year Connections Grant that was awarded in 2018. This initial 5-year project has been very successful at engaging Kake youth and several agency partners in creating a community supported, and youth-run Teen Center that has become a hub for recreation, education, and cultural activities in the community.
This 2023 Native Connections proposal will build on the foundation that has been created, and will address the following community needs:
1. Continue to increase the Village of Kake’s readiness and capacity to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance use/misuse, and reduce the impact of trauma;
2. Develop a teen mental health 1st Aid program in which youth are equipped to identify peers at-risk, and provide appropriate levels of support and referrals;
3. Assist youth in preparing for a healthy future, by providing independent living skills, job/career fairs, and access to GED instruction and testing; and
4. Provide an array of Tlingit culture and language programs and activities that are based on traditional values and life-ways.
This 2023 Native Connections proposal focuses on Four Key Goals:
Program Goal #1 – Increase the Village of Kake’s readiness and capacity to prevent and reduce suicidal behavior and substance use/misuse, and reduce the impact of trauma.
Program Goal #2 –Create a trained youth mental health first aid team to provide peer-based, in-person prevention and intervention support for Kake youth
Program Goal #3 – Assist Kake youth in preparing for a healthy future.
Program Goal #4 – Build a strong foundation of language and culture through offering culturally focused prevention and intervention programs and activities.
The Tribe will be partnering with several entities including the Kake School District, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, the City of Kake, and the local Teen Center Youth Board, to implement the Objectives and Activities outlined in the proposal.