The Ko’l Ho Koom’ Mo Project will establish a coordinated, culturally grounded approach to suicide prevention and early intervention for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth through age 24. - The Ko’l Ho Koom’ Mo Project will establish a coordinated, culturally grounded approach to suicide prevention and early intervention for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth from birth through age 24 and their families in Humboldt and Del Norte counties in Northwestern California by strengthening the ability of local healthcare providers, mental health counselors, clinic staff, tribal programs, and community partners to assess youth, recognize risk, respond effectively, and connect youth and families to appropriate supports. This project will integrate Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder, Pediatric Health and Tribal Public Health systems to advance their approaches to suicide prevention. By closing gaps between systems and building upon the cultural strengths that already exist within tribal communities, the project will create more opportunities for youth to experience connection, support, and hope before and amidst reaching a point of crisis. United Indian Health Services, Inc. (UIHS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit health organization, established in 1970, is drawn together by a consortium of nine tribal governments to address the health needs of local AI/AN communities, providing services to residents in Humboldt and Del Norte counties in Northwestern California. The twelve clinic sites offer culturally anchored medical, dental, behavioral health, vision, physical therapy and tribal public health services across 5,282 square miles of geographically isolated, and rural terrain. Many youth experience barriers associated with geographic isolation, transportation challenges, economic hardship, and substance use. The project will benefit approximately 4,971 AI/AN youth from birth through age 24 and their families. While strong family relationships, cultural traditions, community connectedness, and ties to ancestral lands serve as important protective factors, additional support will be used to strengthen suicide prevention infrastructure, workforce knowledge and skills, coordinated care pathways, awareness, and prevention efforts. UIHS will implement support and infrastructure to address suicide care pathways through four systems: Mental Health (MH), Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Pediatric Health (PH) and Tribal Public Health (TPH). Capacity-building efforts will strengthen coordinated suicide prevention systems through standardized screening, assessment, referral, safety planning, follow-up, resources, care coordination, workforce development, and continuous quality improvement. The project will expand culturally anchored prevention activities that promote connectedness, cultural identity, belonging, family support, and help-seeking behaviors among AI/AN youth. Project goals with measurable objectives are to: (1) Strengthen UIHS care pathways for clients within the four systems; (2) Enhance UIHS workforce capacity for suicide aware and safe approaches to health care; further develop network of support for all four systems; (3) Strengthen protective factors, cultural connectedness, resilience and well-being among A/AN youth; (4) Empower UIHS youth systems (Teen Advisory Group (TAG) coalition, UIHS clients) through increased awareness, training in tribal public health practices, suicide aware and safe practices, campaign messaging, civic engagement; and (5) Amplify capacity of UIHS Tribal Public Health framework with sustainable approaches to UIHS infrastructure (staff, leadership and board members) capacity to support comprehensive client health journeys. Together, these objectives position UIHS to advance SAMHSA’s priorities to enhance access to suicide prevention and crisis care, promote resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families, integrate behavioral and physical health care, and strengthen the behavioral health workforce.
