RSBCIHI Tribal Behavioral Health: Substance Use Prevention - Riverside–San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc. (RSBCIHI) will implement a comprehensive Tribal Behavioral Health (TBH) initiative to strengthen leadership, workforce training, universal screening, prevention education, and coordinated response protocols for youth at risk of substance use and overdose. Through this project, RSBCIHI will train 1,500 people in overdose recognition, screen 6,000 youth for substance use, and deliver prevention education to 25,000 youth and adults. RSBCIHI is the largest tribal health organization in California and serves a vast, multi-tribal region across Riverside and San Bernardino Counties—an area larger than nine U.S. states and home to twelve federally recognized Tribal communities. The region includes 1.3 million youth and young adults through age 24, with an estimated 33,000 American Indian /Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth residing in the service area. According to RSBCIHI’s 2026 NextGen EHR report, the organization serves 51,207 registered patients, including 6,990 youth ages 12–24 who received medical, behavioral health, and related services over the past five years, totaling 27,960 visits. The TBH project will be implemented across all eight RSBCIHI health centers and throughout surrounding reservation and off reservation communities, ensuring broad reach to youth and young adults wherever they live, learn, and gather. All services will be available to all youth and young adults through age 24—AI/AN and non AI/AN alike—in full compliance with federal law, Executive Orders, or other restricted activities. Capacity building goals include: 1. Establish the project team 2. Strengthen community engagement and planning 3. Develop a comprehensive strategic plan 4. Build systemwide capacity for coordinated prevention 5. Deliver standardized, traditionally responsive training and education 6. Establish comprehensive overdose response protocols RSBCIHI’s approach aligns with SAMHSA’s Strategic Priorities by directly advancing the project’s SMART objectives across Goals 1–6. A coordinated, community driven prevention system is strengthened through Objective 4.1, which expands universal standardized screening to 6,000 youth, and Objective 5.4, which delivers traditionally grounded prevention education to 25,000 youth and adults, including targeted messaging on fentanyl, stimulants, and xylazine. Crisis response capacity is expanded through Objectives 6.1–6.2, which establish written overdose response protocols and train 109 staff in emergency response, and through Objectives 5.2–5.3, which train 1,500 staff, youth, families, and partners in overdose recognition, FDA approved OORM use, and Good Samaritan protections. Workforce development priorities are advanced through Objective 4.2, which creates a comprehensive Training and Education Plan, and Objective 5.1, which standardizes referral and linkage pathways across all eight health centers. Data and accountability priorities are met through Objectives 3.1–3.2 (needs assessment and strategic plan), Objective 6.3 (quarterly overdose and fidelity monitoring), and continuous quality improvement. Partnerships and community engagement are strengthened through Objectives 2.1–2.3, which deliver 50 traditionally grounded engagement activities, establish formal consultation processes, and implement standardized referral pathways under the coordinated oversight of the Steering Council.
