BAIHP - Tribal Behavioral Health Substance Use Prevention (SP-26-004) program. - Project Abstract Tribal Behavioral Health Substance Use Prevention (SP-26-004) Bakersfield American Indian Health Project (BAIHP) will implement a substance use and overdose prevention capacity-building initiative serving American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and young adults through age 24 throughout Kern County, California. Established in 1997, BAIHP is Kern County’s only Urban Indian Organization and has provided healthcare, behavioral health, prevention, and community wellness services to AI/AN individuals and families representing more than 220 Tribal affiliations. Geographic Area and Capacity Development Need: The project will serve Kern County, a geographically large region containing urban, suburban, rural, and frontier communities. AI/AN youth and families experience barriers to prevention and behavioral health services, including transportation limitations, limited provider availability, economic challenges, and a shortage of prevention resources. BAIHP will strengthen community prevention capacity by developing a community-informed substance use and overdose prevention strategic plan, expanding prevention workforce capacity through Training-of-Trainers activities, establishing overdose prevention and response protocols, and coordinating with partners including Kern County Public Health, Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Kern HEP, Aegis Treatment Centers, and Hope in the Valley. Population of Focus: The population of focus is AI/AN youth and young adults through age 24 residing throughout Kern County. Services will primarily engage youth ages 12–17 through BAIHP’s existing youth programming while expanding prevention outreach and engagement opportunities for young adults ages 18–24. Participants will receive prevention education, overdose awareness, protective factor development, community engagement opportunities, and referral support when needed. Strategies and Interventions: BAIHP will implement a comprehensive prevention approach that integrates Indigenous practices with evidence-informed prevention strategies. Activities will include community engagement and strategic planning, prevention education, youth leadership development, Gathering of Native Americans (GONA), talking circles, Elder engagement, mentorship, workforce development, opioid and fentanyl awareness education, overdose prevention education, and development of written overdose response protocols, including Opioid Overdose Reversal Medication (OORM) education and administration. Project Goals: The project goal is to increase community capacity to prevent and reduce substance use and overdose among AI/AN youth and young adults through age 24 by strengthening protective factors, expanding prevention services, increasing workforce capacity, improving overdose response readiness, and establishing sustainable prevention infrastructure throughout Kern County. BAIHP will reach at least 100 unduplicated individuals annually and 500 individuals over the five-year project period, complete a community-informed strategic plan within 12 months of award, develop overdose prevention and response protocols within 12 months, and use performance measurement and continuous quality improvement processes to strengthen program effectiveness and sustainability.
