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Description:

The purpose of the Indian Health Service’s (IHS) Community Suicide Prevention Website is to provide American Indian and Alaska Native communities with culturally appropriate information about best and promising practices, training opportunities, and other relevant information regarding suicide prevention and intervention. The goal of the Website is to provide Native communities with the tools and information to create, or adapt to, their own suicide prevention programs.

Some Tribes are creating their own suicide prevention programs. However, it is difficult to obtain permission to share what they are doing out in the field due to issues of confidentiality. Nationally, there are only five evidence based suicide prevention programs that have met the requirements of SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Practices and Programs (NREPP). The Suicide Prevention Resource Center and the American Foundation collaborated to review and classify twelve programs as evidence-based (either Effective or Promising). Many of the Tribes or Tribal programs are using or adapting some of the following mainstream programs or components of these programs into their suicide prevention programs.

Our website has links to many other Federal agencies, and in some cases we link to private organizations. Reference in this website to any specific commercial programs, service, process, products, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government or IHS. IHS is not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" web page referenced from this server. Conversely, IHS does not take any ownership of the content found on external non-federal Web sites that link back to the IHS. Information or services detailed on external sites are not endorsed, warranted or guaranteed and are not necessarily representative of the views of IHS or the U.S Department of Health and Human Service.
  • American Indian Life Skills Development Curriculum - The American Indian Life Skills Development (American) curriculum is a school-based, culturally tailored, suicide prevention curriculum for American Indian adolescents. Tailored to American Indian norms, values, beliefs, and attitudes, the curriculum is designed to build self-esteem; identify emotions and stress; increase communication and problem-solving skills; and recognize and eliminate self-destructive behavior, including substance abuse. The curriculum provides American Indian adolescents with information on suicide, suicide intervention training, and helps them to set personal and community goals.

       American Indian Life Skills Development Curriculum
       Zuni Life Skills Development (PDF)
       American Indian Life Skills Development

     
  • ASIST Program - The ASIST Program is currently being used across Indian country, in communities such as Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, ND & SD, Warm Springs Tribe, Oregon, and other Tribes. They have also partnered with the State of New Mexico, and IHS Albuquerque Area Office to provide trainings for the Tribes in that Area. It is the most widely used suicide prevention program in the world. ASIST is a two-day workshop designed to provide participants with gatekeeping knowledge and skills. Gatekeepers, as they are called after training, are taught to recognize the warning signs of suicide and to intervene with appropriate assistance.

       Living Works ASIST
       Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings Matrix (PDF)
       Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
       Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
     
  • C-Care/CAST is a school based program for students at-risk for suicide. It combines a one-on-one counseling with a series of small-group training sessions. C-Care (Counselors-Care) provides an interactive, personalized assessment and a brief motivational counseling intervention.

       C-Care/CAST (PDF)
     
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Adolescent Depression is a developmental adaptation of the classic cognitive therapy model developed by Aaron Beck and colleagues. CBT emphasizes collaborative empiricism, the importance of socializing patients to the cognitive therapy model, and the monitoring and modification of automatic thoughts, assumptions, and beliefs

       Intervention Summary: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Depression
     
  • Columbia University TeenScreen Program (for screening) - has been provided training to numerous Tribes and Tribal health organizations across the Nation. The purpose of the Columbia TeenScreen (CTSP) is to identify youth who are at-risk for suicide and potentially suffering from mental illness and they ensure they receive a complete evaluation. While screening can take place in any number of venues, including juvenile justice facilities, shelters, and doctor’s offices the program has been primarily conducted in school settings.

       Columbia University TeenScreen Program Website
       Columbia University TeenScreen Program (PDF)
     
  • Community Readiness Model – is based on the premise that communities, using a step by step method can be moved through a series of stages to develop and implement effective prevention programs. The first step is to form a responsive local team and prepare them to use the readiness model. The next step for the team is to determine their community’s stage of readiness for the particular problem involved. This model has been used by American Indians and Alaska Natives to address a variety of issues, such as suicide, HIV, intimate partner violence, and others.

      Community Readiness Model (PDF)
      HIV Handbook (PDF)
      View Website

    Contacts:
      Pamela Jumper Thurman, Ph.D.
      Project Director
      Advancing HIV/AIDS Prevention in Native Communities
      Colorado State Univerrsity
      Clark Building – C 127
      Ft. Collins, Colorado 80523
      Pamela.Thurman@ColoState.Edu
      Phone (970) 491-0251

      Barbara Plested, Ph.D.
      Co-Project Director
      Advancing HIV/AIDS Prevention in Native Communities
      Colorado State University
      Clark Building - C 127
      Ft. Collins, Colorado 80523
      Barbara.Plested@ColoState.Edu
      Phone (970) 491-6137

      Martha Burnside, B.A.
      Training Coordinator
      Advancing HIV/AIDS Prevention in Native Communities
      Colorado State University
      Clark Building - C 127
      Ft. Collins, Colorado 80523
      Martha.Burnside@ColoState.Edu
      Phone (970) 491-3954
     
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach with two key characteristics: a behavioral, problem-solving focus blended with acceptance-based strategies, and an emphasis on dialectical processes. "Dialectical" refers to the issues involved in treating patients with multiple disorders and to the type of thought processes and behavioral styles used in the treatment strategies.

    Intervention Summary: Dialectical Behavior Therapy
     
  • Jason Foundation Inc. – is a nationally recognized provider of educational curriculums and training programs for students, educators/youth workers and parents. JFI’s programs build an awareness of the national health problem of youth suicide, educates participates in recognition of “warning signs/signs of concern”, provides information on identifying at-risk behavior/elevated risk groups, and directs participates to local resources to deal with possible suicidal ideation. The Jason Foundation has been meeting with, and providing seminars to the BIA-Office of Law Enforcement Services to strategize on ways to reduce suicide. According to officials at the Jason Foundation, they will be offering training to the all BIA-OLES officers and the Reservation Law Enforcement agencies in late 2006-2007. The Jason Foundation is also planning to adapt their school programs for Native American schools, and will offer training to Native American School educators in 2007.

    http://www.jasonfoundation.com/home.html
     
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) and (1-800-SUICIDE) Native American Community Initiative
    Goal: to strengthen communication and collaboration between Lifeline network crisis centers and the communities they serve where there are populations of indigenous people (see attachment).

       www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
       National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Native American Community Initiative
       The Role of Hotlines in Suicide Prevention (PPT)
       Lifeline Native American Initiative (PDF)
     
    National Contact
    Heather Stokes, LCSW
    Director, Certification and Training
    National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
    (212) 614-5703
    hstokes@mhaofnyc.org

     
  • Native H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Endure) – offers a training of facilitators program. The purpose of the Native H.O.P.E. Training of Facilitators (TOF) manual is to prepare American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nations individuals to strengthen their Facilitation and Leadership skills so that they can replicate the curriculum successfully in their communities and reduce suicide among our most precious and sacred resource, our children and youth. The overall goal of the Native H.O.P.E. Training of Facilitators (TOF) is to strengthen the capacity of American Indian/Alaska Native/First Nations teens and young adults to help each other, their families, schools, and communities by using their “Sources of Strengths,” including culture and spirituality, to break the “Code of Silence,” and unhealthy multigenerational cycles. The overall outcome of the Native H.O.P.E. Training of Facilitators (TOF) is to create a “Call-to-Action” among Native youth and adults from their communities to develop and implement a Strategic Action Plan that greatly reduces suicide and the contributing factors including depression, substance abuse, violence and exposure to trauma.

    Contacts:
      Accessing Native American Trainig (ANAT)
      Clayton Small, Ph.D.
      10328 Chandler NW
      Albuquerque, NM 87114
      Claytonsmall@aol.com
      Phone (505) 897-7968
      Cell (505) 321-2808

      Ernest Bighorn, Jr., BS, MA
      Indian Development & Educational Alliance (IDEA)
      P.O. Box 726
      Miles City, MT 59301
      ugotanidea@yahoo.com
      Phone (406) 853-6631
      Fax (406) 234-3148

     
  • North Dakota Adolescent Suicide Prevention Project – By the end of the training session, participants should be better able to:
    • Understand how protective factors, especially the Sources of Strength areas, can be a model for training professionals, community members, and teen leaders in community-based suicide prevention.
    • Demonstrate how natural helpers within a village or community can blend effectively institutional or professional help around suicide intervention and prevention.
    • Understand the benchmarks of effective mentoring and have clear strategies for recruiting, supporting, and sustaining mentors in tribal communities.
    • Understand the basics of using teen-led prevention, including four stages of community readiness, and five basic benchmarks necessary for successful teen leadership.
    • Demonstrate through discussion, role play, and from local community members how to blend educational, resiliency, and intervention strategies into a community suicide prevention effort.

      View Website
      The North Dakota Adolescent Suicide Prevention Program (PDF)

    Contact:
      http://www.ndsuicideprevention.org/
      Mark LoMurray
      Project Director
      outreach@btinet.net
      Phone (701) 471-7186
     
  • Planting Seeds of Hope – Montana Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council program that is funded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, named after Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith's son, Garrett Lee Smith, who committed suicide in 2003. This act also helps fund many other tribes and states with suicide prevention programs.

    The PSOH program includes Montana's Blackfeet, Crow, Northern Cheyenne, Fort Peck and Fort Belknap, and Wyoming's Wind River Indian populations.

      View Website

    Contact:
      Don Wetzel, Jr.. PSOH Director
      222 North 32 Street – Suite 401
      Billings, MT 59101
      Phone: 406-252-2550
      Fax: 406-254-
      Email: dwetz@mtwytlc.com
     
  • Question Persuade and Refer (QPR) – is an emergency mental health intervention for suicidal persons created by Paul Quinnett, and the QPR Institute in 1995 by the QPR. The QPR Institute, the Eastern Washington University, and the Camus Institute, which is a Tribally Chartered entity of the Kalispel Tribe, have collaborated to offer a several college credit courses, the QPR Suicide Triage and the QPRT Suicide Risk Assessment trainings.

       Native American Suicide Risk Assessment and Training Course
       Native American Suicide Triage Training Course
       Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings Matrix (PDF)
       QPR Institute

    Contact:
      Ricki Haugen
      Camas Institute
      934 S. Garfield
      Airway Heights, WA 99001
      rhaugen@camasinstitutute.com
      Phone (509) 343-4179
      Fax (509) 343-4183
     
  • Reconnecting Youth (RY) Class is a school-based selective/indicated prevention program that targets young people in grades 9-12 who show signs of poor school achievement, potential for school dropout, and other at-risk behaviors including suicide-risk behaviors.

       Reconnecting Youth Class (PDF)
     
  • Safe TALK is a half-day training program that teaches participants to recognize and engage persons who might be having thoughts of suicide and to connect them with community resources trained in suicide intervention.

       Living Works SAFETALK
       safeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone (PDF)
     
  • SOS Signs of Suicide is a 2-day secondary school-based intervention that includes screening and education. Students are screened for depression and suicide risk and referred for professional help as indicated. Students also view a video that teaches them to recognize signs of depression and suicide in others. They are taught that the appropriate response to these signs is to acknowledge them, let the person know you care, and tell a responsible adult (either with the person or on that person's behalf).

       Intervention Summary: SOS Signs of Suicide
     
  • Specialized Emergency Room Intervention for Suicidal Adolescents – This intervention provides specialized emergency room care for adolescent suicide attempters and their parents. It would appear that it may have the potential to be used in other IHS and Tribal clinics and hospitals.

       Specialized Emergency Room Intervention for Suicidal Adolescent Females (PDF)
       Emergency Room Means Restriction Education (PDF)
     
  • Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program – is a school and community-based suicide prevention program that incorporates a collaborative, grass-roots model to decrease suicide risk by promoting help-seeking behavior. This is accomplished by (1) increasing public awareness of suicide prevention, (2) training gatekeepers, and (3) facilitating help-seeking by distributing “Ask for Help” cards.

       Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Trainings Matrix (PDF)
       Yellow Ribbon
     
  • Contact:
      Tamara Clay, MSW, LISW
      Public Health Advisor
      Division of Behavioral Health
      Indian Health Service
      801 Thompson Ave., Ste. 300
      Rockville, MD 20852
      Tamara.Clay@ihs.gov   Phone (301) 443-0104
      Fax: (301) 443-7623




Page Created: 9/07/2007

 
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