Urban Grants Funded Projects 2009-2014
American Indian Health and Service, Santa Barbara
The American Indian Health and Service MSPI project in Santa Barbara focuses on preventing suicide through culturally based services. The project hosts group sessions to decrease high-risk behavior using the Medicine Wheel and 12 Step models. The project provides Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) events and Youth GONAs to support cultural identity development and community wide healing. The project incorporates cultural education into youth substance abuse group counseling using White Bison, Mothers of Tradition, Mending Broken Hearts, and 5 Wishes curriculums.
First Nations Community HealthSource
The First Nations Community HealthSource MSPI project aims to address the high suicide rates among American Indians through the Suicide Prevention Project (SPP). The SPP project is designed to assess rates of depression and suicidal ideation and to provide prevention services incorporating culturally appropriate evidence-based practices to off-reservation Urban American Indians of all ages. Depression and suicide risk screening and education are provided through primary care and behavioral health clinics and through the FNCH homeless outreach program. A 24-hour crisis support line is available and staff members are available to provide intervention services and follow-up behavioral care.
Fresno American Indian Health Project
The Fresno American Indian Health Project MSPI project focuses on sustaining methamphetamine and suicide prevention services in the Fresno community, providing access to behavioral health services, and implementing social media campaigns to increase methamphetamine and suicide prevention awareness. The project serves youth 12 to 17 years old and their families through the Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) and American Indian Life Skills (AILS) curriculums.
Friendship House Association of American Indians, Inc.
The Friendship House MSPI project, the Stronghold Project, bolsters methamphetamine and suicide prevention services within the adult residential treatment programs and youth programs through the integration of traditional Native culture and urban lifestyles. The project uses strategies, including outreach and assessment, intervention, referral to treatment, Families in Recovery programming, community gatherings, and youth support services. In addition, the project hosts an annual Stronghold Youth Conference, an annual youth Gathering of Native Americans (GONA), and other community activities and events.
Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, Inc.
The Indian Health Board of Minneapolis MSPI project is designed to engage students, families, schools, and the community in suicide prevention. School staff is trained in suicide awareness and trauma-informed classroom and student management techniques. Prevention and awareness activities for students are provided in school, and individual and group psychotherapy is available for at-risk students. Students receive suicide prevention awareness messages through the Text-4-Life program, and substance abuse and suicide prevention speakers are brought in to speak to students. The project also provides suicide awareness information at community events and through social media.
Native American Rehabilitation Association
The Native American Rehabilitation Association MSPI project is designed to strengthen protective factors for youth at risk of suicide, depression, and substance abuse, and provides behavioral health services for youth. The project uses Project Venture, which builds leadership through outdoor adventure activities and service opportunities. The project’s youth center serves as a safe place and provides families with educational materials featuring community resources.
Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition, Inc.
The Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition’s MSPI project focuses on engaging, mobilizing, and empowering Native youth and adults to prevent suicide, bullying, violence, and substance abuse. The project aims to create a personalized wellness plan for each individual client. The program hosts youth leadership skills trainings, community cultural language classes, community coalition meetings, family support groups, Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) suicide prevention trainings, and other community events.
Nevada Urban Indians, Inc.
The Nevada Urban Indian MSPI project aims to develop culturally appropriate suicide and substance abuse prevention, intervention, and awareness for the Reno Sparks and Carson City areas. The project provides substance abuse and mental health evaluations, individual outpatient counseling, ASIST prevention trainings and awareness materials for the community and project staff. It also provides safeTalk, suicideTalk prevention trainings.
San Diego American Indian Health Center
The San Diego American Indian Health Center’s (SDAIHC) MSPI project provides culturally based substance abuse treatment and supportive services. The project provides weekly on-site support groups using White Bison’s Wellbriety Medicine Wheel. The project promotes abstinence and personal coping strategies through licensed behavioral health specialists, case management and outpatient recovery support services, relapse prevention groups, and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), and Traditional Healing through ceremonial and cultural practices. The project provides structured educational and prevention with early intervention programming for youth and families attending the SDAIHC Youth Center.
South Dakota Urban Indian Health, Inc.
The South Dakota Urban Indian Health (SDUIH) MSPI project operates a hybrid model of care that integrates medical and behavioral Health (mental and substance abuse) in one facility. SDUIH employees are trained in suicide prevention and provide patient counseling and therapy sessions. The project hosts community suicide prevention activities such as prevention walks, talking circles, and school-based educational events.
Tucson Indian Center, Inc.
The Tucson Indian Center MSPI project uses community-based participatory methods to gain a culturally grounded understanding of suicidal behavior within the community. The resulting program, the Native Pride Project (NPP), aims to be a comprehensive and sustainable suicide prevention program. The project provides cultural arts workshops, youth coalition activities, and youth and adult suicide prevention trainings. The project collaborates with community partners to expand resources and increase awareness of suicide prevention activities.
United American Indian Involvement, Inc., Los Angeles
The United American Indian Involvement, Los Angeles (UAII, LA) MSPI project provides substance abuse and mental health services and engages in outreach activities to publicize methamphetamine and suicide prevention and treatment services. The project uses the Walking in a New Direction (WIND) concept which focuses on youth substance abuse and suicide prevention, and early intervention services. Cultural prevention events, such as sweat lodge ceremonies, are hosted by the project and educational workshops, including cultural identity, healthy lifestyles, violence prevention, positive goal-setting, and gender identity. In addition, the staff serves on the Los Angeles County Child and Adolescent Suicide Review Team which reviews recent suicides and makes recommendations regarding suicide prevention.
