2024 SASP/DVP National Grantee Meeting and Training

Opening Blessing

Jayson Cook delivered the opening blessing for the 2024 Substance Abuse Suicide Prevention/Domestic Violence Prevention (SASP/DVP) National Grantee Meeting. This speech is conveyed before and after meetings and certain ceremonies. It is done in order to give gratitude to all things in nature that was made before the original peoples.

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Opening Remarks

Dr. Beverly Cotton, DNP, RN, serving as the Nashville Area Director, delivered the opening welcome to the SASP/DVP National Grantee Meeting. Dr. Cotton expressed her gratitude for being able to speak to the current grantees while giving a quick history of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Nashville Area as it pertains to indigenous people. Dr. Cotton closed her welcoming address by emphasizing the answers to the problems faced in Indian Country are housed in the history, knowledge, and experience of the indigenous communities served.

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Introduction to the Division of Behavioral Health (DBH), Indian Health Service

Sarah Tiger, Urban Area Project Officer, and Amanda Bradley, Oklahoma Area Project Officer, introduced and provided background on the IHS Division of Behavioral Health (DBH). They presented the Area Project Officer (APO) staff, their role and responsibilities, and gave an overview of DBH Behavioral Health Initiatives (BHI) branch grant programs.

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Ice Breaker Activity: Team Building

Jacob Kaulaity, School Prevention Specialist from the Tsehootsooi Medical Center, conducted an ice breaker activity, Scattergories™. Mr. Kaulaity relayed the importance of these quick team building activities as they promote communication, problem solving, and an opportunity to learn about other people/peers.

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Putting Culture as Prevention into Practice

Nathan Billy, M.Ed., LPC served as the Director of Behavioral Health Programs for the National Indian Health Board and he presented on Putting Culture as Prevention into Practice. Mr. Billy described diverse ways of understanding and implementing “Culture is Prevention” in Indian Country. His presentation emphasized the need to establish effective national Tribal networks and cultural competency frameworks for the promotion of culturally centered prevention. He also touched on how his organization is advocating nationally for culturally centered policy, programs, knowledge and evaluation – including funding limitations, opportunities and needs.

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Resourceful Networking Team Building

Starlyn Bigrope serves as the Cultural Manager for the East Mountain Resource Center of the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Ms. Bigrope works with domestic violence survivors by using storytelling to reconnect to their culture. For her presentation, she conducted group bingo as a team building activity.

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Family Engagement: Through an Indigenous Lens

Jessica Larson, MPP, served as the Native Youth Lead for the IHS Division of Behavioral Health and presented on Family Engagement through an Indigenous Lens. Ms. Larson defined family engagement and explained why it is important in Indigenous communities. She also conveyed how family engagement through can look different for each family, but is an important factor in positive youth development. This presentation encouraged grantees to consider utilizing family engagement in their programming.

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988 Mental Health Lifeline

Dr. Pamela End of Horn, DSW, LICSW is the National Suicide Prevention Consultant presented on the 988 Mental Health Lifeline. Dr. End of Horn outlined the background and establishment of the 988 Lifeline and provided lifeline usage data and challenges. Dr. End of Horn closed her presentation by speaking on the “Native and Strong” efforts, resources available, and current suicide prevention efforts by the Division of Behavioral Health.

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Closing Remarks and Closing Blessing

Audrey Solimon, MPH, DBH BHI Branch Chief, gave closing remarks and thanked the staff, presenters, and attendees for making the National Grantee Meeting a success. Mr. Cook then delivered the closing blessing for the 2024 SASP/DVP National Grantee Meeting.

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