Navajo Area Funded Projects 2009-2014
Chinle Service Unit
The Chinle MSPI project, We R Family: Strengthening Families of Chinle Service Unit, aims to decrease the incidence of methamphetamine use and improve the community’s suicide prevention capabilities. Partnerships with the Chinle and Tsaile Counseling Service, Chinle Service Unit (CSU) Public Health Department, Rock Point School, Chinle Unified School District, and CSU Health Promotion have helped to promote suicide prevention services. Applied Skills Intervention Trainings (ASIST) and Native Hope trainings increase awareness and peer-to-peer support skills among youth. Parents and adults involved with youth are prepared through trainings to help children grappling with suicide.
Crownpoint Service Unit
The Crownpoint MSPI project provides suicide prevention and postvention services to the community. The project supports a number of active prevention initiatives, including Mental Health First Aid, Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), Natural Helpers (a peer-to-peer program), Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, and Dare To Be You parenting program. The Crownpoint postvention crisis response team provides immediate postvention services for those affected by suicide.
Fort Defiance Indian Hospital
The Fort Defiance Indian Hospital MSPI project, Honoring Life, aims to develop cultural identity and strengthen protective factors in the community through traditional Diné storytelling. Evidence-based methamphetamine and suicide prevention programming includes Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR). The Partnering with Parents program pairs at-risk youth with their mother or father to create traditional items to teach and improve parent–child communication skills and build stronger relationships. The project also hosted the first Navajo LGBTQ Symposium, which was attended by more than 200 people and drew media coverage.
Gallup Indian Medical Center
The Gallup Indian Medical Center MSPI project provides the community and the community providers with positive, culturally appropriate suicide prevention interventions and practices. The project developed the first Navajo Suicide Prevention Education paradigm, which was field tested in three workshops in the Gallup Service Unit, and presented at Gallup Central High School’s Health & Wellness Resiliency Youth Conference. Feedback from the participants who attended the presentations indicated a need for more culturally appropriate education, using the Navajo language, to explain the process of suicidality and intervention to community members and providers. The “PREPaRE School Crisis Prevention and Intervention Curriculum” has also been implemented by the project to strengthen and support various schools in the area.
Navajo Area Indian Health Service
The IHS Navajo Area MSPI project aims to provide support to the 11 Navajo Area MSPI projects by providing technical assistance regarding project development and management in their communities, and data collection for reporting and sustainability efforts. The project also supports a Local Evaluator to work with the MSPI projects in the areas requiring evaluation assistance.
Shiprock/Kayenta Service District
The Shiprock/Kayenta Service District MSPI project aims to decrease the occurrence of suicide and methamphetamine use through creating community dialogue and support. The project has hosted a number of large prevention events that bring together several communities. The project also works to implement recognized evidence based, best and promising practices that are culturally relevant for suicide and methamphetamine abuse prevention, including American Indian Lifeskills (AILS) and Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR).
Native Americans for Community Action
The Native Americans for Community Action MSPI focuses on increasing protective factors through cultural education, and providing direct services for individuals with risk factors for suicide. Working collaboratively within the behavioral health department, under the suicide prevention programs, NACA MSPI provides onsite counseling, group therapy, and counseling via telebehavioral health for individuals who display risk factors for suicide. NACA MSPI also works collaboratively with the NACA health clinic to provide immediate assessment of clinic patients who may be experiencing suicidal ideations. The project hosts a cultural education conference for families to learn more about incorporating cultural components into their lives which include presentations on traditional songs, traditional foods, puberty rights ceremonies, and prayer.
Navajo Nation Department of Behavioral Health Services
The Navajo Nation Department of Behavioral Health Services MSPI project aims to reduce the incidence of methamphetamine use and suicidal activities through prevention education, training, surveillance, and intervention activities. The projects recruited youth of the Navajo Nation to develop the suicide prevention campaign, Together We Rise. The project also hosts a variety of other prevention activities to support the community, including programming targeted to youth, families, parents, and LGBTQ individuals. Behavioral Health Service staff members have been trained in prevention, intervention, and postvention techniques, including the Navajo Wellness Model, Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), and Postvention Crisis Response.
Navajo Nation Division of Social Services (Navajo Treatment Center for Children and Their Families)
The Navajo Nation Department of Social Services MSPI project aims to decrease suicidal activities and methamphetamine abuse among Navajo youth and adults in the Navajo Nation. Methamphetamine and suicide prevention messages are aired on local radio stations in both Navajo and English. School bus drivers, Head Start staff, and Chinle Police Department staff have attended Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) trainings. Students in seven local schools have had lessons in bullying, suicide prevention, methamphetamine prevention, and Diné culture. To improve parenting skills and cultural ties, a traditional practitioner conducts parenting courses at local schools for students and parents.
Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation Meth & Suicide Prevention Initiative (MSPI)
The Tuba City MSPI (TCMSPI) Project’s mission is to reduce the abuse of methamphetamine and decrease the number of suicide activity. TCMSPI has hosted free methamphetamine and suicide prevention conferences, offered free suicide intervention trainings, and created public service announcements through local radio stations and newspapers. For the last several years, TCMSPI has utilized culturally-based programs such as "Native HOPE (Helping Our People Endure)" and "The Good Road of Life." The different types of suicide prevention/intervention trainings TCMSPI provides is Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainings (ASIST) safeTALK (Tell, Ask, Listen, Keep safe) trainings and Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) for the local community members, law enforcement, behavioral health staff, and other professionals.
Utah Navajo Health System, Inc.
The Utah Navajo Health System MSPI project aims to provide mental health services in collaboration with area schools and communities. The project provides opportunities such as experiential therapy, Mental Health First Aid, peer counseling, life skills, and job training for youth under the age of 18 to help prevent methamphetamine use and suicide. The project also offers the “Personal Power Program,” an intensive 3-day program focuses on trust building, thought processing, and identifying personal stories. The project also hosts prevention groups in the local schools to work on self-esteem, self-control, and teamwork. Group sessions led by traditional consultants or peer counselors are also available. Utah Navajo Health System MSPI project is also collaborating with county youth programs to provide monthly retreats for youth where they learn social skills, practice study skills, get exposed to career opportunities and have the opportunity to do community service.
Winslow Indian Health Care Center, Inc.
The Winslow Indian Health Care Center MSPI project provides community outreach and education regarding suicide and methamphetamine use to the nine communities in the Winslow Service Unit. A variety of evidence-based practices, including Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Trainings (ASIST), Gatekeeper, Native HOPE, Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR), safeTALK, and Native Pride, are utilized and traditional healers provide one-on-one sessions.
