American Indian/Alaska Native Settings

 Note on Language  

The term Indigenous can be interchangeable with the terms American Indian/Native American/Fist Nations/Alaska Natives and represents the 567 plus tribes across the United States. 

Wisconsin Specific 

Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness - 3136 W. Kilbourn Ave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

HIR's mission is to establish a social justice-informed, culturally rooted Intergenerational Healing Approach that improves mental health and wellness outcomes for our Indigenous and underserved communities. Provides free mental health, wellness, and victim advocacy services to the indigenous and underserved communities. Provides telehealth and virtual services. 

HIR Milwaukee's Facebook page >> 

General Recommendations for Suicide Prevention in Indigenous People 

American Indian/Alaska Native Settings (SPRC)

Suicide prevention is a high priority for people working to promote wellness and reduce health disparities affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Drawing on strengths within Native traditions, community leaders and experts are developing models that are culturally based to promote mental health and prevent suicide for future generations.

SPRC 2021 Tribal Suicide Prevention Needs Assessment

National American Indian/Alaska Native Prevention Technology Transfer Center Network (AIAN-PTTC)

"AIAN-PTTC activities and services are focused on developing and disseminating culturally appropriate tools and strategies needed to improve the capacity of prevention specialists to deliver effective, culturally informed, evidence-based/knowledge practices with the intent of enhancing the quality of substance abuse prevention interventions, trainings and other prevention activities in AI/AN communities."

Webinars: Link to SPRC 2023 Tribal Webinars

Webinar - Historical Trauma Definition, Impact, and Hope for Healing  

Weaving Culture into Suicide Prevention Strategies >> 

Four Recommendations for Tribal Suicide Prevention >> 

Honoring Culture and Building Partnerships >> 

Adapting Evidence-Based Practices in Tribal Communities >> 

See SPRC landing page above for further resources. 

Youth Specific 

Culture Forward: A Strengths and Culture Based Toolkit to Protect Our Native Youth from Suicide (Center for Indigenous Health)

 We are honored to share CULTURE FORWARD: A Strengths and Culture Based Tool to Protect Our Native Youth from Suicide. In partnership with Casey Family Programs, the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health spent two years listening to Native voices from across Indian Country and scanning Indigenous literature to gather tribally-driven, evidence- and practice-based solutions to prevent youth suicide.

CULTURE FORWARD is designed with implementation in mind. It includes actionable steps that community leaders can take and links to resources containing a wealth of additional knowledge from across Indian Country. We hope this new resource will provide elders, youth and tribal leaders, health and human service providers and other change agents with carefully researched ideas and solutions to leverage unique strengths within tribal communities to protect youth against suicide. We also see this as a first step toward building a national coalition to advance a strengths-based Indigenous movement to promote tribal youth well-being.

Life Promotion Toolkit by Indigenous Youth (Thunderbird Partnership Foundation) 

Strengthening Our Connections to Promote Life: A Life Promotion Toolkit by Indigenous Youth was proposed in 2019 to develop a youth-focused and youth-led response to suicide, mental wellness, and substance use in Indigenous communities. A life promotion lens was used in the creation of this guide, which will be presented at the World Indigenous Suicide Prevention Conference. The conference was scheduled for 2020 but was pushed ahead to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of the conference is Strength in Our Communities. Originally the guide was to be developed over one year with in-person gatherings, but the Youth Action Group for Life Promotion had to adapt in response to the pandemic, and everything was done virtually.

We R Native - For Native Youth, By Native Youth 

"We are a comprehensive health resource for Native youth, by Native youth, providing content and stories about the topics that matter most to them. We strive to promote holistic health and positive growth in our local communities and nation at large." Website continues a variety of articles, blogs, and videos discussing various health topics, from suicide and mental health, to fitness, substance use, relationship and sexual health, LGBTQ identities, social media, communications, and community-based action. 

WRN Traditional Healing Page and Health & Healing Page 

WRN Grants for Community Involvement