The ahtna DEN public safety program will develop an ahtna safety and wellness curriculum to be delivered in public schools

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731) to the Copper River Native Association (CRNA) to implement the Ahtna Den Public Safety Program. The program will develop a culturally aligned tribal youth program in cooperation with the CRNA Youth Development Department to enhance public safety efforts and empower youth to lead productive lives. Key objectives include supporting the implementation of tribal youth programming focused on prevention, intervention, and treatment activities, as well as enhancing collaboration between youth-serving agencies in the six villages of CRNA and CRNA Youth Services to deliver culturally relevant prevention programming. The project aims to reduce risk factors leading to substance misuse or violence, increase protective factors and cultural identity in youth, enhance their perception of safety, and elevate youth voices in the communities served by CRNA.

The tribe will collaborate with relevant copper river native association (CRNA) departments to ensure increased access for youth and their families, develop cultural programming for youth that supports prevention, and strengthen relations with village public safety officer and youth. The goal of the ahtna DEN public safety program is to implement a culturally aligned tribal youth program in cooperation with the CRNA youth development department to enhance efforts to create safer communities and empower youth to lead productive lives. Objectives include: in cooperation with the CRNA youth development department, the ahtna DEN public safety program will support the implementation of tribal youth programming, including prevention, intervention, and treatment activities, and the ahtna DEN public safety program will enhance collaboration between youth-serving agencies in the six villages of CRNA and CRNA youth services to implement culturally relevant prevention programming. The projects outcomes are to reduce risk factors that lead to substance misuse or violence, increase protective factors in youth, enhance cultural identity in youth, increase the perception of safety among youth, and elevate youth voices in our communities.