Dnhc 988 tribal response - the eastern shoshone tribe is located on the wind river reservation (WRR) in central wyoming

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded the Eastern Shoshone Tribe $300,000 on September 30, 2026, under the 988 and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Programs (CFDA 93.00R).

The award funds the DNHC 988 Tribal Response project, which increases awareness and use of the 988 Lifeline on the Wind River Reservation and trains staff at the Doya Natsu Healing Center (DNHC) and partnering organizations using culturally appropriate and culturally responsive methods. The Eastern Shoshone Tribe, located on the Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming, serves 4,510 enrolled members and 3,138 descendant members. The region faces significant barriers to mental health and substance use treatment access due to rural location, limited transportation, stigma, digital inequality, and long wait times. Fremont County is designated a healthcare provider shortage area. Data from the Indian Health Service National Data Warehouse recorded 246 individuals treated at DNHC for self-harm between 2016 and 2020, and the Rocky Mountain Tribal Epidemiology Center documented anxiety as the leading mental health issue in Native communities, with an age-adjusted rate of 917.1 per 10,000. Electronic health record data from DNHC show that 71 percent of female clients report lifetime trauma.

Performance occurs in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, with a period of performance from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2029.

With over 2.2 million acres of land, the WRR is home to the eastern shoshone tribe. The eastern shoshone recovery program, now doing business as the doya natsu healing center (dhnc), of the eastern shoshone tribe, developed this proposal. According to the eastern shoshone enrollment office, there are 4,510 enrolled members and 3,138 descendant members, for a total of 7,648 people. Access to mental health services, substance use treatment, and behavioral health therapies is limited on the WRR because of the rural location, limited transportation, stigma surrounding mental health, digital inequality, and long wait times for services. Fremont county is a designated healthcare provider shortage area, and low pay, burnout, and covid-19 have compounded the challenges of accessing trained mental health providers (wyoming department of health, 2022). Data provided by the rocky mountain tribal epidemiology center show that anxiety is the number one mental health issue being experienced by native communities, with 1,010 cases reported from 2016 to 2020, and an age-adjusted rate of 917.1 per 10,000. Data from the indian health service national data warehouse shows that from 2016 to 2020, 246 individuals were treated at the dnhc clinic because of self-harm, which includes self-injury and self-mutilation. Data from the cwcc indicate there were 6,516 calls to the 988 lifeline in wyoming in 2024; of these, 234 were from fremont county, and 36 of those callers were aian. Electronic health record (EHR) data from dnhc show that trauma and violence are shared experiences among clients, and 71% of female clients report lifetime trauma (dnhc, 2025A). The overall goal of the dnhc 988 project is to increase awareness and use of the 988 lifeline on WRR and to train dnhc staff and partnering organizations using culturally appropriate and culturally responsive methods. Objective 1: during the first 6 months of the project period, from september 30, 2026, to april 30, 2027, the dnhc team will work with state and local crisis centers to strengthen coordination and improve the effectiveness of 988 response and linkage to tribal resources through culturally tailored communications and training with a minimum of 20 staff. Objective 2: during the project period from september 30, 2026, to september 29, 2029, the dnhc team will establish and strengthen collaborations with states, territories, and local crisis centers to improve partnerships with crisis contact centers and service provision resources and develop a system to collect and report on tribal members' 988 utilization, service outcomes, referral connections when available, and follow-up. Objective 3: during the project period from september 30, 2026, to september 29, 2027, the dnhc team will collaborate with the state of wyoming department of health and local crisis centers (cwcc and wyoming lifeline) on the development and implementation of culturally responsive training for crisis call center staff reaching 20+ people. Objective 4: during the project period from september 30, 2026, to september 29, 2029, the dnhc team will partner with a minimum of ten community-based organizations, including schools, school-based mental health programs at fort washakie schools, boys and girls club, tribal law enforcement, first responders, and other multi-sectoral system partners within the WRR to promote 988 resources. Objective 5: during the project period from september 30, 2026, to september 29, 2029, the dnhc team and at least one partner will develop a new culturally responsive program and protocol aimed at minimizing suicide risk among students and ensuring timely access to crisis services using the 988 resources and information developed from this project.