Project Grant H79SM088745

ZUNI CONNECTIONS: A YOUTH SUICIDE AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION INITIATIVE ROOTED IN THE STRENGTHS OF ZUNI CULTURE. - THE ZUNI YOUTH ENRICHMENT PROJECT (ZYEP) WILL IMPLEMENT ZUNI CONNECTIONS, A COMMUNITY DRIVEN, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND PREVENT SUICIDE AMONG YOUTH, AGES 6-24, IN ZUNI PUEBLO, NEW MEXICO. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROJECT ACTIVITIES: 1) PROVIDING A YEAR-ROUND SCHEDULE OF PROGRAMMING THAT PROMOTES PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS AND REDUCES RISK FACTORS AND MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIORS AMONG 500 LOCAL YOUTH ANNUALLY; 2) IMPLEMENT SAMHSA'S COMMUNITY READINESS MODEL TO INCREASE COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION ON SUICIDE PREVENTION PROTOCOLS IN ZUNI; 3) INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF ZUNI YOUTH SERVING AGENCIES TO SUPPORT YOUTH EXPERIENCING CRISIS BY PROVIDING THEIR STAFF WITH SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING; AND 4) ESTABLISH RESOURCES THAT INCREASE COMMUNITY-WIDE AWARENESS AND PROMOTE THE USE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. ZUNI PUEBLO IS ONE OF THE LONGEST CONTINUOUSLY INHABITED VILLAGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAINTAINS ONE OF THE MOST INTACT INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL SYSTEMS IN NORTH AMERICA. LOCATED IN WESTERN NEW MEXICO'S MCKINLEY AND CIBOLA COUNTIES, THE ZUNI RESERVATION SPANS 450,000 ACRES, BUT NEARLY ALL OF THE 6,302 RESIDENTS LIVE IN A DENSELY POPULATED CENTRAL VILLAGE. APPROXIMATELY 2,531 (40%) OF ZUNI'S TOTAL POPULATION ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 24, MAKING YOUTH THE LARGEST SUBPOPULATION OF THE TRIBE (ACS 2020 5-YEAR ESTIMATE FOR ZUNI PUEBLO CDP). ZUNI PUEBLO'S STRONG FAMILIAL, CULTURAL, AND NATURAL RESOURCES CAN MAKE IT A SPECIAL PLACE TO GROW UP, BUT MANY YOUTH THAT DO FACE STARK REALITIES AS THEY TRANSITION THROUGH CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE, INCLUDING HIGH CHILDHOOD POVERTY RATES (39%), HIGH FOOD INSECURITY RATES (37%), HIGH OVERWEIGHT OR OBESITY RATES (43%) AND SUICIDE RATES THREE TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE (2022 NM KIDS COUNT DATA BOOK, 2019 NMDOH BMI SURVEILLANCE, 2022 ZTPP SURVEY). DUE TO INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA, ZUNI YOUTH ARE EXPOSED TO ADVERSE EXPERIENCES THAT INCREASE THEIR RISK OF SUICIDE. FOR DECADES, ZUNI YOUTH HAVE REPORTED MUCH HIGHER RISKS FOR DEPRESSION, SUICIDE IDEATION, AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS THAN THEIR STATE AND NATIONAL PEERS (NMYRRS, 2019). OUR NATIVE CONNECTIONS WORK GIVES US HOPE BECAUSE IT'S GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE AND OUR EXPERIENCE THAT ZUNI YOUTH WITH A STRONG CULTURAL CONNECTION REPORT SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER LEVELS OF HOPELESSNESS, SELF-HARM, SUICIDE IDEATION, AND SUICIDE ATTEMPTS THAN YOUTH WITH WEAKER CONNECTIONS TO CULTURE (ZTPP SURVEY, 2022).