Tribal behavioral health/native connections

Collaborative dream initiative for wellness, healing and empowerment in urban native youth - american indian health and family services (AIHFS) was established in 1978 with a mission to enhance the physical, spiritual, emotional and mental well-being of native american families and other underserved populations in southeast michigan (SE-MI). We serve american indian and alaskan native (AI/an) urban populations relocated due to federal relocation policies and many are unemployed, poor and have high incidences of heart disease, diabetes, depression, substance abuse, and suicide. With funding from the native connections grant, AIHFS will strengthen its programming to reduce and prevent prevalence of substance abuse and suicide among urban AI/an youth in metro detroit. Based on the results of the systems analysis, the needs assessment, the CRA and resource/asset map, we will take a three-tiered approach to assess needs, and develop and implement an action plan with at-risk youth age 10-24 to prevent and reduce suicide, substance abuse, the impact of trauma, and promote mental health. This includes hope & wellness suicide and substance use screenings with youth in our BH department, and at community venues; utilizing evidence-based methods including traditional healing, that target suicide and substance abuse to keep youth safe and sober; coordinating care, and follow-up through all care transitions, that include safe hand-offs to service providers; and increased emphasis on follow-up via face-to-face meetings and/or phone calls.