American Indian Health and Family Services of Southeast Michigan

The American Indian Health and Family Services of Southeast Michigan’s Manidookewigashkibjigan Sacred Bundle: R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Project, a State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention Initiative, serves youth and young adults ages 10-24 with a focus on American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth in Detroit and Southeastern Michigan and with tribal communities statewide. In collaboration with State and County Suicide Prevention authorities and crisis centers, the Sacred Bundle Project has utilized evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions and treatment strategies, as well as culturally-infused Practice-Based Evidence to expand the safety net of suicide prevention and intervention for urban AI/ANs, who are at higher risk of suicide attempts and deaths than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. The goals of the Sacred Bundle R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (Respecting, Engaging, Supporting, Protecting, Empowering, Connecting and Teaching) Project are to: • Provide screening and referral services with students at the Tribal Colleges in the State of Michigan. • Increase the number of persons in schools, foster care systems, juvenile justice programs, and tribal sites trained to identify and appropriately refer youth at risk for suicide. • Increase the number of clinical service providers trained to assess, manage, and treat youth at risk for suicide. • Improve continuity of care and follow-up of youth identified at risk for suicide who are discharged from emergency departments and inpatient psychiatric units. • Increase identification of risk, referral to and utilization of behavioral health care services. • Increase the promotion and utilization of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. • Comprehensively implement applicable sections of the 2012 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention to reduce rates of suicide ideation, attempts, and deaths in our communities. Four measurable outcomes include: 1) Increased Outreach for suicide awareness (1400 annually, 7000 total), 2) Expanded Training and technical assistance to improve ability of local and tribal community members and professionals to identify, manage and treat youth at risk (200 annually, 1000 total); 3) Continued Screening to increase identification of at-risk youth ((200 year one and an increase of 25% annually, 1640 total), and 4) Improved and expanded Treatment measured by an increase of at-risk youth receiving culturally appropriate behavioral health care (200 annually, 500 over 5 years). To successfully meet these goals and outcomes we plan to: 1) Increase the number of individuals trained including mental health professionals, educators, gatekeepers, youth workers, and community members, 2) Develop collaborative relationships with Tribal Colleges, local school districts, other educational institutions, and youth serving organizations and 3) Utilize the Hope and Wellness Toolkit to train our tribal communities and other community members currently supported by AIHFS. To ensure sustainability, the Sacred Bundle Project staff will provide support, oversight, and training during the implementation phase with the ultimate goal of independent utilization of the toolkit.