Native American Heritage Month celebrates the rich history of culture, traditions, heritage and resilience of the Indigenous People here in the United States. It also magnifies and reminds us of both the historic and current colonial violence that has left an indelible stain on our history and, undoubtedly, caused irreversible trauma and pain that continues to be felt by this community. We certainly see this on the front lines of our work in substance abuse and suicide prevention.
The intergenerational effects of historical mistreatment, including forced displacement, cultural suppression, and genocide, historians have found, have been linked to higher rates of depression and suicide among Native people. High rates of poverty and unemployment on reservations also contribute to an increased risk of suicide.
Discrimination from society combined with stigma are some of the barriers Indigenous populations have faced in seeking help, and a lack of culturally tailored mental health resources makes it so even those willing to reach out for help are reluctant to do so because they feel they won’t find it from someone who understands them best.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people have consistently had the highest suicide rates among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States. This disproportionate burden is especially pronounced among young people. Suicide was the second leading cause of death for non-Hispanic AI/AN people ages 10 – 34 in 2022. And among adolescents ages 15 – 19 in 2022, the suicide rate for non-Hispanic AI/AN youth was nearly three times higher than for the general population.
Confronted with these sobering facts, Lines for Life’s equity team looked to get involved to show support by bringing our services to this community. After connecting with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board this past spring, the equity team was invited to do a culturally infused mental health training at their annual THRIVE Youth Conference held at the Portland State University Native American Student and Community Center in June. The training was a huge success!
As one of the event organizers put it:
“Thank you for presenting at the 15th annual THRIVE Youth Conference. Your session was highly engaging, and we received great feedback from attendees. Many shared how much they enjoyed the topics, and Martin’s sharing of lived experience helped make it a relatable presentation. One youth shared that ‘he made the message real and easy to connect with.’”
The equity team delivered the Be Sensitive, Be Brave mental health training over two days to approximately 60 Indigenous youth from around the United States and 25 adult chaperones. This interactive workshop elicited robust engagement and participation from many youths who shared personal experiences of mental health challenges, knowledge, and curiosity around the various issues related to substance abuse and suicide. They worked in groups during aspects of the training, reported to the larger group, and even practiced giving support to someone in a simulated crisis. This training, and others like it, help build hope for Indigenous communities both now and in the future.
As we honor Native American Heritage Month and continue our work to promote mental health and healing, Lines for Life stands in solidarity with Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribes — the Burns Paiute Tribe, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Klamath Tribes, and the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians; Grand Ronde; Siletz Indians; Umatilla Indian Reservation; and Warm Springs—whose enduring leadership, resilience, and cultural wisdom continue to guide and strengthen our shared path toward wellness and hope.
Learn more about our work to advance equity in mental health at https://www.linesforlife.org/equity-programs/.
