The suicide rate in the United States has been rising for decades, with some ethnic groups seeing astronomical jumps.
“Native communities experience higher rates of suicide compared to all other racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., with suicide being the eighth leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives across all ages,” according to the National Indian Council on Aging.
In fact, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Native youth, giving them the highest suicide rate for all racial and ethnic groups. The higher rate of mental illness among Native people is linked to higher levels of domestic violence, historical disenfranchisement, lack of access to adequate healthcare, socioeconomic disadvantages, alcohol and drug abuse at younger ages and at higher rates, and cultural disconnection, according to the National Indian Council on Aging. With so many factors contributing to the high suicide rate, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but the Helena Indian Alliance offers outreach programs to help at-risk Native youth find the support they need.
“We work for a federal grant under the HIA called Native Connections,” the program’s outreach coordinator Matt Hartnett said. “It is a federal grant based on suicide prevention for Native youth age 12 to 24. This age group has the highest rate for suicide. It doesn’t mean we’ll refuse someone else, but those adolescents and young adults are our main focus.”
This program seeks to help the young people reconnect with their ancestral roots through activities that teach them about their culture and provide them with opportunities to spend time together. One aspect of the program, Culture is Prevention, teaches about past traditions.
“We have different lessons and crafts,” Hartnett said. “They learn about beadwork and traditional games and activities. We make them proud of who they are and where they come from, which helps kids find an identity.”
Read more at KXLH.com.
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