White Earth Indian Reservation

Presented by
Amy Nathe, M.S., NCC, LPCC
Julie Smith, M.S., NCC
• Funded by Indian Health Service,
Division of Behavioral Health
– Addressing methamphetamine and
suicide prevention in Indian Country


• 3 year funding period

– Year 3 is contingent on availability of
funds and satisfactory performance
–
 Mission

• To promote “healthy Native beings”

in all areas of life; mental, physical,
spiritual, and emotional; with the
overall goal to reduce suicide,
depression and substance use.
• Phase 1: Collect baseline
data/Develop community
awareness campaign

• Phase 2: Gathering of Native

Americans Event

• Phase 3: Establish a community

response teams
 Phase 1
• Gather Baseline Data
– Surveys to service providers
– Surveys to community members
– Surveys to students
– Interviews
– Focus Groups
–
 Phase 1
• Conduct awareness campaign
– Website
– Social Networking
– Presentations to reservation
community councils
– PSAs
– Focus Groups
– Media (newspaper, radio, television)
–
 Phase 2
• Gathering of Native Americans
– This 3 day gathering is for Natives and non-
Natives who want to become change
agents, community developers, and
leaders on the reservation.
– The GONA is based on several ideas:
• community healing is necessary for substance
abuse prevention;
• healthy traditions in the Native American
community are key to effective prevention;
• the holistic approach to wellness is a
traditional part of Native American belief
systems;
• every community member is of value in
empowering the community;
• GONA is a safe place for communities to
share, heal, and plan for action.
 Phase 2
Gathering of Native Americans


• Bring Gathering of Native Americans

(GONA) training to the reservation; goal of
100 participants


• The outcome of the GONA training includes

– Beginning of the healing process; a
reservation wide effort
– Action plan formulated by training
participants
–
• Provide ongoing training opportunities
– Host local community/agency training
through Train-the-Trainer
 Phase 3

• Community Response Teams

– Based on volunteerism
– Developed by communities
– Community specific protocols
– Trained to be a support response
– Teams will be linked to services