Resources

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their Impact on Tribal Communities

Publication

This article explores the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the general population as well as within tribal communities.

Beginning with an exploration of ACEs and their impacts on the general population, this article then examines research on ACEs specific to the American Indian/Alaskan Native population and ends by describing strategies to strengthen protective factors that buffer against the impact of ACEs and reduce their deleterious long-term impacts on tribal communities, including substance abuse.

Good Medicine Bundles

Online Resource

Use the wisdom of Native practices of wellness combined with the insights of modern science to help Native and non-Native students avoid the dangers of substance misuse.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in collaboration with Discovery Education and the National Indian Education Association (NIEA), launched “Good Medicine Bundles,” a set of hands-on, science-based, standards-aligned resources for elementary and middle school students to address the nation’s opioid crisis and encourage resiliency through a Native approach to balance and wellness. The no-cost digital program is designed to help students understand how their connection to community and nature can restore balance and support better decision-making. These bundles combine traditional storytelling, the medicine wheel, and other Native practices of wellness with the insights of modern science to help students form a better response to trauma and stressors.

Healing Our Protectors: Building Resilience Among Tribal Law Enforcement Officers Through Cultural Interventions

Publication

The resource serves behavioral health treatment providers in understanding of PTSD because of their work in law enforcement.

Co-authored by Leo Belgarde, Sr., it provides a first person account of his experiences as a tribal officer, Bureau of Indian Affairs officer, city officer, and county police officer. It describes events that precipitated him seeking treatment for PTSD and the consequences he faced due to accessing treatment. Healing Our Protectors is a resource that has been developed to provide strength-based, positive, culturally responsive strategies for Indigenous law enforcement officers. If the officer does not connect with this aspect of their culture, this resource still supports a cultural representation of where they are policing and can be modified to meet their needs.

National Indian Health Board-Tribal Opioid Response Resource Toolkit

Online Resource

This toolkit provides an array of materials, tools, resources, and links to support Tribes as they combat the opioid epidemic.

There has been a lot of attention and funding provided to the national opioid epidemic within recent years, especially the devastating impact it can have in Tribal communities. The collective intent of these funding opportunities is to reduce opioid related deaths in Tribal communities by implementing activities such as strategic plans, prevention and education medication assisted therapy, different forms of treatment, workforce development activities, community recovery support, and so forth. This Tribal Opioid Response Resource Toolkit provides an array of materials, tools, resources and links to support Tribes as they are working to combat the epidemic within their communities.

Overdose Response Among the White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians

Podcast

The White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians has funded overdose outreach specialists to work with local first responders to address opioid use in their community.

This has been funded through COSSAP’s Tribal Responses to Drug Overdoses Initiative. This COSSAP grantee site's recovery and harm reduction efforts are highlighted in this podcast.

Peer-Based Recovery in Tribal Communities

Webinar

Peer-based supports, tribal cultural practices, and other evidence-supported methods to promote recovery from substance use disorder are discussed.

Recovery from substance use disorders is a living reality in Native American communities across the United States. This webinar provides an overview of the recovery models and movements in Indian Country and presents three programs that use peer-based supports, tribal cultural practices, and other evidence-supported approaches to promote recovery, foster positive reentry, and enhance community resilience. To view a PDF version of the slide deck from this webinar, click here.

Social-Emotional Development as a Key to Success

Publication

Social-emotional development is a process to acquire essential life skills focused on knowing yourself, knowing others, and achieving your goals.

This article includes the following topics:

What is social-emotional development?
What is the relevance of social-emotional skill development for a tribal population?
What are the specific skills?
How do we support development of social-emotional skills?

Stress, Addiction, and Native Americans: A Pathway to Healthier Living

Publication

This article outlines ways to mitigate, embrace, and reduce stress and addresses implications of stress resiliency for tribal communities.

Stress is a major concern among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations because of the toll it takes on mental and physical health, as well as the strong relationship between stress and relapse into addictive behaviors. Indeed, chronic stress places AI/AN populations at higher risk for chronic disease, mental health disorders, and substance abuse than the general population. Further, susceptibility to chronic stress is exacerbated by issues such as adverse childhood experiences as well as those specific to tribal populations, such as historical trauma, political turmoil, and systemic injustice.

For Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) grantees—and anyone else— working to address substance abuse in tribal areas, this article offers support to identify stress and anxiety and how they affect behavioral health outcomes in Native American populations while also offering ways to mitigate, handle, and even embrace stress.

The Opioid Epidemic in Indian Country: What Tribal Leaders in Arizona Need to Know

Publication

This report was developed in response to the persistent opioid crisis in Indian Country and the tragic rising of opioid overdoses/deaths in Arizona.

The Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA) Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) compiled background data to describe the epidemic in Indian Country using a variety of Arizona state data sources. This White Paper highlights important areas of concern related to the opioid epidemic, including policy and litigation that may impact Tribes in Arizona.

The views and opinions expressed in this resource are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) at Fox Valley Technical College. Further, NCJTC does not support or promote an official position on the litigation referenced in this document.