Crazy Horse School

Ta'sunke Witko Owayawa Project Aware: a Trauma-informed, Culturally-informed, School-based Mental and Behavioral Health Program on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. - Summary: Ta'sunke Witko Owayawa Project Aware Will Serve Native American K-12 Students by Implementing the Trauma-informed School Model and Promoting a Recovery-oriented, Tiered System of School- and Community-based Mental and Behavioral Health Interventions. the Project Will Provide Counseling, Cultural Mentorship, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, and Related Trainings to Students, School Staff, Families, and Members of the Community. Project Name: Ta'sunke Witko Owayawa Project Aware Grantee: Crazy Horse School Additional Partnership Members: Oglala Sioux Tribe Health Administration Program, Oglala Sioux Tribe Education Agency, and Mahpiya Sinakiya Win Services. Geographic Catchment Area: Jackson County, South Dakota, and the Portion of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Contained Within Jackson County’s Borders. Population of Focus: Universal Prevention Services for Native American K-12 Students, With Tiered Interventions for Students Experiencing Trauma and Related Mental/behavioral Health Needs. Number of Individuals Served: 400 Students, School Staff, and Community Members Annually With the Total Number of Individuals Served at 1,600. Goals & Objectives: Goals Include (1) Increasing Child/youth Access to School-based Trauma-informed, Culturally-informed Mental and Behavioral Health Services; (2) Increasing the Knowledge of Children/youth and Adults to Recognize and Report Signs of At-risk Behavior to Promote Positive Personal Development; and (3) Decrease Child/youth Measures of Suicidality, Substance Use, and Disruptive Behaviors. There Are Three Objectives to Help Measure Progress Toward Each Goal, Summarized: (1A) Implementation Rate of Individual and Small Group Counseling; (1B) Adoption of a 24/7 On-call, Crisis-response Phone Line; (1C) Rate of Completed Informed Consent Within Lea; (2A) Rate of Lea Staff Trained in Trauma-informed Model; (2B) Number of Community Members Trained Annually; (2C) Rate of Students Receiving Tier 1-LEVEL, Universal Prevention Services, (3A) Decrease in Rate of Student Suicide Attempts and Completions; (3B) Decrease in Frequency of Substance Use Among Students With Substance Use Disorders; and (3C) Decrease in Recorded Instances of Disruptive Behavior in School. Strategies & Interventions: the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation Is the Poorest Place in the United States, and Our Residents Experience Many Historical and Contemporary Traumas. This Project Is Designed to Intervene in This Reality and Equip Students With the Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention to Promote Recovery and Reduce the Prevalence and Impact of Trauma-induced Mental and Behavioral Health Challenges, Substance Use, and Suicidality. This Will Be Accomplished Through School-based Mental Health Counseling, Behavioral Health Counseling; Substance Use Disorder Counseling; Screening, Third-party Service Referrals, and Cultural Mentorship; Teacher and School Staff Trainings; Family and Community Member Trainings. We Will Use Evidence-based Programming to Promote Positive Behaviors Among Students, Especially With Curriculums and Programs Designed for Use With Native American Students. This Includes the Reconnecting Youth Program and the Healing Journey of the Canoe; Both Are Small Group-based Facilitated Counseling Sessions to Promote Positive Development. All Students Will Receive Universal Prevention Services, and Students Screened and Determined for Higher Tiers of Service Will Receive Individualized Counseling Plans and the Support of a Wraparound Support Specialist to Provide Coordinated Care and Community Connections. the Project Will Also Launch a 24/7 Monitored Crisis Response Phone Line to Provide Immediate Intervention to Students in Need.