While trying to find a transcript for the March 25, 2010 Senate Indian Affairs hearing I found this:
HEARING before the COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION
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FEBRUARY 26, 2009
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Printed for the use of the Committee on Indian Affairs
YOUTH SUICIDE IN INDIAN COUNTRY
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Prepared Statement of Rodney Bordeaux, President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Introduction
On behalf of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, I appreciate
the opportunity to submit written testimony regarding the youth suicide
crisis occurring on the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Reservation. The 877,831-
acre Rosebud Reservation is located in south-central South Dakota
consisting of 20 communities within a four county area (Tripp, Todd,
Mellette and Gregory counties) and borders Pine Ridge to the northwest
corner and Nebraska to the south. Our tribal headquarters is located in
Rosebud, SD. Approximately 19,000 members of approximately 26,000
members are domiciled on the Rosebud Reservation.
I, thank you for convening this important hearing on youth suicide
in Indian Country. Sadly, the Rosebud Reservation has tragically lost
many of our youth and young people to suicide completions. From January
2005 through January 2009 Rosebud has had 37 suicide completions, 617
suicide attempts, and 629 suicidal ideations. Indian Health Service
(I.H.S.) reported 1,272 encounters with different individuals who have
completed, attempted or had suicidal ideation. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe
has the highest suicide rate in the nation for 10-24 year old males.
These are alarming statistics originating from our Reservation. I look
forward to working with you and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in
addressing and bringing further awareness to this crisis, which is
devastating our communities and Indian Country.
I need to emphasize that Rosebud is working to develop and provide
cultural suicide prevention and youth programs. However, we have an
overwhelming need for resources to provide these programs. We have
developed programs to assist with basic public safety and awareness,
substance abuse and mental health, as well as the Boys and Girls Clubs
on the Reservation. Additionally, we are supporting our families and
communities through our cultural and educational programs.
Wiconi Wakan Health and Healing Center
Rosebud is located in a rural, remote area of Indian Country and
relies heavily on funding from the I.H.S. and Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) to provide services and resources to our tribal members. Due to
I.H.S. and BIA being consistently under-funded, we have turned to our
Congressional delegation for assistance in procuring additional
resources for substance abuse and mental health treatment facilities
and equipment. Rosebud identified a need to create a culturally-based
suicide prevention treatment program and facility specific to our
tribe.
Rosebud has worked diligently for nine years to obtain funding, to
build the current 20-bed treatment facility for mental health, which
has been open for three years. It remains necessary to develop
additional youth programs to assist in recovery and rehabilitation.
Therefore, Rosebud is establishing the Wiconi Wakan (Sacredness of
Life) Health and Healing Center, a place to implement the Tribal Youth
Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Project plan targeting
Rosebud children and youth (ages 10-24 years old) on the Rosebud
Reservation.
Inherently our youth are sacred and a vital asset to the people of
the Sicangu Lakota Oyate. Suicide has created a destructive ripple in
the very structure of our Lakota Oyate. The effects of suicide will be
felt for generations. The Wiconi Wakan Health and Healing Center will
provide a venue for reviving the life of our people.
The Wiconi Wakan Health and Healing Center will significantly
contribute to the available scientific knowledge on the mental health
status and delivery of services to children and youth on the Rosebud
Reservation regarding Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Intervention
and will provide a valuable template for replication by other Tribal
communities throughout the country. Rosebud has developed a Suicide
Prevention plan to advocate and coordinate a culturally comprehensive
community-based approach to reduce suicidal behaviors and suicides in
the Sicangu Lakota communities while facilitating wellness.
The primary purposes of the Wiconi Wakan Health and Healing Center
is to strengthen, implement and develop culturally and linguistically
appropriate youth suicide prevention and early intervention services
for Rosebud tribal members. This level of intervention will include
screening programs, gatekeeper training for “frontline” adult
caregivers and peer “natural helpers,” support and skill building
groups for at-risk Rosebud youth, and enhanced accessible crisis
services and referrals sources. To be directly informed by parents,
youth, and providers within the Rosebud Reservation. To increase
awareness of the signs of suicide amongst community, parents, and
youth, working collaboratively with other agencies, providers and
organizations sharing information and resources by promoting awareness
that suicide is preventable.
Rosebud will implement the public health approach to suicide
prevention as outlined in the Institute of Medicine Report, “Reducing
Suicide: A National Imperative.” This approach focuses on identifying
broader patterns of suicide and suicidal behavior, which will be useful
in analyzing data collected and monitoring the effectiveness of
services provided. Rosebud will focus on methodology research on
suicide and suicide prevention by providing consistent leadership and
monitoring of suicide prevention activities.
Collaborative Effort
Recognizing our overwhelming need, the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) deployed officials from the I.H.S. to spend
extended lengths of time on our Reservation and address our youth
suicide crisis.
Dr. Kevin McGuinness, Ph.D., MS, JD, ABPP and Dr. Rose Weahkee
visited the Rosebud reservation for a second time from December 4th to
December 18th 2008. During this visit they worked collaboratively with
Victor Douville, Sinte Gleska University Instructor and Lori Walking
Eagle, MSW, Executive Administrative Officer for the RST–President’s
office. Discussions were held regarding systemic influences from the
micro to the macro level within the Reservation systems. The
Consultation process focused on cultural systems of wellness, cross
cultural sharing of knowledge regarding organizational operations and
development of systems with the expertise of Rosebud Tribal leadership
to integrate “Wolakota” as a principal intervention that will restore
balance through the tribe and its communities to its most vulnerable
members. The Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council will participate and attend a
retreat which will enhance traditional knowledge.
Wiconi Wakan “Sacredness of Life” Suicide Prevention Summit
On July 1-2, 2008, Rosebud hosted the, “Wiconi Wakan Suicide
Prevention Summit,” in Mission SD at the Sinte Gleska University.
While I convened the Summit that morning, our community was burying
another youth, which further emphasized the need to discuss and address
this crisis affecting our people and communities. Representatives from
the South Dakota delegation, state, local, and federal government
officials including South Dakota Governor Michael Rounds’ Secretary of
the Department of Human Service, the Director of the South Dakota
Indian Health Care Initiative, HHS Director of Office of
Intergovernmental Affairs, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration (SAMHSA) Administrator as well as other
officials from the I.H.S. and HHS along with tribal leaders, members,
and youth attended and participated, providing experiences and insight
in preventing future youth suicide.
As a result of the Summit, the South Dakota Secretary of the
Department of Human Services, Jerry Hofer, committed the state to
opening more of its SAMHSA grants and resources to Rosebud. The state
currently receives a Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act grant from SAMHSA,
which is also known as the “Suicide Awareness Partnership Project,”
from the State/Tribal Youth Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention
Program. For three years, $400,000 is given annually to the state. At
the time of the Summit, Mr. Hofer indicated that the state is in its
2nd year of the grant. The purpose of the Suicide Awareness Partnership
Project is to reduce suicide attempts and completions in South Dakota
for youths aged 14-24 in 25 high schools and two universities. Mr.
Hofer reported that the Todd Country School District and St. Francis
Indian School, both located on the Rosebud Reservation whom serve our
youth, are pilot schools in the project as is the Sinte Gleska
University. Mr. Hofer reported that the state has specifically
contracted with the Sinte Gleska University to provide awareness and
prevention activities on the Rosebud Reservation.
Rosebud is extremely appreciative of the state providing resources
to our schools and youth through the SAMHSA grant. We understand that
the grant will be nearing its three-year term and are concerned as to
how these programs will continue to operate once the grant is
exhausted. We have overwhelming needs in our communities including a
need for additional resources to build upon and expand on these
imperative programs to ensure our youth are given opportunities for
suicide prevention. At Risk Tribes should be allowed to receive block
grants like the states from SAMHSA.
None of the Block Grant funding reaches the tribal government for
program development and suicide prevention efforts. Currently, the Red
Lake Band of Chippewa (Minnesota) are the only federally recognized
tribe included with the States that receive Block Grant Funding.
Regarding our current suicide crisis the Rosebud Sioux Tribe should be
allocated and allowed to receive Block Grant Funding to eliminate
suicides on our Reservation. Because of our Government to Government
relationship which we enjoy with the federal government we should not
be restricted from receiving Block Grant Funding. Due to the high rate
of suicides in Indian Country Block Grants should be available to those
tribes experiencing the loss of their youth to suicides.
Need for Resources to Provide Programs to our Youth
Rosebud has several programs to provide activities and resources to
our youth. However, in each of these areas, funding resources are
continually problematic for the viability and expansion of the
programs. We need a major infusion of funding to serve and support
youth in our communities to further their skill sets and provide for
training and increase opportunities.
I will now outline several programs which have been proven to be
effective for our tribal youth.
–Sicangu Nation Employment and Training Program (SNETP)
The Sicangu Nation Employment and Training Program serves’ our
youth in the following areas: work experience, on-the-job training, and
classroom training. The SNETP receives approximately $208,148 annually
to serve the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and approximately 20% of the Crow
Creek Sioux Tribe youth.
Additionally, the SNETP has developed and implemented several
unique programs which serve our tribal youth:
–Youth Conservation Corp–a collaborative effort with
Rosebud, Yankton, Standing Rock, and Cheyenne River Sioux
Tribes with the U.S. Forest Service–allows our youth to gain
experience in the forestry field while spending time in our
sacred Black Hills area;
–Straw Bale Home Initiative–teaches our youth how to build a
straw bale home from start to finish in collaboration with the
SNETP and Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi (Housing Authority). This
program operates on a “green works” concept; serving the dual
purpose of providing for less-expensive homes, and meeting
Reservation housing shortage needs.
–Habitat for Humanities–teaches our youth to build a
standard home earning a one-year building credit certificate at
our local university. Upon obtaining the one-year certificate,
our youth are offered full-time employment with the housing
authority;
–Penn Foster Online High School Diploma Program–allows our
youth (18 to 21 years old) to obtain their high school diploma
online.
–Solar Heat Panel Training and Installation–a collaborative
effort by the SNETP and Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi teaches youth
a “green works” concept that conserves our natural resources
while utilizing solar energy to heat homes.
During the summer of 2008, the SNETP received 689 summer youth
applications only 200 youths could be served due to funding
constraints. Over two-thirds of interested students reaching out for
assistance had to be turned away. Increased funding for the SNETP’s
youth employment program could have a major, positive impact on our
tribal youth, especially with the high number of suicides that our
community has experienced in the past few years. Increased funding will
provide for additional resources to extend to the overwhelming number
of youth we have been unable to serve. We strive to keep our youth
occupied by increasing services in the form of employment, incentives
for accomplishments, and supportive services in their endeavors to
overcome barriers.
–Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Sessions
Rosebud received funding in 2008 for CERT Training Sessions for our
youth, which were extremely effective in training, providing knowledge
and skill sets regarding emergency medical response and preparedness.
Rosebud held two sessions of CERT training, which trained over 100
youth in our communities. The tribal youth that were trained under this
program developed important set of skills which led to aiding tribal
members in emergency medical situations and prevention. Rosebud has a
major need to continue providing this vital training opportunity for
our tribal youth. The CERT Training prepares our youth for emergencies
and events for when our Emergency Medical Services arrive on the scene.
The training empowers our tribal youth to seek medical positions.
Having trained tribal youth in our communities provides increased
medical and public safety, especially in light of our expansive rural
Reservation. Rosebud greatly supports this program and seeks to receive
additional funding to serve more of our tribal youth.
–Boys and Girls Clubs
To be completely effective in helping prevent youth suicide we need
Boys and Girls Club centers in all 20 of our communities. Rosebud has
20 communities on the Reservation, but there are only three small Boys
and Girls Clubs. Despite this fact, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Boys and
Girls Club plays’ an important role in providing activities and a
central place for our youth to gather. To fully reach all of our tribal
youth on the Reservation, we need funding to provide additional
recreational facilities, activities and programs for all of our
communities.
Conclusion
Rosebud understands and has intimately experienced the devastation
youth suicide has on our families, communities, and Tribe. With 37
suicide completions in less than five years, Rosebud is deeply
concerned and focused on preventing suicides on our Reservation.
Although we are working to develop and expand our programs by
incorporating culturally-based components and curriculums, funding and
resources remain a major obstacle. The federal government has a trust
responsibility to Tribes, and Rosebud greatly appreciates the
collaborative efforts among the state and federal government. However,
we still have major needs and funding deficiencies that must be
addressed. To increase the number of highly-trained individuals
specialized in suicide prevention for each of our communities would be
monumental in addressing our crisis.
We need additional resources and flexibility in the use of funding
to provide, create, and maintain programs that incorporate culturally-
based components that connect and are tailored for our youth. Tribes
need access to resources, trained health care professionals, and
prevention programs to adequately address this crisis that continues to
plague our Reservation.
Thank you, for holding this very important hearing for Indian
Country, giving us the opportunity to express our views and concerns
regarding tribal youth suicide.
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