Culturally Competent
Approaches
Discover traditional healing practices and how they can help improve the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
There are 574 federally recognized AI/AN tribes in the United States, and strategies for health, wellness and healing vary within each tribal community. These practices include things like sweat lodge ceremonies; herbal remedies; smudging with sacred plants; drumming; storytelling; singing; talking circles; dancing; prayer, and healng ceremonies in sacred spaces. The following resources are the most current and are provided to help American Indians and Alaska Natives.
NLM | Medicine Ways: Traditional Healers and Healing
From the National Institues of Health: The exhibition, Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness, explores the interconnectedness of wellness, illness, and cultural life for AI/AN people. The website includes the exhibition’s video interviews, timeline content, and images of some objects and artifacts formerly on display.
IHS | Native American Traditional Healing: Information and Ways to Collaborate for Western Medicine and Mental Health Providers
From the National Institues of Health: This presentation from Kee Straits, PhD, outlines traditional healing in Native American cultures and how we can build stronger collaborations between Western and Traditional practitioners.
OJP | Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts: The Key Components
From the National Institues of Health: Tribal Healing to Wellness Programs provide access to holistic, structured, and phased substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation services that incorporate culture and tradition. This document outlines key components of the Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts system which brings together community-healing resources with the tribal justice process.
Transforming Tribal Communities: Indigenous Perspectives on Suicide Prevention
SAMHSA | Traditional Foods as Medicine: Exploring the Possibilities
From the National Institues of Health: This manual lays the groundwork for community-based suicide prevention and mental health promotion plans for American Indian and Alaska Native teens and young adults. It addresses risks, protective factors and awareness, and describes prevention models for action.
Culturally Competent Approaches
From the Suicide Prevention Resource Center: Suicide prevention efforts will more likely be effective if they are based on the values, needs, and strengths of the groups you are trying to reach. Suicide prevention efforts should be respectful and responsive to groups’ beliefs, practices, and cultural and linguistic needs and preferences. Factors to consider include not only race and ethnicity, but also age, education, physical and mental health, gender identity, sexual orientation, occupation, religion, and other characteristics.
Preventing and Responding to Suicide Clusters in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities Report
To Live To See the Great Day That Dawns: Preventing Suicide by American Indian and Alaska Native Youth and Young Adults
From SAMHSA: This manual lays the groundwork for community-based suicide prevention and mental health promotion plans for American Indian and Alaska Native teens and young adults. It addresses risks, protective factors and awareness, and describes prevention models for action.
Make A Suicide Safety Plan
A suicide safety plan includes a list of sources of support and coping strategies to help you when and if you are having thoughts of suicide or feel suicidal. You can write your own safety plan or use a free phone app. But it's best to work with a therapist to make your plan.
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Review our map of all 50 states and search for Fentanyl Test Strips and Naloxone (Narcan) near you. Together, we can End Native Overdose.
End Native Overdose is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 99-4332473). Our mission is to end drug-related overdose deaths among American Indian and Alaskan Native adolescents through education and public awareness.
Copyright Infringement, Source Citing, Plagiarism
Every effort is made not to plagiarize news stories and original, primary research. I try to be very diligent about citing the original, primary sources of the information shared on this website. All my research is secondary. No copyright infringement is ever intended. If you are a journalist or researcher and believe I have improperly cited your work, please contact me immediately so I can correct it. Thank you, Bridgy
About Bridgette (Hey, that's me!)
Hello, I'm Bridgy, founder of End Native Overdose. I'm a Native Oklahoman; citizen of the United States of America, and the amazing Pit River Nation. I am enrolled in the Illmawi Band. A rising high school senior, I am a member of the Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Class of 2025.
