For native youth growing up in cities, feelings of isolation and lack of cultural identity can put them at greater risk for making unhealthy choices, including the use of alcohol and other drugs. To address these risk factors, the Native American Health Center (NAHC) sought to create an opportunity where local youth could come together and reconnect with their tribal culture. That forum was found in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) curriculum.
Population of focus: American Indian, Alaska Native youth
Links to resource:
- Learn more about how the GONA curriculum has helped over 800 urban native youth in the Bay Area
- View the GONA Fact Sheet from SAMHSA (pdf)
- View the GONA/GOAN Curriculum and Facilitator’s Guide (pdf)
- Explore the GONA/GOAN Toolkit (pdf)
- Learn more about the Native American Health Center
- Read the SAMHSA blog on The Impact of Historical and Intergenerational Trauma on American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
Date: 2018