keepin’ it REAL (kiR) is a scientifically proven, effective substance use prevention and social and emotional competency enhancing program designed to focus on the competencies linked to preventing substance use and abuse. Featured as a cost-effective and powerful program by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2016, this program is based on the real stories of […]
Innovative Interventions
Tobacco Use Prevention and Control Program in Indian Country
According to a 2019 New Mexico Department of Health report, about 31,000 indigenous adults and 4,600 youth in New Mexico smoke cigarettes. The Tobacco Use Prevention and Control (TUPAC) Program provides services and activities to schools, organizations, and communities to reduce non-ceremonial use of tobacco. TUPAC activities include: Cessation services Community programs Outreach and education […]
Sowing the Seeds of Hope
Farmworkers and their families face severe stress, rural isolation, and limited access to mental health professionals. As a result, this population is high-risk for behavioral health and substance abuse problems. In 1999, seven states came together to create Sowing Seeds of Hope (SSoH) program. Each state operated a website along with a 24/7 crisis hotline […]
Zero Suicide in Indian Country
Zero Suicide is a framework to support suicide-safer care in health and behavioral health care systems. In the past ten years, many studies have shown its effectiveness in reducing suicide deaths across diverse health systems. However, when health and behavioral health care systems in Indian Country have attempted to employ the framework, there are often […]
An Afrocentric LGBTQ+ Mental Health Revolution in San Francisco
While there are mental health services in San Francisco for those living in the margins, there is a clear lack of support and resources for assisting the Black community from within the community. Dr. April Silas, Executive Director of the Homeless Children’s Network (HCN), saw this need and developed the Ma’at Program in June of […]
Wyoming Trauma Telehealth Treatment Clinic
Domestic violence and other crimes like sexual assault can cause survivors to experience depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health conditions. Rural survivors face significant barriers in seeking treatment for these conditions. The Wyoming Trauma Telehealth Treatment Clinic (WTTTC) uses videoconferencing to connect survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to psychology doctoral […]