Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is set to receive the most money from the awards through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, announced earlier this month. The funding totals $2.2 million and will flow to three programs: trauma-informed services in schools, tribal behavioral health substance use prevention and support for 988 tribal response cooperative agreements.
Lacey Callahan, the tribe's behavioral health operations manager, said Project Embrace is a Choctaw Nation initiative awarded SAMHSA funding. It historically focused on suicide prevention, Callahan said, but now it also assists with substance use prevention.
The federal funds will allow them to hire a prevention-based peer recovery support specialist to work with individuals at risk of substance use or mental health conditions.
"There was already an individual who's already an active peer recovery support specialist," Callahan said. "So he will transition and use his lived experience in a way that hopefully will be able to reach people that I can never dream of because he has such a real, authentic story and connection and ability to make huge progress in ways."
Over the summer, the tribe also received federal funding to develop and enhance the behavioral health infrastructure within Choctaw Nation-based school services through Project Aware. That means hiring a behavioral health therapist, case manager and a project director for an education summit focused on teaching education providers about mental health.
"We have unfortunately seen continued crises within our education setting, where kids are just feeling the weight of what's going on around them," Callahan said. "And so if we can intervene at an earlier time and really impact those that are in their lives every day in a meaningful way, we really feel like we can make an impact."
In 2022, suicide was the second leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives ages 10 through 24, according to the National Indian Health Board. Suicide was the 8th leading cause of death for American Indians and Alaska Natives of all ages in 2023.
The high rates show the urgency tribes have to address behavioral health problems in Indigenous communities, as well as federal agencies, as the U.S. government has a trust responsibility to provide health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Thirteen tribes in Oklahoma received SAMHSA funding this month, as well as two organizations — Butterfly Rain New Beginnings Inc. in Tahlequah and Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation in Oklahoma City.
Tasha Mousseau is the vice president of the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes. She sits on the National Tribal Budget Formulation Workgroup.
"Suicide and mental health challenges, those run rampant, particularly in our community," Mousseau said. "There are many factors at play — of course, historical trauma, poverty, those sorts of things... Through our traditional knowledge, that's where we're going to find healing and the SAMHSA grants for Native folks."
Her tribal nation is receiving a nearly $1 million grant to support 988 tribal response cooperative agreements.
The national suicide and crisis hotline offers support for those struggling with mental health, suicide and substance-abuse-related problems at all hours. Funding for these tribal agreements means more culturally competent care and better support of 988 crisis centers, tribal nations and organizations.
"Any of our relatives, Native or non-Native, if you are struggling with mental health challenges or substance misuse, this is a resource that's available to you," Mousseau said. "Call that 988 helpline. You can specifically ask for a tribal program. Wichita and Affiliated Tribes has a 988 program, and we're here to help so you're never alone."
The 988 resource is accessible anywhere in the nation by calling or texting 988, or by talking to a crisis counselor online at 988lifeline.org.
Choctaw Nation's Callahan called the 988 resource a lifeline and said there should be no shame when seeking out mental health resources.
"It's just health," Callahan said. "This is for your brain, this is for your well-being, this is for your overall spirit. And it's breaking generational cycles."
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
