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American Indian Life Skills Development


GETTING STARTED:

This manual is available via several online/bookstore options and can also be purchased here.

Am Indian.jpg

Mental Health Literacy Component Inventory

Understanding how to foster and maintain positive mental health: ADDRESSED

Understanding mental health disorders and their treatments: NOT ADDRESSED

Decreasing stigma: ADDRESSED

Understanding how to seek help effectively: ADDRESSED

Learning Standard Inventory

Based on learning standards provided by the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Compare & contrast emotional, mental + behavioral illness, mental well-being and concurrent disorders

Describe how self-harm or suicide impacts other people

Explain how to help someone who is thinking about attempting suicide

NO

YES

YES

Identify school and community resources that can help a person with emotional, mental and behavioral health concerns

YES

Describe laws related to minors accessing mental health care

NO

Advocate for reducing stigma associated with emotional and mental and behavioral health

YES

A school-based, culturally sensitive, suicide-prevention program for American Indian adolescents, also known as Zuni Life Skills Development. Themes this program covers 1) building self-esteem, 2) identifying emotions and stress, 3) increasing communication and problem-solving skills, 4) recognizing and eliminating self-destructive behavior, 5) information on suicide, 6) suicide intervention training, and 7) setting personal and community goals. The curriculum also incorporates three domains of well-being that are specific to tribal groups: 1) helping one another, 2) group belonging, and 3) spiritual belief systems and practices. Lessons are interactive and incorporate situations and experiences relevant to AI/AN adolescent life such as friendship issues, rejection, divorce, separation, unemployment, and problems with health and the law.

Materials, Evidence and Implementation

SUPPORT MATERIALS

Resources/Materials: Manual
•Fidelity Measure: Yes (observation tool)
•Student learning measure: Yes (pre and post knowledge)

EVIDENCE

- 1 Study (peer-reviewed)
- Quasi-experimental
- 101 freshman and 27 junior students (14-19 yrs old)
- Students exposed to the curriculum scored better than the no-intervention group at posttest on suicide probability and hopelessness. In addition, the intervention group showed greater ability to perform problem-solving and suicide intervention skills in a behavioral assessment.

IMPLEMENTATION

•Program Material Cost: $35/manual
•Modality: Classroom Curriculum

•Setting: Health, language arts, social studies, culture classes
•Grade level(s): High School
•Who delivers the program: Teacher, School Psychologist, Counselor, Prevention/ Interventionist/ Recovery Specialist
•Qualifications/Training needed?: Yes

•Training Description: Highly recommend AILS Key Leader Orientation 3-day training for groups of 20. Cost is $1,800 plus travel expenses of the trainer for the time of training.
•Virtual option?: No
•Length: ~50 lessons, ~40 min each, 3 times per week

 

 

GETTING STARTED:

This manual is available via several online/bookstore options and can also be purchased here.

Am Indian.jpg
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