Suicide prevention among Native/Indigenous youth is a priority for many Tribal Nations and Villages and key factors of prevention include respecting the local culture and fostering an approach that is designed and implemented by the local community. To highlight some of the wonderful efforts in Indian Country in the area of suicide prevention, the Pueblo of Tesuque Youth Coalition (PTYC) efforts are featured here and include participation in leadership trainings, youth summits, public speaking trainings, team building trainings and hosting community service events. The Pueblo of Tesuque practices the Tewa culture and language and is located nine miles north of Santa Fe, New Mexico; a site it has inhabited since time immemorial. The PTYC examined the social issues and needs of their community and prioritized the following areas: 1) underage drinking and youth binge drinking, 2) adult DWl rate, and 3) suicide prevention.
The PTYC organized an on-site Yellow Ribbon Ask 4 Help! Youth Suicide Prevention Training held in May 2017, another was held in August 2017 and one is planned for September 2017. Yellow Ribbon objectives include increased knowledge of help-seeking behaviors, resources, warning signs, risk and protective factors of suicide, and how to ask for help for themselves and others. Partnerships and collaboration are key to the PTYC suicide prevention efforts and activities include training the Pueblo of Tesuque Te Tsu Geh Oweenge School staff, school board and the Pueblo of Tesuque Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Team. Ana Romero, Yellow Ribbon Representative, notes that Tesuque will be the first elementary school in New Mexico to have their students trained in suicide prevention. Additionally, Mental Health First Aid training was provided in June 2017 for the PYTC, school and community and a Youth Mental Health First Aid Training will be held in fall of 2017.
Support for the Pueblo of Tesuque Youth Coalition comes from the Chamiza Grant Foundation and the Bureau of Indian Education funds the suicide prevention activities. The New Mexico Tribal Prevention Project (NMTPP) and the Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention (OSAP) funded the Communities of Care Coalition, which led the initiative to identify the priority areas to address for their community. The Pueblo of Tesuque also has funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) for a Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court program, which will enhance and draw upon the work of the Pueblo of Tesuque Youth Coalition.
The Pueblo of Tesuque Tribal Council fully support and commends the PTYC for their efforts toward breaking the cycles of domestic violence, recidivism, school drop-out rates, and substance abuse. PTYC members include: Sunny Rose Eaton, Sunshine Eaton, Brandy Barraza, Briana Juarez, Kristen Samuel, Richelle Vigil, Cameron Tenorio, Jose Oyenque, Jarren Frenier, Nathan Vigil, Orlando Barraza, James Hena, Jacy Suina, AJ Valdez, and Youth Coordinator Donna Quintana. For more information, contact: Daniel Hena, Pueblo of Tesuque Tribal Sheriff, Pueblo of Tesuque Tribal Council Member, dhena@pueblooftesuque.org.
