Your Story:
Hello all!
I am Kimberly Alane Golden, daughter of Patricia Louise Cantey, of coastal SC & Robert Alan Golden, of upstate NY. My Grandparents are Nettie Louise Wright Cantey and John William Cantey of Awendaw, SC and Charlotte Ramsauer Golden and Charles Golden, of Germantown, NY.
As a Native American Rehabilitation Association,
NARA, NW Nak-Nu-Wit team member, I’m responsible for our program's social media, marketing & public relations efforts. In tandem with serving local American Indian / Alaskan Native, AI, AN community members in a culturally appropriate manner it is also our goal to help raise awareness regarding mental health issues affecting the AI / AN populations.
A third-generation national volunteer, I am honored to have served one year as an
AmeriCorps VISTA with the National Society for American Indian Elderly,
the NSAIE, in
Phoenix, Arizona & also a second year as an
AmeriCorps volunteer with
NARA, NW in
Portland, Oregon. After the service term ended in 2011, I was invited to continue working at NARA in this current newly created role.
There are
far too many stigmas surrounding mental health. The NARA Nak-Nu-Wit team are hard-at-work attempting to reverse this trend with our uniquely designed culturally-appropriate wraparound services program by treating the entire family unit, rather than focusing on any one individual.
DID YOU KNOW?
Mental Illness & Suicide in Indian Country.
The need for action is
painfully clear.
- About 85% of Native People nationally have mental health issues such as anxiety-panic attacks, depression & anger - violence issues.
- Indian youth have the highest rate of suicide of any population in the country—3 and ½ times the national average. In some tribal communities, this rate rises to epidemic levels—up to 10 times the national average! It’s a shameful national failure. This makes suicide in AI / AN country the second leading cause of death, behind unintentional injuries for Indian youth ages 15-24 residing in IHS service areas.
- Children who experience abuse & neglect are at higher risk for depression, suicidal thoughts & suicide attempts, according to the Center for Disease Control (2007).
- Nationally, an estimated 900,000 youth made a plan to commit suicide during their worst or most recent episode of major depression & 712,000 attempted suicide during such an episode. (Date: SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use & Health, which asked youth ages 12-17 about symptoms of depression including thoughts about death or suicide).
- One in five hospitals & clinics in Indian Country provide NO mental health services, according to the Inspector General's Office of the Department of Health & Human Services. Only half provide drug therapy treatments and at dozens of facilities, some drug treatments are handled by non-licensed social workers, counselors & nurses.
“We
must make a real spiritual commitment as Native individuals to quit beating ourselves up, pounding ourselves & attacking ourselves for crimes we have never committed with regards to Historical Trauma. In this Spiritual commitment, we as Indian people must empower ourselves by working daily at having better self-esteem, self-worth and self-value. We have to learn how to reprogram ourselves as Indian individuals from a spiritual place. When we understand how Historical Trauma has handicapped & destroyed us mentally, psychologically & emotionally, then we can be better prepared to embrace the empowerment of our Native Spirituality & in turn, the power of Spiritual transformation.” Mike Raccoon Eyes,
INDIAN COUNTRY'S HISTORICAL TRAUMA AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF THE 21ST CENTURY.
As Chief Joseph said, "As individual fingers we are
easily broken, but
TOGETHER we make a mighty fist."
To learn more, please visit us online:
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & flickr.
Or, if you have specific questions, feel free to get in touch directly:
Alane Golden,
Communications & Social Media Specialist NARA, NW, Nak-Nu-Wit Oyate Family Services 1776 SW Madison Portland OR 97205 (
p) 503.224.1044 (
e) agolden@naranorthwest.org
