Meeting the Transition Needs of Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth through Culturally Based Services

This article reports findings from three qualitative studies exploring supports for positive transitions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth to adulthood. Community-based participatory methods were employed through a research partnership involving a culturally based community agency, the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The journal of behavioral health services & research 2015-04, Vol.42 (2), p.191-205
Main Authors: Friesen, Barbara J., Cross, Terry L., Jivanjee, Pauline, Thirstrup, Ashley, Bandurraga, Abby, Gowen, L. K., Rountree, Jen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Alaska
Child welfare
Community and Environmental Psychology
Community-Based Participatory Research
Cooperation
Cultural differences
Culture
Education
Employment
Foster care
Health Informatics
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Health Psychology
Health services
Health Services Needs and Demand
Humans
Indians, North American
Inuits
Low income groups
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental health
Mental Health - ethnology
Native North Americans
Planning
Poverty
Psychiatry
Public Health
Qualitative Research
Research centers
Social work
Students
Trauma
Urban Population
Young Adult
Young adults
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Summary:This article reports findings from three qualitative studies exploring supports for positive transitions of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth to adulthood. Community-based participatory methods were employed through a research partnership involving a culturally based community agency, the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), the National Indian Child Welfare Association, and Portland State University. Studies utilized a Relational Worldview (RWV) framework, where well-being is understood as a balance among the domains of mind, body, spirit, and context. Collectively, findings demonstrate that NAYA employs culturally grounded interventions to overcome the traumatic histories and current oppressive conditions affecting low-income urban AI/AN youth with mental health challenges and to support their well-being and transition to adulthood. In addition, addressing the mental health and well-being of AI/AN youth in culturally appropriate ways involves consideration of all RWV domains. Recommendations for behavioral health practice are to connect AI/AN youth to culturally specific services whenever possible, utilize cultural consultants, and implement holistic and positive approaches to mental health.
ISSN:1094-3412
1556-3308
DOI:10.1007/s11414-014-9447-2