Grantees - Kansas (TYP)

The Federally recognized Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation resides on 77,000 acres in the Northeast quadrant of the State of Kansas . The predominantly rural area is home to many of the 4,884 enrolled members. The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is served by Royal Valley School District a small rural district adjacent to the Reservation. The goal of their Tribal Youth project is to organize, and implement prevention programs and services that focus on risk factor identification and preventive substance abuse activities. This will be accomplished by placing a Tribal Police Officer present in Royal Valley Schools to impact risk factors of Native American Youth and by holding four annual community education gatherings that emphasize drug abuse prevention and violence intervention. The Youth Action Coalition will act as the Advisory Board to the project and assist with the community gatherings, pow wow’s to ensure cultural competence in program delivery.

2004 Tribal Youth Program Grantee

Kickapoo Tribe of Indians of the Kiackapoo Indian Reservation in Kansas

Project Title: Kickapoo Tribal Youth Program

Category: I

The Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas will enhance prevention and after school programming through the Kickapoo Boys and Girls Club in Kansas. This application shall focus on prevention project services to decrease risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency. All club members shall access to a host of activities from building traditional bark houses, developing multi-media skills, computer skills at the Operation Connect computer lab, digital movie-making, photography, and learning cultural history and tradition from our treasured elders in our community. The program shall implement new prevention and cultural activities to connect the young people to the traditional values of the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas . Our target population shall include 152 Native American youth between the ages of 6 - 18 residing on or near the Kickapoo Reservation in Kansas . The program is a year round prevention program.

2003 Tribal Youth Program Grantee

Prairie Band of Potawatomi

Project: Tribal Youth Mental Health Program

Category: I. Mental Health Services of AI/AN Youth At-Risk of Delinquency

The Prairie Band of Potawatomi is located 20 miles north of Topeka. The Tribal Youth Program addresses problems associated with accurate diagnosis and provision of culturally relevant mental health services and treatment to Potawatomi youth. Phase one involves hiring a program coordinator, conducting a needs assessment, and facilitating program design and implementation strategies, along with program policies and procedures. Implementation of intervention services involves providing crisis intervention and conducting mental health screenings of court-involved youth. Coordination of client services with the alcohol and drug program serves to help identify co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems. The program includes quarterly community education and awareness presentations to increase understanding of mental health conditions and decrease the associated stigma. A data management system helps to collect data and track program and client progress. This program supports the overall department mission to promote the wellness of each tribal member in body, emotion, and spirit.

2001 Tribal Youth Program Grantee

Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation

Project: Prairie Band of Potawatomi Tribal Youth Project

Category: I. Reduce, Control, and Prevent Indian Juvenile Crime

The Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation project improves and promotes parental involvement in the lives of their children. This is done through a combination of community programmatic assistance and youth-centered organizational development that promotes parent-child activities. The project brings together parents to form a support group and a mentorship program in which parents can share effective parenting skills through communication and presentations by speakers. People within the tribal community serve as mentors to the youth through participation in recreational activities and assistance with homework assignments. The project incorporates all aspects of the community, including law enforcement, tribal courts, a tribal council, and the social services department, to support youth and parental involvement. The adults in the project serve as support networks for youth and their parents.