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

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by funding from the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research, United States Department of Education, and the Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, United States Department of Health and Human Services (NIDRR grant H133B090019), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJJDP grant 2011-TY-FX-0103).

The authors also want to thank all members of the NAYA community that participated in this research effort. Thanks to the NAYA elders and board for their interest and wisdom, and to the young people and staff from NAYA for generously sharing their stories, their lives, and their time. It is our hope that their gifts will result in a better understanding of how to support Native youth who are approaching or in the midst of the transition process.

Conflict of Interest

None of the authors reports a conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathways to Positive Futures, Regional Research Institute, School of Social Work, Portland State University, Portland, OR, 97207-0715, USA

    Barbara J. Friesen PhD, Pauline Jivanjee PhD, Abby Bandurraga MSW & L. K. Gowen PhD, EdM

  2. National Indian Child Welfare Association, 5100 SW Macadam Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97239, USA

    Terry L. Cross MSW & Jen Rountree PhD

  3. Native American Youth and Family Center, 5135 NE Columbia Blvd, Portland, OR, 97218, USA

    Ashley Thirstrup BA

Authors
  1. Barbara J. Friesen PhD
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  2. Terry L. Cross MSW
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  3. Pauline Jivanjee PhD
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  4. Ashley Thirstrup BA
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  5. Abby Bandurraga MSW
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  6. L. K. Gowen PhD, EdM
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  7. Jen Rountree PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Barbara J. Friesen PhD.

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Friesen, B.J., Cross, T.L., Jivanjee, P. et al. Meeting the Transition Needs of Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth through Culturally Based Services. J Behav Health Serv Res 42, 191–205 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-014-9447-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-014-9447-2

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