Research Purpose: The Life Is Sacred Native Youth Suicide Prevention Project is a Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act grant project of the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest. The project involves direct service, staff training, and community change efforts in eight of Oregon’s Tribal communities and the American Indian and Alaska Native student community at Portland State University, as well as statewide awareness building and coordination efforts. The evaluation of this project included participation in a national cross-site evaluation as well as local needs assessment and process and evaluation activities.
Project Design: The cross-site evaluation used the following measures:
1. Prevention Strategies Inventory
2. Training Utilization and Preservation Key (Phone) Survey
3. Training Utilization and Preservation Key Informant Interview
4. Referral Network Survey
5. Early Identification, Referral, and Follow-up
The local evaluation looked at changes in communities over time, including increased awareness, referrals, improved support systems, and the development of mental health resources. It also looked at efforts to engage these services to be culturally specific for Native youth and families. This was primarily a qualitative process evaluation through key stakeholder interviews, observations of programs at key events and project meetings, documentation and program feedback. Specific prevention curricula, such as Project Venture and American Indian Life Skills utilized pre- and post-survey design.
Funding Source: Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest
Start Date: October 2005, refunded in 2008 and again in 2011
Project Team
Principal Investigator
Project Director
Project Staff
Megan Redfield, M.Ed.
Anna Rockhill, M.P.P.