Welcome to the April 2023

CIRCLE NARCH newsletter!

In this issue, we feature updates about our xaʔtu̓s (First Face) for Mental Health training program. xaʔtu̓s for Mental Health training prepares peers, teachers, coaches, and other community members to be the “First Face” supporting someone experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. Anyone can serve as a Face Face – including you!

xaʔtu̓s (pronounced hah-toos) training will be coming to the Colville Confederated Tribes, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Kalispel Tribe, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Nez Perce Tribe, Kootenai Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla starting in the summer of 2023.

The CIRCLE NARCH team has been finalizing our curriculum slides, scripts, hand-outs, multimedia content, and website. We can't wait to share it with you this summer!
On April 13th, we were excited to share our work and internal practice training with Healing Lodge staff members, which is leading to several improvements. We're grateful to those staff for sharing their time and insights.
On April 14th, we hosted a working group meeting that included nine participants from our seven tribes. Information from this meeting is shaping our curriculum research plans, and we are excited to begin this phase of our work!

To sign up for updates about the xaʔtu̓s training in your area, click on the link below.

Click Here

Upcoming Events

Our team member Donell will be tabling at the EWU Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women event on May 5th. This event brings the community together to raise awareness of our MMIW and share resources for prevention

Expect to see Research Assistant Donell Barlow tabling for First Face at the Pauline Flett Powwow on May 20! This will be the first powwow held at the Flett Middle School in honor of Pauline Flett, Spokane Tribal Elder, for her contributions to the Salish language revitalization.

Meet the Team

I am a descendant of the Walla Walla and Klickitat Tribes. I have lived in Pendleton, Oregon, near the Umatilla Indian Reservation all my life. I am employed at Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center as the Youth Suicide Prevention Outreach Coordinator. Previously I have worked with Elders as a Community Health Representative. I was introduced to this opportunity through Wenona Scott, a previous Working Group member. I really appreciate the approach and open-mindedness of this Working Group, and I believe it will be a great success. Bringing the First Face to my community will strengthen already tight-knit relationships. I also believe it will be the kind of empowerment that our community wants and needs.

Cody Cimmiyotti

Working Group

(Umatilla)

Prevention Corner

Early prevention is critical when it comes to educating adolescents on the risks and dangers of alcohol and substance misuse. Parents and caregivers must be willing to have these hard conversations to maintain a safe space for adolescents to share. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) created a "Talk. They Hear You." campaign as a resource for parents and caregivers to empower themselves when discussing alcohol and substance misuse. Click here to find out more about this program.

Drawing Connections: Prevention Demands Equity

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center says, "we can trace a line from sexual violence to systems of oppression, and we can't end sexual violence without also ending racism." April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and its theme is Drawing connections: Prevention Demands Equity. The campaign calls us to build racial equity and respect by changing ourselves and the systems around us. Click below to learn more.