The Healthy Native Youth February monthly newsletter themes are teen dating, healthy relationships, and consent. These are important topics for native teens, especially with Valentine’s Day, spring break, and other teenage activities on the horizon.

As caring adults, there is an opportunity to teach youth to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship, to practice skills to communicate, to set boundaries, and where to get help.

View a We R Native video message from youth to their peers.

Enjoy this month’s issue with an array of curricula, tools, and resources for your learning circles.

Community of Practice

Coming Up: Indian Country & Alaska Partnerships “Get Yourself Tested” Youth Educational Resources 

Native youth are not excluded from exposure and the health impacts of STIs. There are new Native-led innovations to prevent, test, diagnose, and refer youth and young adults for treatment. Join us to learn more.

Don't Forget: Sign up now to add the “CoP save-the-dates” to your monthly calendar.

In Case You Missed It in January Happy New Year with We R Native!

Did you know that over an 11-year span, weRnative.org has had over 400,000 website visitors and connected with 43 million interested viewers on the topic of American Indian/Alaska Native adolescent health?

Learn about this this trendsetting multimedia health resource – for Native Youth, by Native Youth – to introduce to your students.

View the recording here:

Click below to view the array of Community of Practice sessions and use these learning collaboratives as a team building activity for your school and community health settings.

Healthy Native Youth Website Spotlights

Curriculum Spotlight: Native VOICES

Evidence Based Intervention Recognized by CDC

Native VOICES (Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex) is an evidence-based video designed to prevent STIs and other sexually transmitted infections. The 23-minute video was designed to encourage condom use and improve condom negotiation skills native teens and young adults (ages: 15–24 years old).

The culturally tailored video covers important sexual health topics, including the following:

• Talking to your partner about sex
• STI testing
• Defining and enforcing personal values
• Healthy relationships

Native VOICES can be easily integrated into the flow of services provided by clinics, schools, treatment centers and other community-based programs. Native VOICES can be implemented by a variety of support staff and be tailored to the needs and time constraints of your setting.

Implementation Toolbox: Session Reflection Log

Track Your Teaching Journey

It is the new year, and full implementation is underway in many schools and communities. The HNY Implementation Toolbox has a downloadable template to track your implementation journey with notes for future teaching adaptations and adjustments the next go around.

Do not lose the powerful momentum in your classrooms! 

Text Message Campaign of the Month: BRAVE 

For Youth & Young Adults: Build resilience and help-seeking skills 

The BRAVE intervention builds on traditional teaching strategies and community values, and connects AI/AN teens and young adults to people, stories, resources, and teachings that demonstrate what it means to be strong and resilient.

BRAVE SMS users have reported improvements in mental health, reductions in alcohol & drug misuse, improvements in resilience and coping skills, and better self-esteem.

Educator Challenge: Encourage youth to sign up for support! 

February Spotlights at weRnative.org

Learning Enhancements for Youth & Young Adults

The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) launched We R Native in 2012 as a holistic health resource for Native Youth, by Native Youth. The service includes an interactive website (www.weRnative.org), a text message service (text NATIVE to 94449), a YouTube channel, and social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok).

The health content on the site promotes health decision-making by improving youths’ knowledge, attitudes, intentions, self-confidence, and social norms concerning condom use, healthy relationships, STI testing, and more.

We R Native Resources for February

My Relationships – Relationships & Dating

Ask Your Relative – Relationships Q & A

We R Native YouTube Playlist:

Healthy Relationships 

Mental Health Resources for Natives

Tribal Health Reaching Out InVolves Everyone (THRIVE) is housed at the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board serving the 43 Federally recognized Tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho in the topical areas of mental and behavioral health, specifically suicide prevention for Native people and communities.



New Adolescent Health Journal Publication

We R Native’s Ask Your Relative Q & A service for Native teens  

The NPAIHB Adolescent Health team has a new year accomplishment on its belt with a new journal publication coming out of the We R Native flagship project, Ask Your Relative, formerly known as “Ask Auntie.”

Read the article and celebrate with us!



Ask Your Relative: A mixed method analysis of the Sexual Health and Healthy Relationship Q&As submitted by American Indian Alaska Native young adults

Gearing Up for Spring!

www.healthynativeyouth.org

www.npaihb.org/thrive

www.wernative.org

www.pathsremembered.org

www.npaihb.org/project-red-talonpprojec

www.indiancountryecho.org

www.nativehealthresources.com

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