Tribal Social Services takes the subject of suicide seriously, TSSD ICWA/Family Services Division Manager Lena Tewanwina said.

Within the calendar year of 2015, 26 percent of Montana high school students reported they felt so sad or hopeless nearly every day for two or more weeks in a row that they stopped doing usual activities. Nearly 17 percent seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months, and 13 percent of students made a plan laying out how they would attempt suicide, she said. Nearly eight percent of students in Montana schools made an attempt at suicide during 2015. 

That is one reason the Tribal Social Services Department invites special speakers to reach out to students in Lake County schools and in other outreach venues.

In early March, Tribal Social Services Department’s Circle of Trust Youth Suicide Prevention program invited Miss Indian World to the CSKT reservation.

Someone like Miss Indian World can relate to students and see her as a positive role model who can provide inspirational messages, Tewanwina said.

“Circle of Trust Youth Suicide Prevention Program’s population focus is American Indian youth, age 10 to 24 who are enrolled members of CSKT, descendants, or members of other American Indian

Tribes residing on the Flathead Indian Reservation,” she said in a press release. 

STIT uses special speakers helps the department focus on special messages.

“The message she delivered provided a positive prevention message which emphasized learning new skills, knowledge, awareness, and increase cultural attachment and resiliency. She emphasized education and reaching their goals. She encouraged the youth to engage in their cultural traditions and to live healthy life styles. She identified the school faculty and counselors as persons who are their to provide them support and persons to reach out for help.”

But everyone is responsible for suicide prevention, she said. And the Tribal Social Services Department believes accessing the right tools can help. Those tools include universal screening for depression in all students, mental health awareness for parents, and suicide prevention training for all educators who could better identify those at risk for suicide. 

Inside the school systems throughout Lake County, students who are or know someone who is contemplating suicide can reach out to an adult they trust, Tewanwina said.

The National Suicide prevention lifeline is open continually and can be reached at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).