§ 1667e. Indian youth life skills development demonstration program

(a) Purpose The purpose of this section is to authorize the Secretary, acting through the Administration, to carry out a demonstration program to test the effectiveness of a culturally compatible, school-based, life skills curriculum for the prevention of Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide, including through—

(1) the establishment of tribal partnerships to develop and implement such a curriculum, in cooperation with—

(A) behavioral health professionals, with a priority for tribal partnerships cooperating with mental health professionals employed by the Service;

(B) tribal or local school agencies; and

(C) parent and community groups;

(2) the provision by the Administration or the Service of—

(A) technical expertise; and

(B) clinicians, analysts, and educators, as appropriate;

(3) training for teachers, school administrators, and community members to implement the curriculum;

(4) the establishment of advisory councils composed of parents, educators, community members, trained peers, and others to provide advice regarding the curriculum and other components of the demonstration program;

(5) the development of culturally appropriate support measures to supplement the effectiveness of the curriculum; and

(6) projects modeled after evidence-based projects, such as programs evaluated and published in relevant literature.

(b) Demonstration grant program

(1) Definitions In this subsection:

(A) Curriculum

The term “curriculum” means the culturally compatible, school-based, life skills curriculum for the prevention of Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide identified by the Secretary under paragraph (2)(A).

(B) Eligible entity The term “eligible entity” means—

(i) an Indian tribe;

(ii) a tribal organization;

(iii) any other tribally authorized entity; and

(iv) any partnership composed of 2 or more entities described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii).

(2) Establishment The Secretary, acting through the Administration, may establish and carry out a demonstration program under which the Secretary shall—

(A) identify a culturally compatible, school-based, life skills curriculum for the prevention of Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide;

(B) identify the Indian tribes that are at greatest risk for adolescent suicide;

(C) invite those Indian tribes to participate in the demonstration program by—

(i) responding to a comprehensive program requirement request of the Secretary; or

(ii) submitting, through an eligible entity, an application in accordance with paragraph (4); and

(D) provide grants to the Indian tribes identified under subparagraph (B) and eligible entities to implement the curriculum with respect to Indian and Alaska Native youths who—

(i) are between the ages of 10 and 19; and

(ii) attend school in a region that is at risk of high youth suicide rates, as determined by the Administration.

(3) Requirements

(A) Term

The term of a grant provided under the demonstration program under this section shall be not less than 4 years.

(B) Maximum number

The Secretary may provide not more than 5 grants under the demonstration program under this section.

(C) Amount

The grants provided under this section shall be of equal amounts.

(D) Certain schools In selecting eligible entities to receive grants under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less than 1 demonstration program shall be carried out at each of—

(i) a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Education;

(ii) a Tribal school; and

(iii) a school receiving payments under section 7702 or 7703 of title 20.

(4) Applications To be eligible to receive a grant under the demonstration program, an eligible entity shall submit to the Secretary an application, at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including—

(A) an assurance that, in implementing the curriculum, the eligible entity will collaborate with 1 or more local educational agencies, including elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools;

(B) an assurance that the eligible entity will collaborate, for the purpose of curriculum development, implementation, and training and technical assistance, with 1 or more—

(i) nonprofit entities with demonstrated expertise regarding the development of culturally sensitive, school-based, youth suicide prevention and intervention programs; or

(ii) institutions of higher education with demonstrated interest and knowledge regarding culturally sensitive, school-based, life skills youth suicide prevention and intervention programs;

(C) an assurance that the curriculum will be carried out in an academic setting in conjunction with at least 1 classroom teacher not less frequently than twice each school week for the duration of the academic year;

(D) a description of the methods by which curriculum participants will be—

(i) screened for mental health at-risk indicators; and

(ii) if needed and on a case-by-case basis, referred to a mental health clinician for further assessment and treatment and with crisis response capability; and

(E) an assurance that supportive services will be provided to curriculum participants identified as high-risk participants, including referral, counseling, and follow-up services for—

(i) drug or alcohol abuse;

(ii) sexual or domestic abuse; and

(iii) depression and other relevant mental health concerns.

(5) Use of funds An Indian tribe identified under paragraph (2)(B) or an eligible entity may use a grant provided under this subsection—

(A) to develop and implement the curriculum in a school-based setting;

(B) to establish an advisory council—

(i) to advise the Indian tribe or eligible entity regarding curriculum development; and

(ii) to provide support services identified as necessary by the community being served by the Indian tribe or eligible entity;

(C) to appoint and train a school- and community-based cultural resource liaison, who will act as an intermediary among the Indian tribe or eligible entity, the applicable school administrators, and the advisory council established by the Indian tribe or eligible entity;

(D) to establish an on-site, school-based, MA- or PhD-level mental health practitioner (employed by the Service, if practicable) to work with tribal educators and other personnel;

(E) to provide for the training of peer counselors to assist in carrying out the curriculum;

(F) to procure technical and training support from nonprofit or State entities or institutions of higher education identified by the community being served by the Indian tribe or eligible entity as the best suited to develop and implement the curriculum;

(G) to train teachers and school administrators to effectively carry out the curriculum;

(H) to establish an effective referral procedure and network;

(I) to identify and develop culturally compatible curriculum support measures;

(J) to obtain educational materials and other resources from the Administration or other appropriate entities to ensure the success of the demonstration program; and

(K) to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum in preventing Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide.

(c) Evaluations Using such amounts made available pursuant to subsection (e) as the Secretary determines to be appropriate, the Secretary shall conduct, directly or through a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement with an entity that has experience regarding the development and operation of successful culturally compatible, school-based, life skills suicide prevention and intervention programs or evaluations, an annual evaluation of the demonstration program under this section, including an evaluation of—

(1) the effectiveness of the curriculum in preventing Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide;

(2) areas for program improvement; and

(3) additional development of the goals and objectives of the demonstration program.

(d) Report to Congress

(1) In general Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 180 days after the date of termination of the demonstration program, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Indian Affairs and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Natural Resources and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a final report that—

(A) describes the results of the program of each Indian tribe or eligible entity under this section;

(B) evaluates the effectiveness of the curriculum in preventing Indian and Alaska Native adolescent suicide;

(C) makes recommendations regarding—

(i) the expansion of the demonstration program under this section to additional eligible entities;

(ii) designating the demonstration program as a permanent program; and

(iii) identifying and distributing the curriculum through the Suicide Prevention Resource Center of the Administration; and

(D) incorporates any public comments received under paragraph (2).

(2) Public comment

The Secretary shall provide a notice of the report under paragraph (1) and an opportunity for public comment on the report for a period of not less than 90 days before submitting the report to Congress.

(e) Authorization of appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $1,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

(Pub. L. 94–437, title VII, § 726, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10221(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 935.)

Codification

Codification

Section 726 of Pub. L. 94–437 is based on section 181 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.