Community Updates

Phil Hale was a proud member of the Diné Nation, from the Kin Łichíi’nii (Red House clan) and born for the Tódík’ǫ́zhí (Saltwater clan). He worked in the Los Angeles Native community for many decades, including as an educator, singer, facilitator, and mentor. He shared traditional teachings through singing and storytelling alongside his family’s Southern Drum group, “Hale & Company.” He was dedicated to and invested in our Native youth. He volunteered in community spaces to

Julia transitioned to the spirit world on March 28, 2021. We recognize her deep-rooted contributions to community. We are honored to have had her in our lives, to learn from her, and carry on the precedent that she set for us. We will carry her memory, spirit, and teachings as we work in the community. We alleviate her words and actions, as a remarkable Tongva leader, who centered culture, arts, and advocacy through countless platforms to build community. Julia will continue

The Community Mental Health Needs Assessment Project was identified by the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Underserved Cultural Committee in 2020 and brought to the community by Indigenous Circle of Wellness (ICOW) in 2021-2022. The project was completed in five distinct phases. These phases can generally be summarized as: (1) outreach for participant recruitment and development of focus group facilitation guides, (2) facilitation of five focus groups dedicated to highl

This final summary report identifies major impacts of our five-part video series focused on uplifting contemporary visibility and strengths of community. This may be used to reference marketing and outreach strategies as well as best practices related to reaching our local community. This project was sponsored by the LA County Department of Mental Health AI/AN UnderServed Cultural Communities Subcommittee.

This resource focuses on raising awareness and advocacy for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples crisis. American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) experience rates of murder, sexual violence, and violent crime at higher rates than national averages (U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs). This resource is helpful for those interested in learning more about the MMIP advocacy movement as a call to action for No More Stolen Sisters and Relatives. Download Report

Relatives, Restoration, and Reciprocity: Wellness Cohort was dedicated to reducing health disparities among Indigenous community members in LA County through culture, (re)connection, and action. This report summarizes our approach to addressing the health implications and prevalence of type 2 Diabetes within our community. This resource is helpful for those interested in exploring cultural approaches to addressing structural determinants of health. Download Report Below:

This report summarizes survey evaluation findings based on input from Indigenous elders, community members and staff within Indigenous community-based organizations. This may be used by wellness providers, community engagement specialists and organizational leadership interested in extending services specifically developed for Indigenous elders. Project Description Decolonizing Data to Support Indigenous Elders in Los Angeles County utilized strengths-based data collection an

The So’oh-Shinálí Sister Project’s Reclaiming Indigenous Wisdom: Wellness Cohort was funded by the San Manuel CARES grant and serves as an extension of our chronic disease prevention programming that we established with the 2023 Honoring Indigenous Health: Wellness Cohort. The initial cohort focused on providing resources and education for the prevention and management of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Intergenerational families connected through art and community to support mental a

This report summarizes the larger impacts of our three-part Honoring Indigenous Health Wellness Cohort series. This was our first culturally-grounded chronic disease prevention project. The report may be used to inform the development of comparable projects and includes survey findings, community feedback, strengths and lessons learned. Download Report Below:

The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit (MMIWG2-S) Awareness Campaign includes production and distribution of five videos that raise awareness about this ongoing epidemic. The five videos identify resources for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) community members and highlight the negative health impacts violence has on the community overall, with specific focus on how violence against AI/AN community members is a serious public health issue. MMIWG

We collaborated with families who were participants of our Rooted in Resilience Cohort to create a total of two, 2-4 minute impact videos capturing personal reflections and experiences from the series. The videos were designed to uplift community voices and highlight the important work led by the LACDMH AI/AN UsCC through these capacity-building initiatives. Understanding the Past | History of Multigenerational Trauma This video above features our opening session of Rooted in

We have created a total of five 2-3 minute videos designed to increase the visibility of Native American community members, reduce mental health stigma and foster belonging within the community. This project was authored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health AI/AN Underserved Cultural Community (AI/AN UsCC) and is carried out by our nonprofit team. Intergenerational Trauma and Intergenerational Resilience In this video Dr. Carrie Johnson (Wahpeton Dakota) shar

The Cooking for Wellness Project Cookbook is an initiative created under the LA County Department of Mental Health Cooking for Wellness Project - A wellness series aiming to support American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) community members by providing them the opportunity to explore cooking as a pathway to mental wellness. The cookbook showcases Indigenous foods and preparation techniques, and resources focused on nutrition, mental health, and physical wellness.

This toolkit includes four sections on (1) myths and stereotypes regarding the AI/AN community, (2) tools to identify implicit bias and privilege, (3) psychosocial struggles specific to the AI/AN community, and (4) meaningful outreach and engagement interventions and techniques. This resource is developed for educators, therapists, staff of diverse community organizations, and other wellness providers interested in learning more about intentionally supporting Indigenous indiv

This report provides a comprehensive review of our five-part Traditional Wellness Gathering series sponsored by the LA County Department of Mental Health AI/AN Underserved Cultural Communities Subcommittee. This report may be referenced for identification of best practices related to culturally sensitive mental health services, impactful community engagement and general service recommendations.

This video was developed to highlight myths and stereotypes regarding the AI/AN community, uplift contemporary Indigenous experiences and highlight Indigenous wellness practices to help reduce mental health stigma. This resource is helpful for teachers, wellness providers, and staff within diverse community organizations. https://lacountymediahost.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?clip_id=9597

This resource provides context on the prevalence of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples’ crisis within our local community and across the state. This also centers information on how the Feather Alert, introduced by Assemblymember James Ramos (Serrano/Cahuilla), promotes visibility, advocacy and reunification of impacted families. Download the PDF file below.