Building on Strong Foundations
Under the leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Evans, a tribal member of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community and Research Investigator on the project team, PC CARES (Promoting Community Conversations About Research to End Suicide) has been expanding to local Michigan Tribes.
Dr. Evans was recently awarded a grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) to support this work. The funded project will focus on co-developing a culturally-tailored PC CARES curriculum for urban AIAN communities in Michigan in partnership with American Indian Health and Family Services (AIHFS). AIHFS is a non-profit providing culturally responsive services, programming, and care for urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) community members across Southeastern Michigan.
Using a participatory approach, Dr. Evans will 1) adapt PC CARES to the local priorities of the communities AIHFS serves throughout Wayne County, Detroit, and the Claytown neighborhood and 2) train AIHFS staff to be PC CARES facilitators to ensure impact is community-led and community-driven.
Learning Circles in Action
This project extends and builds upon a year-long collaboration between PC CARES and AIHFS. In June, Dr. Evans, Dr. Lisa Wexler, and staff member Angel Zhong completed a series of PC CARES Learning Circles (LCs) with AIHFS. Behavioral health staff–including youth coordinators, case managers, and administrators–from AIHFS were in attendance.
Community Voices, Shared Wisdom
AIHFS staff shared personal and professional resonances with the Alaska-based curriculum. For example, LC 2: ‘Support for Youth’, which utilizes Alaska Native youth data to underscore the critical importance of listening well and fostering non-judgmental safe spaces, prompted deep reflection on the experiences of young people today. The powerful practicality of creating safe homes for families by restricting access to lethal means—“10 minutes can save a life”—was also a key highlight. In addition, participants expressed excitement about bringing what they learned from PC CARES to others and maintaining their Community of Practice (CoP) for prevention.
Training for Sustainability
PC CARES strengthens pre-existing relationships while building new connections to spark collective action for youth wellness. Partnering with AIHFS has allowed PC CARES to address the needs of a new community and offer a culturally responsive model for suicide prevention education to providers serving urban AIAN youth in Michigan.
Looking Ahead
“I’m excited to continue the work we started with AIHFS to support expanding their suicide prevention efforts to include offering PC CARES. We will be meeting with AIHFS soon to outline next steps to ensure that PC CARES meets their community needs,” shared Dr. Evans.
Dr. Evans is an advocate and scholar leading from her lived expertise. Learn more about what drives her work by watching her digital story, “Still on the Path”.