(GREAT FALLS) The Indian Family Health Clinic collaborated with the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe in an effort to find solutions for methamphetamine addiction and suicide prevention.
“Every community within the state of Montana has the same issues and challenges,” IFHC interim executive director Wesley Old Coyote said.
The symposium brought community members to the Hampton Inn and gave those who attended the opportunity to share personal experiences and hear from keynote speakers who spoke about overcoming their life challenges.
“Not only in Indian country, but across the nation, methamphetamine and suicide has become a crisis. It’s something that this group, with the IFHC and the Little Shell Tribe are collaborating, finding partners, and finding solutions to help this epidemic,” Little Shell Chairman Gerald Gray said.
This was the first time the two came together to discuss the issue, but say it will not be the last.
“We will definitely be doing this again. This is very positive and it’s needed in our communities,” Old Coyote said.
“I think people need to know that there are solutions to this problem and symposiums like this will offer such for people to use and bring back to their communities,” Gray said.
If you or a loved one are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts please reach out to local law enforcement or call the suicide lifeline.
- National Suicide Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) - National Suicide Lifeline TTY:
1-800-799-4TTY (1-800-799-4889)
Text Telephone Device or Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) - National LGBT Youth Suicide Lifeline
1-866-4-U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386)
www.thetrevorproject.org - National Military Veterans Suicide Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK *Press 1 (1-800-273-8255 *Press 1)
