Safeguarding Our Future: Preventing Premature Loss in Native Communities

Native Commerce News is sponsored by the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Oklahoma (AICCO), dedicated to expanding Indian Country commerce across the globe. 

Written By: Rachael Schuit

(TULSA, Okla.) September is Suicide Awareness Month, a time to confront the difficult reality of mental health crises in our communities, particularly among Native American populations. Native communities continue to experience disproportionately high rates of suicide, especially among our youth. Cultural loss, historical trauma, and systemic inequities have all contributed to this mental health crisis.

Addressing this and other mental health concerns requires a wide array of resources to help different groups of people, from children to adults and those also struggling with homelessness, substance use disorder, and domestic violence. 

AICCO Associate Business Member and non-profit Family and Children’s Services of Oklahoma (FCSOK) serves 70 of Oklahoma’s 79 counties and works with people of all ages and races. They have been offering mental health resources to everyone who needs it since 1921. 

“If barriers to entry to getting one of the behavioral health services is an issue, meaning that there's no Medicaid, Medicare any type of insurance then yes we can absolutely see clients for free,” said Tom Taylor, a Cherokee citizen and Chief Development Officer for FCSOK. 

Taylor says the non-profit has 72 different programs. Some of those programs include grief counseling, family therapy, parenting classes, parent and child interaction therapy, individual therapy, and trauma focused individual behavior therapy.

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FCSOK also operates a COPES Crisis Hotline 24 hours a day. 

“82 to 87 percent of the calls that we get we're able to help the individual right on the phone and what makes this different than like a 911 or a 211 number is that we do follow-ups,” said Taylor.  “So we call back and make sure that the person asking for help got the help that they need. If not, can we connect them to another resource?”

For people who need assistance beyond the phone call, FCSOK acts quickly. 

“We have a crisis mobile response team and so we can actually go in an unmarked vehicle and go to the site that the person where the crisis is and actually provide a mental health specialist right there on site to help them get the services that they need,” said Taylor. “So it's truly like a wraparound care of services if they're truly in crisis.” 

Additionally, FCSOK provides services in eight school districts across Oklahoma with a presence in 119 schools. 

Taylor says that since COVID there has been a 19 percent increase in children needing assistance for things like ADHD and ADD. 

“What we've discovered is that because of that our lives were upturned, abnormal, fearful, kids were not in school,” said Taylor. “So what we're seeing is that more people than before are actually turning for help for behavioral health needs and that the acuity of their needs seem to be at a higher rate than pre-Covid days. So I think that there's services out there to turn to when there is a need, is very very important.” 

Ensuring that families have the resources they need is also part of the mission of FCSOK.

"If a child experiences trauma, their family or their brother or sister or their parents, we want to do wraparound services so that they also get help so they know how to take care of the child experiencing trauma. Same with adults. We want to take care of the surrounding family, maybe less care is needed but we're here to serve the entire family based on their needs." 

Last October FCSOK received the certification to be a Community Behavioral Health Center, which allows them to assist clients in getting access to other resources such as food banks and clothing. 

While the nonprofit works all over the state, Taylor says they currently serve one in seven Tulsans. 

A few of the FCSOK board members are also tribal members. Taylor said the organization’s hope is that by being a part of AICCO, they will be able to reach more people. 

"Unless we advertise ourselves and let people know that we're an option, how are they gonna know about us,” said Taylor. “We are trying to expand our outreach.”

More information about the services FCSOK provides as well as how to donate can be found on the organization’s website.