Protecting Our Children's Mental Health: Preventing and Addressing Childhood Trauma in Indian Country

It is often said that children are our most precious resource. Nowhere is this more visible than in tribal communities, yet some disturbing realities persist. Studies show that Native children suffer from high rates of trauma, abuse and exposure to violence. A 2008 report by the Indian Country Child Trauma Center calculated that Native youth are two-and-a-half times more likely to experience trauma when compared to their non-Native peers. The reasons are multi-factorial, related to recurrent abuse, accompanied with high incidences of alcohol and drug abuse, suicide, and violence. The death of family members can also be a significant cause of childhood trauma. Native youth also grow up in poverty at levels much higher than their non-Native counterparts.