Fort Belknap Community - Johns Hopkins University NARCH 2024

The Aaniiih and Nakoda Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Community have maintained a trusting research practice partnership (RPP) with the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing since 2019 and look forward to continued partnership through the NARCH 2024 proposal. This proposal is a critical next step in our goals of achieving data sovereignty and eliminating health gaps for our people. This proposal is comprised of two components designed to meet the NARCH program objectives and long-term goals of Fort Belknap: (1) one career research enhancement project that will focus on student, NARCH faculty, and tribal health leader faculty development programs that will integrate research and academic training with field-based training, and (2) one research infrastructure enhancement project that will develop and strengthen Aaniiih and Nakoda data systems with a long-term goal of collecting and managing Aaniiih and Nakoda data, safely warehousing data, and utilizing data to make informed decisions about public health efforts and programming. Each project is designed to address pressing health needs for Fort Belknap while facilitating collaboration and learning across projects, with the goal of increasing research and data management capacity, increasing access to culturally appropriate training opportunities, and helping our youth establish safe, healthy relationships. The proposed projects were determined based on priorities of the Fort Belknap Tribal Council, Tribal Health, and members. Findings from surveys, focus groups, and interviews on risk and protective factors for Native youth suicide at Fort Belknap further inform this work. Our established Training Advisory Board (TAB) will guide training and capacity building work. A data sovereignty advisory board (DSAB) will be established to guide the Towards Becoming Data Sovereign Project. Our RPP is grounded in a commitment to creating a foundation for the future the Aaniiih and Nakoda youth of Fort Belknap envision. Native and participatory research methods will be utilized for all projects; our team believes that grassroots leadership is essential to the success of the proposed projects and continued development and sustainability of research and training in Fort Belknap.