224.621.11
Approaches to Culturally Safe And Responsive American Indian/Alaska Native Psychiatric/Mental Healthcare
Location
East Baltimore
Term
Summer Institute
Department
International Health
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Instruction Method
In-person
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Access to quality, appropriate, culturally safe and relevant mental health care in Native American communities must be addressed to achieve health equity.
Native American youth suicide is the second leading cause of death among those age 10-34.
Rates of mental illness, trauma, substance use and suicide for Native American populations remain high with the suicide death rate for Native Americans 1.65 times
Provides an overview of principles and best public health practices for nurses, public health nurses, community health workers and mental health professionals practicing in Indigenous (American Indian/Native American) communities in North America. Examines the prevalence of psychiatric conditions in Indigenous communities and provides an overview of mental health screening, introduction to common psychiatric disorders, an overview of frequently prescribed psychiatric medications and their therapeutic benefits, theoretical psychiatric and public health nursing perspectives, collaborative multidisciplinary crisis management, resource identification and referral for acute and chronic psychiatric service need, undergraduate psychiatric nursing care and role, levels and types of psychiatric health care settings/services, ethical legal principles, and an introduction to nursing research.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Summarize the state of mental health, the mental health treatment gap, and compare mental health-related risk and protective factors across 12 IHS regions
- Demonstrates knowledge of culturally safe nursing, mental health care, case-management and referral practices.
- Identify the ethical and culturally safe use of the Diagnostics and Statistical Manual (5-TR), Mental Health screening tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire (2,8,9) and culturally validated mental health screening tools.
- Differentiate/Identify Psychiatric, Genetic, Substance Use Disorders, acuity levels, Impacts of Stress and Trauma, neurobiological factors of mental illness and mental health and legal/jurisdictional mandates for safe mental health care practices (tribal, state and federal).
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 20% Participation
- 20% Discussion Board
- 10% In-class Exercises
- 5% Group Work
- 5% Reflection
- 5% Self-assessments
- 5% Written Assignment(s)
- 20% Final Paper
- 5% Group Presentation
- 5% Group Project(s)