Project TRUST

Project TRUST
(Truth, Responsiveness, Understanding, Self-Determination & Transformation)

Principal Investigator: Jessica R. Goodkind, Ph.D.
Start and End Dates: July 1, 2006 -
Source of Funding: New Mexico Department of Health Office of School and Adolescent Health

The goals of Project TRUST are to develop and share a model and guidelines for culturally-appropriate, client-centered approaches to behavioral health care for Native American youth and their families. We are working to achieve these goals by building a culture of TRUST through:

T ruth about historical trauma and current inequities that impact the well-being.
R esponsiveness to issues and needs identified by youth and their families.
U nderstanding of the effectiveness of traditional indigenous healing practices.
S elf-Determination of youth and families to guide their behavioral health services.
T ransformation of individuals, families, communities and systems of care.

Project TRUST is a partnership of the New Mexico Department of Health, Office of School and Adolescent Health, New Mexico Department of Health, Public Health Regions 1/3, 4-Youth: Reaching Native American Youth through School Based Health Care, NM Assembly of School-Based Health Care, Value Options NM, Service Systems Relations, Navajo Nation Division of Health, Department of Behavioral Health Services, Gallup Indian Medical Center, Behavioral Health Services, University of New Mexico, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of New Mexico, Department of Psychiatry, Partnerships for Education, Research and Community Service, Gallup-McKinley County Schools Counseling, UNM-ACL Teen Centers, Northern Navajo Teen Life Center, Crownpoint & Thoreau School-Based Health Centers, McKinley Coalition for Healthy & Resilient Youth, and the McKinley Community Health Alliance.

Project TRUST activities include:

Comprehensive literature review regarding historical trauma, evidence-based/promising practices, and culturally competent processes for working with Native American youth
Community advisory meetings with Native American youth, parents, elders, and service providers to guide the development of the model
Development and dissemination of recommendations with providers, policy makers, and potential funding sources

Project TRUST Contacts:

Principal Investigator:
Jessica R. Goodkind, PhD 505-272-4462, JGoodkind@salud.unm.edu

Co-Principal Investigators:
Kimberly Ross-Toledo, Coalition for Healthy & Resilient Youth,
505-870-7449, kross@niylp.org

Janie Lee Hall, School Health Advocate, NM Department of Health, 505-863-4561, janie.hall@doh.state.nm.us