A White Mountain Apache Tribe program that cut suicide deaths by 38% may soon expand to tribal nations across Indian Country. The program — called Celebrating Life — combines Apache cultural teachings with mandatory reporting of suicide risks among tribal members. Through a new partnership with Johns Hopkins, more than 35 Indigenous communities are looking to adopt the model.
Francene Sinquah, a citizen of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and an assistant scientist at the Center for Indigenous Health, has been involved in the tribe’s behavioral health initiatives for nearly two decades.
Native News Online spoke with Sinquah about the Celebrating Life program, its cultural significance, and its impact on the community. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
How does the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s mandatory reporting system work, and why did tribal council choose this approach?
The goal and efforts of this program are to ensure that reporting occurs on individuals who are struggling with suicide, whether it's suicide ideation, suicide attempts, binge substance use, or self-injurious behavior.
Those behaviors fall under the White Mountain Apache Tribe's mandated reporting. Our job is to ensure these individuals receive the help they need and the services available in the community to ensure they're going to be here tomorrow.
While the Celebrating Life program does not provide counseling or prescribe medication, our staff plays a critical role in facilitating support. They conduct in-person follow-ups with individuals struggling with suicide or binge substance use to confirm reported incidents.
From there, staff provide guidance and encouragement to help individuals seek counseling, additional support, or treatment tailored to their specific struggles. Staff also maintain ongoing check-ins with individuals at their request, offering continued support and guidance as they navigate the process of accessing necessary services and treatments.
What specific resources or interventions are offered to individuals in crisis through the program?
We receive referrals from individuals, and part of the mandate is to refer them to the local Behavioral Health Department and the Substance Abuse Department, which specialize in those areas.
We also have curriculum and programs within our organization to support individuals, encouraging counseling and therapy for mental and overall well-being.
How does the program incorporate Apache values and cultural practices into its approach? Elders play a key role, right?
Yes. We have the Elders Teaching the Elders curriculum. Our staff works with individuals interested in participating in this program, providing cultural teachings, including involving elders to offer additional support and guidance to those who might be struggling.
The program is built around a curriculum that was developed from scratch in collaboration with our elders. The teachings are rooted in what the elders shared and what they felt was important to pass down to our people.
This ensures that the curriculum is deeply connected to our cultural values and traditions, offering a meaningful resource for healing and guidance within the community.
Are you able to share a specific story, while maintaining confidentiality, about someone whose life was positively impacted by the program?
We've worked for 20 years, and many youth and elders have been impacted. I can share a general story. We had a group of youth, some struggling in school and others doing well, interacting with elders.
During a field trip, the youth helped elders navigate a wilderness pond, clearing tree branches and assisting them in walking. Even the youth who struggled in school recognized the importance of helping the elders. One of these students later apologized to a teacher they had conflicts with, presenting her with a piece of fruit as a gesture of reconciliation.
What are the plans for expanding the program's reach or adapting it for other communities?
We've worked with many tribes for over 10 years, including the San Carlos Apache, the Hualapai Tribe, and the Navajo Nation, helping them adapt to what we're doing. We're working to streamline this process, ensuring communities are ready for implementation. It's not one-size-fits-all, and tribal leadership and resources must align before starting.
What advice do you have for other tribal nations that are thinking about implementing similar programs?
Our community members taught us what works. Community involvement is critical for adapting and creating successful programs. Tribal leadership support and community readiness are essential for overcoming challenges.
Even in a professional setting, academic training in fields like counseling, social work, psychology, or psychiatry can only provide so much knowledge. Our community members taught us how to truly connect and engage with them, not through structured lessons or formal education, but through trial and error and direct interactions.
They showed us how to conduct in-person follow-ups, how to listen to their needs, how to ask the right questions, and how to approach sensitive issues in a culturally respectful way.
What is your vision for the program's future, and how can outside organizations or individuals support its growth?
We hope to reduce suicide rates, ensure individuals get the help they need, and improve overall health and well-being in communities. Sharing what we've learned can help other communities implement similar programs for healthier futures.
What we’ve learned is that every person is different, and factors like culture, ethnicity, language, and lived experiences all influence how someone responds to outreach and support. Clinical training might teach a standard approach, but our community has taught us that there’s no one-size-fits-all method.
Instead, we must adapt, learn, and respond in ways that respect the unique needs and values of the people we serve.
What do you want people outside of your tribe to understand about the program's impact?
Suicide doesn't discriminate; it can impact anyone. Our program was created by tribal leadership to help our people. By helping our community, we can share guidance and support for other communities to do the same.
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