University of Washington

" Early Learning Health So I think that's fundamental — that we remind and we teach our young people those teachings that we each individually have, within our tribal communities, what our teachings are, as far as child rearing, when our children do come into the world." SUMMARY Early learning is of great importance in American Indian/ Alaska Native communities. The health of the youngest community members is viewed as a priority; they are the seedlings that will someday grow to be youth, and then future leaders. A number of concerns were expressed about the health of babies, infants and young children in Native communities, and about the parents responsible for guiding and raising them. Among the concerns listed below are (1) many parents are having children very young, and may not have the support they need to successfully parent young children; (2) some of these young parents are involved in gangs and are also at risk for drug/alcohol abuse and suicide; (3) young children are often around family members and friends who are using alcohol/drugs, and may also be witnessing violence in the home; (4) children in Native communities are often at higher risk for sexual assault; (5) schools are not always educated in how to support children who were born alcohol and drug affected, they may end up mislabeled and/or misdiagnosed and on unnecessary medication; and (6) schools and institutions currently have less and less resources, impacting Native youth. Although there were multiple concerns on the table, participants also identified a number of strengths in regards to Native infants and children in their communities — and their parents. These included (1) the strong impact that family and community can have on individual children's lives; (2) the increased number of Native teachers in schools; (3) many children are currently being exposed to traditional cultural teachings about appropriate behavior; (4) children are also being taught Native languages; (5) communities continue to think about future generations, and tribal dollars from casinos can support some needed services; and (6) many Native communities are collaborating across agencies within their community and in their area to improve and maintain the health of their members. During discussions, Summit attendees pinpointed specific needs that infants and young children (and their parents) 10 have, and what could improve early learning health in their communities. These included the need for cultural teachers in Native communities, and for more traditional foods which would result in healthier children. They saw a need for open communication about domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as culturally grounded prevention programs for these and other pressing community issues (bullying, substance abuse, suicide). Early assessment and care planning for alcohol and drug affected children were identified as needs, as were case management and advocacy services for families in need of support. Local schools and teachers need increased skills to work with young students exhibiting behavior problems, and specific education around the unique needs of AIAN children. Lastly, the need for healthy role models for both children and their young parents was highlighted — with programs that specifically support fathers in becoming more engaged with, and nurturing of, their children. Participants in the discussion also identified and acknowledged specific challenges to early learning health needs being met. These included the fact that many promising programs can be viewed with apprehension, as many parents worry about being reported to authorities. Trust is critical and takes time. Another challenge is geography, as many Native people live in rural, dispersed areas and/ or urban settings. Getting services to people can be difficult when they are widely scattered and difficult to locate. Funding is always a large barrier to providing services, including difficulty getting reimbursed for mental health costs. Historical trauma and the resulting intergenerational impact, was viewed by participants as a significant challenge. Great grandparents, grandparents and/or parents may have had very traumatizing experiences in boarding schools, which then impact their ability to parent the current generation. Despite these and other challenges, participants had many creative suggestions to offer. Suggestions for addressing early learning health needs included (1) teaching anti-violence through showing respect and honor for the teachings of Washington Tribes & Recognized American Indian Organizations (RAIOs) Health Priorities Summit

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