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National Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention

Project Launch

Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians

Funded Years : 2008

Project Director :
Dawn Nixon
715-779-5030
youngwingsprogram@yahoo.com

Address :
Red Cliff Band Early Childhood Center P.O. Box 529
Bayfield,WI 54814

Project Status : Active

Project Summary : The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, a federally recognized tribe, will create a supportive, family-driven accessible system of care comprised of a unique blend of traditional values and evidence-based practices to enhance the social, emotional, physical and behavioral wellness of approximately 255 children and over 500 family members annually.

Located on the shores of Lake Superior, the Red Cliff reservation is the smallest and poorest tribe in Wisconsin. Its rich cultural history and drive for self-determination provide a solid base for successful program development and implementation. The ongoing impact of historical trauma, however, is reflected in sobering demographics. Of families with children aged birth through six, 70 percent of families are below the poverty line, 90 percent of families are on medical assistance, more than 16 percent of children age five and under have developmental disabilities, and there are high rates of child abuse and neglect, childhood obesity, and child diabetes.

Project LAUNCH goals are:

• Our children are developmentally on track
• Our families are strong, nurturing and connected
• Our systems of care are connected, informed and built on traditional wisdom
• Our actions today will strengthen the next seven generations

Strategies

A Council of Young Child Wellness, representing families, traditional healers, school personnel, early childhood and community-serving agencies will create a shared vision of child wellness. Culturally-congruent evidence-based practices will enhance services to children and families.

Expected Outcomes

Expected outcomes include improved child health and school readiness; developmental screenings across settings; increased access to prevention and early intervention programs and pediatric and adult mental health services; increased integration of physical health, mental health, and traditional wisdom; and increased connectedness between providers, families, and schools. By project end, a sustainable system of care will be in place.

Evidence-Based Programs :
Second Step
Touch Points