Native Connections:

Cooperative Agreements for Tribal Behavior Health

Overview

The purpose of Native Connections is to prevent

and reduce suicidal behavior and substance abuse,

reduce the impact of trauma, and promote mental

health among American Indian/Alaska Native

(AI/AN) young people up to and including age 24.

The goals of this program fall within two of the

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA) Strategic Initiatives:

Prevention of Substance Abuse and Mental Illness, and

Trauma and Justice. 

This program will help grantees: 1) Reduce the

impact of substance abuse, mental illness, and

trauma on AI/AN communities through a public

health approach, and 2) Allow AI/AN communities

to support youth and young adults as they

transition into adulthood by facilitating

collaboration among agencies.

By August 2023, SAMHSA had awarded 302 five-year 

grants to eligible AI/AN entities: 20 Cohort 1 grantees 

were awarded in 2015, 69 Cohort 2 in 2016, 13 Cohort 

3 in 2017, 45 Cohort 4 in 2018, 26 Cohort 5 in 2019, 40 

Cohort 6 in 2020, 29 Cohort 7 in 2021, and 12 Cohort 8

in 2022. Forty-eight communities were awarded 

grants in 2023, composing Cohort 9. Each Native 

Connections grantee will be guided through a process 

aimed at accomplishing the goals of the grant. This 

process will be informed by the public health model, 

and a community coalition of stakeholders, which will 

include youth.

Native Connections Program Goals

Develop and implement an array of integrated

services and supports to reduce the impact of

mental and substance use disorders, complex

trauma, and to prevent suicide.

Involve AI/AN community members, including

young people, in all grant activities.

Assess community needs and strengths related

to the purpose of the grant.

Identify and connect behavioral health services

organizations that exist in the community.

Lead efforts to improve coordination among

related services for tribal young people and

their families.

Identify gaps and develop a plan that the tribe

will pilot in subsequent years of the grant.

Address behavioral health conditions that

affect learning in Bureau of Indian Education

schools.

Use strategies shown to be effective or

promising in Native communities.

Work with SAMHSA’s Tribal Training and

Technical Assistance Center and SAMHSA’s

evaluation contractor to develop the

infrastructure to collect surveillance data.
2

Locations for each grantee can be found by Cohort on the following pages.
3

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 1 (20)

Note: State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

1. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (AK)

2. Asa’carsarmiut Tribal Council (AK)

3. Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (WA)

4. Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (WA)

5. Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas (KS)

6. Maniilaq Association (AK)

7. Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin (WI)

8. Mescalero Apache Tribe (NM)

9. Muscogee Creek (OK)

10. Nambé Pueblo (NM)

11. Osage Nation (OK)

12. Round Valley Indian Health Center (CA)

13. Santo Domingo Tribe (NM)

14. Selawik IRA Council (AK)

15. Seneca Nation of Indians (NY)

16. Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians (CA)

17. Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (ND)

18. Tanana Chiefs Conference (AK)

19. Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians (ND)

20. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation (AK)
4

See numbered list of Cohort 2 grantees on the next page.
5

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 2 (69)

Note: State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

21. Akiachak Native Community (AK)

22. Akiak Native Community (AK)

23. Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Inc. (NM)

24. Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians (CA)

25. Blossom Sustainable Development (NY)

26. Bad River Band of Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa

(WI)

27. CA Rural Indian Health Board, Inc. (CA)

28. Central Council Tlingit Haida Tribes (AK)

29. Central OK AI Health Council, Inc. (OK)

30. Cherokee Nation (OK)

31. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (OK)

32. Citizen Potawatomi Nation (OK)

33. Confederated Tribes - Chehalis Reservation (WA)

34. Cook Inlet Tribal Council, Inc. (AK)

35. Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Indians (OR)

36. Fairbanks Native Association (AK)

37. Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board (SD)

38. Hannahville Indian Community (MI)

39. Havasupai Tribe (AZ)

40. Hunkpapa Development (SD)

41. Indian Health Center of Santa Clara Valley (CA)

42. Indian Health Council, Inc. (CA)

43. Kenaitze Indian Tribe (AK)

44. Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

45. Lac du Flambeau Band (WI)

46. LCO Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (WI)

47. Lummi Nation (WA)

48. Makah Indian Tribe (WA)

49. Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (CT)

50. Mescalero Apache Tribe (NM)

51. Mt Sanford Tribal Consortium (AK)

52. Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (WA)

53. National Indian Women’s Health Resource Center (OK)

54. Native American Health Center, Inc. (CA)

55. Native Village of Kivalina (AK)

56. Native Village of Unalakleet (AK)

57. Navajo Nation (AZ)

58. Navajo Technical University (NM)

59. Ninilchik Village (AK)

60. Northern Cheyenne Tribe (MT)

61. Northwest Indian College (WA)

62. Northwest Washington Indian Health Board (WA)

63. Pascua Yaqui Tribe (AZ)

64. Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma (OK)

65. Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior

Chippewa Indians (WI)

66. Riverside-San Bernardino Co Indian Health (CA)

67. Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan (MI)

68. Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (NY)

69. Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic (CA)

70. Seattle Indian Health Board (WA)

71. Sinte Gleska University (SD)

72. Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (SD)

73. Skokomish Indian Tribe (WA)

74. Spirit Lake Tribe (ND)

75. Spokane Tribe of Indians (WA)

76. Squaxin Island Tribe (WA)

77. Thoreau Community Center (NM)

78. Tohono Oʹodham Nation (AZ)

79. Toiyabe Indian Health Project, Inc. (CA)

80. United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (CA)

81. United Indian Health Services, Inc. (CA)

82. University of Alaska at Fairbanks, Emmonak (AK)

83. Univ. of Alaska at Fairbanks, Scammon Bay (AK)

84. Univ. of Alaska at Fairbanks, Toksook Bay (AK)

85. Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California (NV)

86. White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians (MN)

87. Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (NE)

88. Yakutat Tlingit Tribe (AK)

89. Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center (OR)
6

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 3 (13)

Note: State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

90. Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

91. Aleutian-Pribilof Island Association (AK)

92. College of The Muscogee Nation (OK)

93. Comanche Nation (OK)

94. Fresno American Indian Health Project (CA)

95. Friendship House Assn/American Indians (CA)

96. Indigenous Peoples Task Force (MN)

97. National Council of Urban Indian Health (DC)

98. Pala Band of Mission Indians (CA)

99. Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc. (CA)

100. Santa Clara Of Pueblo (NM)

101. Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation (OK)

102. Wabanaki Health and Wellness (ME)
7

See numbered list of Cohort 4 grantees on the next page.
8

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 4 (45)

Note: ^Denotes a grantee rescinded their award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee

name.

103. Aleut Community of St Paul Island Tribal Government

(AK)

104. American Indian Health & Family Services of

Southeast Michigan, Inc. (MI)

105. Aroostook Micmac Council (ME)

106. Blackfeet Tribe 21 (MT)

107. Blackfeet Tribe 72 (MT)

108. Center School, Inc. (MN)

109. Chugachmiut, Inc. (AK)

110. Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and

Siuslaw Indian (OR)

111. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Indians (OR)

112. Copper River Native Association (AK)

113. Eastern Aleutian Tribes, Inc. (AK)

114. Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

115. First Nations Community Healthsource, Inc. (NM)

116. Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. (NM)

117. Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes (MT)

118. Goldbelt Heritage Foundation (AK)

119. Kʹima:w Medical Center (CA)

120. Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas (TX)

121. Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

122. Knik Tribe (AK)

123. MHA Nation (ND)

124. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MS)

125. Native American Community Health Center (AZ)

126. Native Americans for Community Action, Inc. (AZ)

127. Native Village Hooper Bay (AK)

128. Nez Perce Tribe (ID)

129. Norton Sound Health Corporation (AK)

130. Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing (SD)

131. Ohkay Owingeh (NM)

132. Organized Village of Kake (AK)

133. Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians (CA)

134. Port Gamble SʹKlallam Tribe (WA)

135. Pueblo of Acoma (NM)

136. Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe^ (NV)

137. Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)

138. Quartz Valley Indian Reservation (CA)

139. Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (MN)

140. San Diego American Indian Health Center (CA)

141. Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska (NE)

142. Shoshone-Paiute Tribes^ (NV)

143. Southern Ute Indian Tribe (CO)

144. Tule River Indian Health Center, Inc. (CA)

145. Ute Mountain Tribal Government (CO)

146. Wichita & Affiliated Tribes (OK)

147. Zuni Youth Enrichment Project (NM)
9

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 5 (26)

Note: *Denotes second grant award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

148. Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas (TX)

149. Colville Confederated Tribes* (WA)

150. Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation*

(WA)

151. Fort Belknap Indian Community (MT)

152. Fort Defiance Indian Hospital Board, Inc. (AZ)

153. Hopi Tribe (AZ)

154. Hopland Band of Pomo Indians (CA)

155. Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma, Inc. (OK)

156. Kawerak, Inc. (AK)

157. Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (MN)

158. Maniilaq Health Center* (AK)

159. Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin* (WI)

160. Missoula Urban Indian Health Center Inc. (MT)

161. Muscogee Creek Nation* (OK)

162. Nambe Pueblo Governorʹs Office* (NM)

163. Native Village of Tyonek (AK)

164. Oglala Sioux Tribal Council (SD)

165. Osage Nation* (OK)

166. Phoenix Indian Center, Inc. (AZ)

167. Rocky Boy Health Board (MT)

168. Seminole Tribe of Florida (FL)

169. Tanana Chiefs Conference, Inc.* (AK)

170. Turtle Mountain Tribe* (ND)

171. Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake (UT)

172. Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation* (AK)

173. Yurok Tribe (CA)
10

See numbered list of Cohort 6 grantees on the next page.
11

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 6 (40)

Note: *Denotes second grant award. ^Denotes a grantee rescinded their award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses

at the end of each grantee name.

174. Ain Dah Yung (Our Home) Center (MN)

175. Alaska Native Heritage Center, Inc. (AK)

176. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium* (AK)

177. American Indian Center of Arkansas, Inc. (AR)

178. American Indian Health Services (CA)

179. Bay Mills Indian Community (MI)

180. Benewah Medical Center (ID)

181. Catawba Indian Nation (SC)

182. Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (SD)

183. Cocopah Indian Tribe (AZ)

184. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (MT)

185. Coyote Valley Tribal Council (CA)

186. Eastern Shoshone Tribe (WY)

187. Gerald L Ignace Indian Health Center (WI)

188. Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa (MI)

189. Helena Indian Alliance (MT)

190. Hualapai Tribal Council (AZ)

191. Hydaburg Cooperative Association^ (AK)

192. Indian Health Service (CA)

193. Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc. (MI)

194. Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas* (KS)

195. Kodiak Area Native Association (AK)

196. Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (SD)

197. Marty Indian School Board, Inc. (SD)

198. Modoc Tribe of OK (OK)

199. Native American Development Corporation (MT)

200. Native Village of Selawik* (AK)

201. Nooksack Indian Tribe (WA)

202. Pawnee Tribe of OK (OK)

203. Pinoleville Pomo Nation (CA)

204. Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (KS)

205. Santo Domingo* (NM)

206. Seneca Nation of Indians* (NY)

207. Southern Indian Health Council (CA)

208. Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (WA)

209. Tuba City Regional (AZ)

210. Tucson Indian Center (AZ)

211. Tunica-Biloxi Indians of Louisiana (LA)

212. Two Feathers Native American Families (CA)

213. Village of Alakanuk (AK)
12

 See numbered list of Cohort 7 grantees on the next page.
13

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 7 (29) 

Note: *Denotes second grant award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

214. Great Plains Tribal Chairmen's Health Board (SD)*

215. Nebraska Minority Resource Center (NE)

216. Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation (SD)

217. Akiachak Native Community (AK)*

218. Cook Inlet Tribal Council (AK)*

219. Fairbanks Native Association (AK)*

220. Kenaitz Indian Tribe (AK)*

221. Mount Sanford Tribal Consortium (AK)*

222. Ninilchik Village (AK)*

223. Denver Indian Health and Family Services, Inc (CO)

224. Thoreau Community Center (NM)*

225. Hannahville Indian Community (MI)*

226. Indian Health Center of Santa Clara (CA)*

227. Native American Health Center, Inc (CA)*

228. Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health (CA)*

 

229. United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (CA)*

230. Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (CT)*

231. Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (NY)*

232. Cherokee Nation (OK)*

233. Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (OK)*

234. Keetoowah Economic Development Authority (OK)

235. Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)*

236. Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma (OK)*

237. San Carlos Apache Tribal Council (AZ)

238. Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California (NV)*

239. Chehalis Tribal Council (WA)*

240. Muckleshoot Indian Tribe (WA)*

241. Seattle Indian Health Board (WA)*

242. Native American Rehabilitation Association of the 

Northwest, Inc. (OR)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
14

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 8 (12) 

Note: *Denotes second grant award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

243. Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board (NM)*

244. Central Council Tlingit Haida Tribes (AK)*

245. Central Oklahoma American Indian Health Council (OK)*

246. Chickasaw Nation (OK)

247. La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians (CA)

248. Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Indians (WI)*

249. National Indian Women's Center (OK)

250. Nevada Urban Indians (NV)

251. Pueblo of Pojoaque (NM)

252. Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council (MT)

253. Sage Memorial Hospital (AZ)

254. White Earth Band of Chippewa Indians (MN)*
15

See numbered list of Cohort 9 grantees on the next page.
16

Native Connections Grantees Cohort 9 (48) 

Note: *Denotes second grant award. State abbreviations are included in parentheses at the end of each grantee name.

255. Absentee Shawnee Tribe Of Oklahoma (OK)*

256. Akwesasne Boys & Girls Club (NY)

257. Aleut Community of St Paul Island Tribal 

Government (AK)*

258. American Indian Health and Family Services of 

Southeast Michigan, Inc. (MI)*

259. Aroostook Micmac Council (ME)*

260. Black Feet Tribe (MT)*

261. Blossom Sustainable Development (NY)*

262. Chevak Native Village (AK)

263. Chickahominy Indian Tribe (VA)

264. Chief Leschi Schools (WA)

265. Chugachmiut, Inc. (AK)*

266. College Of The Muscogee Nation (OK)*

267. Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and 

Siuslaw Indians (OR)*

268. Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribes of the Fallon 

Reservation and Colony (NV)

269. Five Sandoval Indian Pueblos, Inc. (NM)*

270. Fort Peck Assiniboine And Sioux Tribes (MT)*

271. Friendship House Assn/American Indians (CA)*

272. Goldbelt Heritage Foundation (OR)*

273. Havasupai Tribal Council (AZ)*

274. Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians (ME)

275. Indigenous Peoples Task Force (MN)*

276. Knik Tribe (AK)*

277. Nez Perce Tribe (ID)*

278. Northern Arapaho Tribe (WY)

279. Northwest Indian College (WA)*

280. Northwest Washington Indian Health Board (WA)*

281. Norton Sound Health Corporation (AK)*

282. Nunakauyarmiut Tribe (AK)

283. Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing (SD)*

284. Organized Village Of Kake (AK)*

285. Pascua Yaqui Tribe (AZ)*

286. Pleasant Point Indian Reservation (ME)

287. Quartz Valley Indian Reservation (CA)*

288. Rosebud Sioux Tribe (SD)

289. Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc. (CA)*

290. Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe (MI)*

291. San Diego American Indian Health Center (CA)*

292. Santa Clara of Pueblo (NM)*

293. Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska (NE)*

294. Skokomish Indian Tribe (WA)*

295. Southern Plains Tribal Health Board Foundation (OK)*

296. Spirit Lake Tribe (ND)*

297. The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Indians (OR)*

298. Three Affiliated Tribes D/B/A MHA Nation (ND)*

299. Tule River Indian Health Center, Inc. (CA)*

300. Wabanaki Health and Wellness (ME)*

301. Wichita & Affiliated Tribes (OK)*

302. Zuni Youth Enrichment Project, The (NM)*