Prevention Services

Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona

Mission Statement: Our mission is to create a sustainable coalition that addresses prevention of suicide, underage drinking and use/abuse of marijuana and prescription drugs through the foundation of cultures to improve the overall well-being of Urban American Indian youth and families.

See below for upcoming UICAZ community events.

Season of Stories: Winter Traditions for Youth Cultural Workshop 

The winter season is traditionally a time for indigenous communities to embrace their cultural stories and traditions. To celebrate this, the Phoenix Indian Center and the Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona are hosting “Season of Stories: Winter Traditions for Youth” on Dec. 21 from 2:00–3:30 PM, virtually via Zoom. This event will explore Navajo String Games, including storytelling and an opportunity to learn a few games. Registration is open to youth ages 9-18. Please note: Zoom registration allows for only one email per participant. For more information, contact Prevention Services at 602-262-6768 or email uicaz@phxindcenter.org or snelson@phxindcenter.org

• Register Today: Click here
• Date: Saturday, December 21
• Time: 2:00 – 3:30 PM
• Location: Virtually on Zoom

Youth Screen Printing Workshop & Prevention Education Session 

Join the Future Inspired Native American Leaders for an engaging afternoon focused on culture, creativity, and making a difference. Hear from Native high school youth about the impact of alcohol on our communities and how culture and learning our history plays a vital role in prevention. Then, collaborate with Indigenous art collective, Homeland, in a hands-on screen-printing workshop where you’ll learn to screenprint a unique design. Come for the inspiration, leave with your own custom art! For questions, call 602-264-6768

Register Today: Click Here
Date: Jan. 18, 2025
Time: 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Location: Phoenix Indian Center
Address: 4041 N. Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85012

Mental Health Art Contest 

Calling all Indigenous artists, our annual Mental Health Art Contest has officially opened! Artists must submit an art piece showcasing Indigenous resiliency through one of the two provided options, and this year we have two age categories: youth (ages 16-24) and adult (ages 25+). Swipe to read more about the themes of belonging and generosity.

• Option 1: Belonging – Create an artistic depiction of what belonging means to you.
• Option 2: Generosity – Create an artistic depiction of the importance of generosity and/or what generosity means to you.

The first place winner for each age category will have their artwork featured at the 2025 American Indian Suicide Prevention Convening (SPC), their artwork will be showcased on a t-shirt, and they will receive a special prize!

• Submission Guidelines:
  • All entries should be original creations and should not contain anything that is copyrighted.
  • Submissions should indicate which option was chosen (belonging OR generosity) and age category it’ll be submitted for.
  • Submit work in PNG or JPEG format.
  • Media submissions can include but are not limited to: painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, mixed media, and digital art. 
  • Art submissions must be submitted by Friday, Jan. 03, 2024.  

Please send your art submission to bsantistevan@phxindcenter.org to be entered. If you have any questions please reach out to the provided contact or call the Phoenix Indian Center at 602-264-6768.  

safeTALK Training

safeTALK, “suicide alertness for everyone”, is a half-day training that prepares you to become a suicide-alert helper. safeTALK trained helpers can recognize invitations from a person with thoughts of suicide and take action by connecting them to suicide intervention resources. *This workshop is open to those 15 years old and older. Join this workshop to learn what to do when someone reaches out. Suicide is preventable.

January Training

• Register Today: Click here
• Date: Thursday, Jan. 23 
• Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
• Location: Phoenix Indian Center, Building B, 4041 N. Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85012

QPR Question, Persuade, Refer

The QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention is a brief educational program designed to teach “gatekeepers”–those who are strategically positioned to recognize and refer someone at risk of suicide (e.g., parents, friends, neighbors, teachers, coaches, caseworkers, police officers) — the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to respond by following three steps:

• Question the individual’s desire or intent regarding suicide
• Persuade the person to seek and accept help
• Refer the person to appropriate resources

January QPR Training

• Register Today: Click here
• Date: Wednesday, Jan. 15 
• Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
• Location: Virtually on Zoom

For more information about the next QPR training, contact the Prevention Services Team at (602) 264-6768 or at UICAZ@phxindcenter.org

Network Support Virtual Roundtable

Are you trained in suicide prevention? If so, please join us for our upcoming roundtable discussion. The Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona’s network of support is for anyone who has been trained in ASIST, safeTALK & QPR. This forum is to establish a safe place to discuss any matters pertaining to suicide prevention, such as barriers, successes, challenges, and other experiences we have encountered in suicide intervention/prevention. As we work towards establishing suicide-safer communities, let’s get together to support each other!

January NSR Meeting

• Register Today: Click here
• Date: Thursday, Jan. 09 
• Time: 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
• Location: Virtually on Zoom

For more information about the next roundtable, contact the Prevention Services Team at (602) 264-6768 or at UICAZ@phxindcenter.org

ASIST Training

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is 2-day interactive in-person training that teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and to work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety. There is no cost for this nationally accredited training. Lunch, snacks, and beverages will be provided. Each participant must attend the training in its entirety to receive a certificate of attendance. For more information, contact Shermaine Nelson at (602)264-6768 or snelson@phxindcenter.org

2025 Suicide Prevention Convening

The Urban Indian Coalition of Arizona and Phoenix Indian Center will host the 2025 Annual American Indian Suicide Prevention Convening on Friday, March 07, 2025 at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Tempe, AZ. 

Each year, the convening offers a safe space for local organizers to help establish suicide-safer communities for urban American Indian families. Sessions incorporate traditional and contemporary Indigenous knowledge to bring together behavioral health staff, service providers, school support staff, youth service organizations and community members in our effort to end suicide.  Through these convenings, service providers discuss and share areas of service around suicide prevention so that efforts between providers are known and can be better coordinated.

For information about the SPC, call 602-264-6768 or email UICAZ@phxindcenter.org 

To digitally view the 2024 Annual American Indian Suicide Prevention Convening Program with Speaker Bios, click here.

Parenting In 2 Worlds

We invite all parents and guardians of American Indian youth to enroll in Parenting in 2 Worlds (P2W). P2W is an evidence based curriculum that was developed by Native parents in collaboration with the Phoenix Indian Center and ASU Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center. P2W is designed for parents to learn the following:

• Strengthen family communication skills
• Better support and empower yourself as a caregiver of an urban American Indian youth
• Enhance parenting skills through culturally relevant activities
• Learn about child & youth development
• Learn how to prevent and reduce risky behaviors in youth

See below for upcoming cycles! 

December P2W Class:

• Date: Starting Thursday, Dec. 05
• Time: Thursday evenings (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
• Location: Virtually on Zoom
• Register here: Click here
  • Deadline to register: Dec. 19

January P2W Classes:

• Date: Starting Tuesday, Jan. 07
• Time: Tuesdays evenings (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
• Location: Virtually on Zoom
• Register here: Click here
  • Deadline to register: Jan. 21

• Date: Starting Wednesday, Jan. 08
• Time: Wednesday evenings (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
• Location: Virtually on Zoom
• Register here: Click here
  • Deadline to register: Jan. 22

• Date: Starting Thursday, Jan. 30
• Time: Thursday evenings (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
• Location: Virtually on Zoom
• Register here: Click here
  • Deadline to register: Feb. 13

GCAHR Parenting Study

Calling all American Indian and Alaska Native parents with children aged 12 to 17 in Maricopa County! The ASU Global Center for Applied Health Research (GCAHR) is conducting a parenting research study to promote health in urban indigenous families. Join our 10-week program and earn up to $200 in gift cards.  For information, contact Loren Bahe: 602-264-6768 ext. 131 or email lbahe@phxindcenter.org

• Class Start Date: Tuesday, Jan. 07, 2025
• Time: Tuesday evenings (6:00-8:00 PM)
• Location: Phoenix Indian Center, 4041 N. Central Ave. Building B, Phoenix, AZ 85012
• Register Today: click here

What is Living in 2 Worlds (L2W)?

Calling all American Indian Middle School Students! Are you interested in learning about how your American Indian culture and values can help you say “no” in everyday conflicts? Join us for fun discussions about how to deal with risky situations at school and home and time to spend with other youth like you! Other workshop opportunities include door prizes, gift cards, and free food!

This curriculum was developed by the Phoenix Indian Center in partnership with ASU’s Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center using the Keepin’ it REAL drug resistance strategies project as a program for our American Indian youth. Living in 2 Worlds draws on American Indian culture and values as effective drug resistance strategies. We provide youth with different ways to say no to negative choices that confront youth every day, and at the same time, we give youth ample opportunity to express their pride in their American Indian culture(s) and teach them the positive value in the nurturing of that pride.

Living in 2 Worlds, draws on Native culture and values as effective drug resistance strategies. The L2W also teaches, a variety of ways to say no to negative choices that confront youth every day, while learning about different cultures. The students take home Cultural Heritage projects to open communication with family and discuss lives in urban and reservation homes.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Prevention Team at 602-264-6768.

Community Gathering of Native Americans (GONA)

This FREE workshop is open to all community members 15 years & older. We will explore the four cultural components of embracing community & healing: belonging, mastery, interdependence & generosity.

December GONA Session

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 21
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Via Linda Behavioral Hospital, 9160 East Horseshoe Road Scottsdale, AZ 85258
• Register today: Click here

January GONA Sessions

• Date: Saturday, Jan. 04 
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Pasqua Yaqui, 9405 South Avenida del Yaqui Guadalupe, AZ 85283
• Register today: Click here

• Date: Saturday, Jan. 25
• Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Location: Phoenix Indian Center, 4041 N. Central Ave. Building B, Phoenix, AZ 85012
• Register today: Click here

Safeguarding Medications 101

Safeguarding Medications 101 brings awareness to the harmful effects of prescription drug abuse. We’ll give parents, grandparents, and community members tips for preventing fatal overdoses. While medication is meant for healing, when in the wrong hands, it can lead to lifelong problems of substance abuse, addiction, and death. Join us at our workshops as we combat the prescription drug epidemic disporportionately impacting our American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal communities. See below for upcoming workshops.

January Training

• Date: Tuesday, Jan. 07
• Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
• Location: Phoenix Indian Center, 4041 N. Central Ave. Building B, Phoenix, AZ 85012
• Register Today: Click here

Safeguarding Medications 101 Facts

Did you know that 77% of American Indian youth in Maricopa County perceive little or no risk in abusing prescription drugs? Rx360 brings awareness to the harmful effects of prescription drugs, and gives parents and community members tips for preventing their misuse and abuse.

Do you have old medications that were prescribed to you for a surgery or broken bone, but you never took all of them? Are your prescription meds too easily accessible in your medicine cabinet at home? Rx360 brings awareness to the harmful effects of prescription drugs and gives parents and community members tips for preventing their misuse and abuse. While the medication is meant for healing, when in the wrong hands, it can lead to lifelong problems of substance abuse, addiction and death. Join us at our virtual workshop as we reclaim our American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal communities and combat the prescription drug epidemic.