BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – The community of Fort Belknap is looking for solutions after a series of suicides and suicide attempts by students.
The Associated Press reports volunteers, teachers and community members face obstacles due to a lack of resources.
Last month, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council declared a state of emergency after a multiple attempted suicides and at least two completed suicides.
The majority of attempts were made by youth in the past three months.
Native teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to dying by suicide, much more so than non-Natives.
Isolation, historical trauma and drug abuse are three contributing factors that the Indian Community Council has identified.
The council has expanded community centers hours for youth who want to talk, and the community has organized other activities like horse therapy.
