Senate Field Hearing on Mental Health and Trauma in Indian Country

• •The hearing was held on August 17, 2016, at the Lewis Goodhouse Wellness Center in Bismarck, North Dakota.
• •22 percent of Native American children suffer from post-traumatic stress.
• •The average lifetime cost for a child exposed to non-fatal child maltreatment is over $200,000.
• •The suicide rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives (2005-2008 data) was 14.68, compared to the overall U.S. rate of 11.15.
• •The Department of Health and Human Services has designated 4,000 mental health professional shortage areas across the U.S.
• •In North Dakota, only 6 out of 53 counties have sufficient mental health providers.
• •Primary care providers in these regions often lack specific training to recognize and diagnose mental health disorders.

The hearing addresses the systemic lack of mental health professionals in Native American communities, where 22 percent of children suffer from PTSD and suicide rates exceed the national average, directly impacting federal service delivery and funding priorities.

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.