American Indian Culture and Research Journal

In the last decade, the United States has increasingly focused on the reduction and elimination of health disparities in racial and ethnic minority groups. Somewhat neglected in these efforts have been mental health disparities for American Indians. American Indians remain in a precarious position as an underserved community with limited culturally competent resources to address their mental health and substance-abuse needs. The lack of resources continues to prevail despite emerging data that indicate that American Indians’ disparities in mental health and behavioral health occur at alarming rates, which calls for the need for interventions and attention for public mental health, medical, and educational resources.