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Read. Follow. Verify.Senate Hearing on Native Youth Suicide Prevention
Record date · January 1, 2015
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What This Bill Does
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held an to address the high rates of suicide among Native American youth. The committee reviewed current federal efforts and discussed the need for a more effective, evidence-based strategy to support tribal communities.
The hearing serves as a formal oversight mechanism to pressure federal agencies, specifically the Indian Health Service, to improve mental health outcomes and suicide prevention services for Native American youth.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Native American youth
They are the primary demographic experiencing the suicide crisis discussed in the hearing.
Indian Health Service
The agency is under congressional scrutiny regarding its performance and delivery of mental health services.
Tribal leaders
They are responsible for managing community health and safety in response to suicide clusters.
Key Facts
- Youth suicide is the second leading cause of death for Indian youth aged 15 to 24.
- Native youth suicide rates are 2.5 times the national average as of 2012.
- The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation reported 11 suicides and 379 suicide attempts in the six months prior to the hearing.
- The White Mountain Apache Tribe and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin were cited as examples of communities that have successfully reduced suicide numbers.
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- The Committee criticized the Administration for submitting testimony late, only one day before the hearing.
- The hearing was the sixth formal committee hearing on this specific issue over a ten-year period.
Frequently Asked Questions
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News Coverage
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Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift toward evidence-based oversight
The committee is explicitly moving away from general discussion toward demanding measurable, evidence-based results from federal agencies.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
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- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
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