Health problems amongst American Indians are disproportionately higher than the rest of the general population. This disparity contributes to inhibiting economic, educational, and social development. The statistics are shocking. Many American Indians suffer and ultimately die from preventable diseases at alarmingly higher rates. Mental health is no different, with many American Indians disproportionately burdened by substance abuse and mental health issues.

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American Indians are also the single most underrepresented minority in the field of medicine, comprising 1.7% of the total United States population but only 0.05% of our nation’s physicians. Other health care professions, such as nursing, dentistry, and pharmacology, demonstrate a comparable disparity. There are many factors that contribute to this imbalance, deeply rooted in decades of racial inequities and marginalization.

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In the US, the rate of suicide has increased more than 25% over the past 10 years. It presently is the highest in American history. Furthermore, existing research paints a devastating picture of the mental health of American Indian youth, with suicide being the leading cause of death for American Indians aged 10-25. No other ethnic group in the United States experiences such rates of suicide among this age group.

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