Alaska Native and American Indian communities suffer significant obstacles in their attempts to access mental health care, though they suffer disproportionately high rates of suicide, a federal report found.
"One in five hospitals and clinics in Indian Country provide no mental health services. Only half provide drug therapy treatments, and treatment often is handled by non-licensed staff at dozens of facilities," says an Associated Press report.
The report was released today by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus and comes from the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
In Montana, Baucus' state, tribal leaders declared a crisis after several suicides at a middle school at Fort Peck Reservation.