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Thune: Focus On Indian Youth Suicide

One of South Dakota’s US Senators says he wants provisions in a new education bill that help address suicide among Native American populations. Senator John Thune says he’s introduced two amendments to the Every Child Achieves Act. 

US Senator John Thune says suicide on American Indian Reservations is an epidemic. He says the death rate for Native American youth is four times the national average. 

"So often in our tribal communities, things like this happen and they just kind of fly below the radar,” Thune says. “What we’re simply trying to do is to acknowledge that this is a significant problem among Indian youth, try and identify the factors that contribute to it, then and try and tailor some of the solutions and tools that are out there to better deal with it on the front end and prevent it.”

Thune says that can happen with a set of two amendments to the Every Child Achieves Act. He says the first piece requires top federal agencies to report on the Native American youth suicide crisis. Thune says the second measure strengthens Project SERV to help schools prevent tragedies including suicide.

“Often times we have, when something like this happens, programs that are response-type programs but this would enable, improve, strengthen and better resource the program on the prevention side so that we actually can try and prevent some of these things from happening in the first place,” Thune says.

The Senator says experts know domestic violence, poverty and substance abuse contribute to suicide, but he wants to know about other factors that may be part of the problem.

Thune says he’s hopeful both amendments pass.

Kealey Bultena grew up in South Dakota, where her grandparents took advantage of the state’s agriculture at nap time, tricking her into car rides to “go see cows.” Rarely did she stay awake long enough to see the livestock, but now she writes stories about the animals – and the legislature and education and much more. Kealey worked in television for four years while attending the University of South Dakota. She started interning with South Dakota Public Broadcasting in September 2010 and accepted a position with television in 2011. Now Kealey is the radio news producer stationed in Sioux Falls. As a multi-media journalist, Kealey prides herself on the diversity of the stories she tells and the impact her work has on people across the state. Kealey is always searching for new ideas. Let her know of a great story! Find her on Facebook and twitter (@KealeySDPB).