Supporting Tribal recovery and a culturally rooted mental health first-response called xaʔtus
Official title: Assessing Cultures of Recovery in Tribal Communities - Administrative Core
Funded at Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations · NIH-11182703 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps Tribal communities build and share a culturally based mental-health first-response called xaʔtus and strengthens local recovery supports.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Spokane Valley, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $64,786 |
| NIH project number | 5S06GM146095-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182703 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults and youth from the partnering Tribal communities and attendees of the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations who are involved in community response, training, or recovery activities.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside the partner Tribal communities or who need specialized psychiatric treatment beyond community first-response supports may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This program gives local Tribal partners the coordination, training, and administrative support needed to run xaʔtus, a Salish-inspired mental health first-response approach. The Administrative Core connects staff, advisors, and community members so work can move forward smoothly and respectfully. It also helps create course materials and brings Tribal and non‑Tribal youth together at the Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations to learn and contribute. The Core focuses on capacity building so communities can keep using and growing the program after initial funding ends.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase access to culturally appropriate early mental-health help, strengthen community recovery networks, and reduce crisis harms in participating Tribal communities.
How similar studies have gone: Community-based mental health first-response and culturally adapted programs have shown promise elsewhere, while xaʔtus represents a locally tailored approach being expanded and supported here.
Where this research is happening
-
Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations
Spokane Valley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Laplante, Debi a — Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations
- Study coordinator: Laplante, Debi a
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.