PROMOTING WELLNESS IN AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH The Role of School Mental Health

American Indians are a diverse population from many different cultures and with many different ways of life. Yet, all American Indians have ancestors who experienced oppression and cultural annihila-tion that resulted in immense barriers to wellbeing for the current generation (Deschenie, 2006; LaFramboise, 1998). In the face of this legacy, modern American Indians demonstrate remarkable resilience (Goodluck, 2002). To further increase resilience and promote wellness for current and future generations, many communities are undertak-ing efforts to preserve and revitalize traditional culture and spiritual practices (Braveheart, 2003