--- kind: "section" citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1667" title: "25" title_heading: "Indians" number: "1667" heading: "Findings and purpose" release: "119-102" date: "2026-07-12" url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1667" units: - "Chapter 18 — Indian Health Care" - "Subchapter V–A — Behavioral Health Programs" - "Part B — Indian Youth Suicide Prevention" --- # §1667. Findings and purpose - (a) **Findings—** Congress finds that— - (1) - (A) the rate of suicide of American [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Natives is 1.9 times higher than the national average rate; and - (B) the rate of suicide of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Native youth aged 15 through 24 is— - (i) 3.5 times the national average rate; and - (ii) the highest rate of any population group in the United States; - (2) many risk behaviors and contributing factors for suicide are more prevalent in [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country than in other areas, including— - (A) history of previous suicide attempts; - (B) family history of suicide; - (C) history of depression or other mental illness; - (D) alcohol or drug abuse; - (E) health disparities; - (F) stressful life events and losses; - (G) easy access to lethal methods; - (H) exposure to the suicidal behavior of others; - (I) isolation; and - (J) incarceration; - (3) according to national data for 2005, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Natives of both sexes aged 10 through 34; - (4) - (A) the suicide rates of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Native males aged 15 through 24 are— - (i) as compared to suicide rates of males of any other racial group, up to 4 times greater; and - (ii) as compared to suicide rates of females of any other racial group, up to 11 times greater; and - (B) data demonstrates that, over their lifetimes, females attempt suicide 2 to 3 times more often than males; - (5) - (A) [Indian tribes](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14), especially [Indian tribes](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14) located in the Great Plains, have experienced epidemic levels of suicide, up to 10 times the national average; and - (B) suicide clustering in [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country affects entire tribal communities; - (6) death rates for [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Natives are statistically underestimated because many areas of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country lack the proper resources to identify and monitor the presence of disease; - (7) - (A) the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) Health [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) experiences health professional shortages, with physician vacancy rates of approximately 17 percent, and nursing vacancy rates of approximately 18 percent, in 2007; - (B) 90 percent of all teens who die by suicide suffer from a diagnosable mental illness at time of death; - (C) more than ½ of teens who die by suicide have never been seen by a mental health provider; and - (D) ⅓ of health needs in [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country relate to mental health; - (8) often, the lack of resources of [Indian tribes](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14) and the remote nature of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) [reservations](/usc/25/1603.md?p=16-A) make it difficult to meet the requirements necessary to access Federal assistance, including grants; - (9) the [Substance Abuse](/usc/25/1603.md?p=21) and Mental Health [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) [Administration](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=1) and the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) have established specific initiatives to combat youth suicide in [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country and among [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Natives throughout the United States, including the National Suicide Prevention Initiative of the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), which has worked with [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18), tribal, and [urban Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=28) health programs since 2003; - (10) the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention was established in 2001 through a [Department](/usc/25/1603.md?p=6) of Health and Human [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) collaboration among— - (A) the [Substance Abuse](/usc/25/1603.md?p=21) and Mental Health [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) [Administration](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=1); - (B) the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18); - (C) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; - (D) the National Institutes of Health; and - (E) the Health Resources and [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) [Administration](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=1); and - (11) the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) and other agencies of the [Department](/usc/25/1603.md?p=6) of Health and Human [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) use information technology and other programs to address the suicide prevention and mental health needs of [Indians](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) and Alaska Natives. - (b) **Purposes—** The purposes of this part are— - (1) to authorize the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) to carry out a [demonstration project](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=2) to test the use of [telemental health](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=3) [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) in suicide prevention, intervention, and treatment of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) youth, including through— - (A) the use of psychotherapy, psychiatric [assessments](/usc/25/1665.md?p=2), diagnostic interviews, therapies for mental health conditions predisposing to suicide, and alcohol and [substance abuse](/usc/25/1603.md?p=21) treatment; - (B) the provision of clinical expertise to, consultation [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) with, and medical advice and training for frontline health care providers working with [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) youth; - (C) training and related support for community leaders, family members, and health and education workers who work with [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) youth; - (D) the development of culturally relevant educational materials on suicide; and - (E) data collection and reporting; - (2) to encourage [Indian tribes](/usc/25/1603.md?p=14), [tribal organizations](/usc/25/1603.md?p=26), and other mental health care providers serving residents of [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) country to obtain the [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) of predoctoral psychology and psychiatry interns; and - (3) to enhance the provision of mental health care [services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) to [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) youth through existing grant programs of the [Substance Abuse](/usc/25/1603.md?p=21) and Mental Health [Services](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) [Administration](/usc/25/1667a.md?p=1). ## Source credit (Pub. L. 94–437, title VII, § 721, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title X, § 10221(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 935.) ## Notes ### Editorial Notes ### Codification Section 721 of Pub. L. 94–437 is based on section 181 of title I of S. 1790, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, as reported by the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate in Dec. 2009, which was enacted into law by section 10221(a) of Pub. L. 111–148.