Shondiin Silversmith
AZ Mirror
To increase access to behavioral health and wellness support for students and staff at tribal schools nationwide, the Bureau of Indian Education launched a 24/7 support line for schools and programs funded by the bureau.
“BIE schools play a critical role in student’s lives that extends beyond the classroom and into their communities and the tribal nations that they are part of,” Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said in a press release.
The call line offers crisis support and an option to schedule counseling sessions for students and staff to utilize at schools funded by the BIE. Students and staff call the support line at 1-844-ASK-BHWP (1-844-275-2497), where they are connected with trained professionals who can provide immediate individual attention.
“The mental health and wellness services provided through this program will also extend beyond the classroom, creating healthier and more resilient communities,” Newland said.
The support line is part of the BIE’s behavioral health and wellness program, which provides bureau-funded schools and programs with Indigenous-focused, evidence-based and trauma-informed behavioral health and wellness support.
The BIE launched the Behavioral Health and Wellness Programs across its school system in 2023, and the program includes a counseling team primarily staffed with Indigenous counselors with experience serving Indigenous communities.
It was initially designed to increase access to services during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to behavioral health and wellness support for all students and staff via virtual counseling and on-site crisis services. However, the BIE extended the program for five years.
There are 183 Bureau-funded elementary and secondary schools. Of those, 55 are BIE-operated and 128 are tribally controlled. There are 54 BIE schools in Arizona, and 34 are tribally operated.
Students and staff calling the support line will have two options for behavioral health support once connected. The first option is connecting the caller to the 24/7 immediate individual crisis support, while the second option will connect callers with information on non-crisis virtual counseling services available.
“This program is designed to offer individual, culturally relevant crisis support, ensuring that both students and staff have access to the personalized assistance they need,” BIE Director Tony Dearman said in a press release.
According to the BIE, the virtual counseling model used by the program is a school-based, short-term, and solution-focused approach, which aligns with the American School Counselor Association’s standards that focus on preventative and early intervention efforts.
“Mental health is essential to success — in academics and in life,” Dearman said. “This program empowers our students and staff to thrive in the classroom while fostering the overall well-being of our entire community.”
The program offers trauma-informed on-site and virtual crisis support to students and staff, according to the BIE, which aims to reduce the intensity, duration, and presence of a crisis while respecting the practices and traditions of local tribes.
