Oglala Sioux Tribe Receives $400K for Suicide Prevention

PINE RIDGE, S.D. (AP) — The Administration for Native Americans has awarded a $400,000 emergency grant to the Oglala Sioux Tribe to pay for activities and programs to stem the tide of youth suicides on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Tribal spokesman Kevin Yellow Bird Steele tells the Rapid City Journal (http://bit.ly/1VABP5f ) that the money will be used to provide youth activities in an effort to move to a more positive approach to life.

Steele says kids have told tribal leaders that there is nothing to do on the reservation. He says the grant may fund beautification projects, planting gardens and trees, organizing community dinners and other social events and adding sports such as horse competitions and softball tournaments.

He says officials are trying to get communities involved to bring people together.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.