Katrina Taylor, HPE specialist for United Indian Health Services (UIHS), recently attended the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) Summit at Pala Casino Resort and Spa thanks to support from the Da’- Ye’- Ghes-na’ grant and by the Yurok Tribe. The two-day gathering brought together tribal members and leaders, advocates, and government officials to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
During the summit, Taylor conducted extensive outreach at a dedicated 988 information table, connecting with 147 individuals to share critical information about the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and its importance for tribal communities. Her efforts helped raise awareness about this essential mental health resource among summit attendees.
Taylor had the opportunity to meet with Assemblyman James Ramos, California’s only American Indian state legislator. Ramos expressed his support for expanding the 988-crisis response option for American Indians throughout California. When asked about ways to advance this initiative, Assemblyman Ramos encouraged community members to write letters of support to their representatives.
“Meeting Assemblyman Ramos was a highlight of the summit,” said Taylor. “He was generous with his time and even took a promotional photo with me for the 988 initiatives. His guidance on how we can help move this important work forward through letter-writing campaigns was invaluable.”
Taylor also participated in a panel discussion alongside California State Senator Shannon Grove, further elevating the visibility of tribal mental health resources and crisis response services.
The MMIP Summit provided a crucial platform for addressing the disproportionate rates of violence against Indigenous People, while also creating opportunities to discuss complementary initiatives like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s tribal response capabilities.