Our Projects

Since its inception, Seven Directions has actively listened to public health leaders representing Tribes, Urban Indian Organizations, and other system stakeholders; giving voice to their priorities to reduce health inequities and improve health. The following are examples of the work we do.

Technical Assistance Program

Seven Directions provides free technical assistance (TA) to Indigenous-focused organizations working to address overdose, lung cancer, suicide, impaired driving, and other preventable issues in their communities. We support a wide range of organizations, including Tribal health programs, Urban Indian organizations, Tribal colleges, and more.

Learn About Our Technical Assistance Program

Injury and Overdose Prevention in AI/AN Communities

Seven Directions works closely with our partners at Safe States Alliance, National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support public health practitioners across the nation in addressing injury and overdose prevention among American Indian and Alaska Native people. Our partnership with Safe States Alliance features activities across four projects: Tribal Overdose Prevention Training & Technical Assistance, Indigenous Evaluation (IE) Capacity Building, Urban Indian Organization Overdose Prevention Pilot Program, and Building Capacity through Workforce Development.

Read the Indigenous Evaluation Toolkit & 3 Injury Prevention Supplements

Public Health Capacity Building

In consultation with the CDC, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago partnered with Seven Directions, an organization with proven partnerships among Tribal organizations and expertise conducting Indigenous evaluation, to provide technical assistance and support to state, Tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) health departments. Together, NORC and Seven Directions will deliver indigenous evaluation planning, capacity building, technical assistance, and partnership support to Tribal recipients of funding aimed at strengthening public health systems and services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN). Seven Directions will focus on providing technical assistance in four key areas: Foundational Public Health Capabilities, Data Modernization, Public Health Programs and Services, and Workforce Development

Canoe Journey: Land, Water, Language and Culture for Youth Wellbeing

The Canoe Journey study is an exploratory study aimed at examining the acceptability and fit of motivational interviewing (MI) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) among American Indian and Alaska Native youth and young adult Canoe Journey participants. The team will develop a list of MI and DBT approaches in collaboration with Canoe Journey partners, and exploring the acceptability and fit of the approaches during Canoe Journey events in 2025, along with a list of tribally specific approaches to healing mental health in collaboration with Canoe Journey partners and confirm knowledge of these approaches among participants in 2026. The team will examine the relationship between measures of wellness with knowledge and use of MI, DBT, and tribally specific approaches to healing mental health in 2027, along with the acceptability and fit of a relational mental health intervention among Canoe Journey participants.

Understanding Drowning Among People at Higher Risk

This is a Bloomberg Philanthropies-funded sub-contract (12/11/2024 – 06/30/2025) with the CDC Foundation and in partnership with the CDC, which aims to study the reasons why American Indians and Alaska Natives have much higher rates of drowning compared to the national average. Data will be collected through four community focus groups in each of three geographic areas which have the highest rates of water safety issues: the Bristol Bay Region of Alaska, Northeast Arizona, and the State of Oklahoma. Analysis of the data will lead to recommendations to both the tribal communities and the CDC Foundation. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Myra Parker myrap@uw.edu.

Learn more about ONOJ

Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation

Seven Directions is partnering with the Bristol Meyers Squibb Foundation to provide specialized technical assistance to Indigenous-serving lung cancer programs. The project involves a comprehensive two-day Indigenous Evaluation training for grantees, followed by ongoing support to help these organizations develop and assess community-based interventions for Indigenous lung cancer patients across the United States. By applying Indigenous evaluation principles, the project aims to create more meaningful and culturally responsive approaches to understanding and addressing lung cancer in Indigenous communities.

GATHER – Growing a Tribal Healing Effort through Research

Seven Directions and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Center for Indigenous Health are collaborating as one of four, NIH-funded, national “Native Research Resource Networks” to support 14 Tribes and Native American Serving Organizations to conduct locally prioritized research addressing overdose, substance use, and pain. The joint 7D and JHU team is called “GATHER – Growing a Tribal Healing Effort through Research.” GATHER will draw upon strengths-based, culturally grounded approaches to grow tribal research practices in addressing the opioid crisis in Indian Country.

Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI)

This needs assessment study surveyed healthcare providers and administrators at 27 Indian Health Services and tribal out-patient clinics identifying common problems and best practices. The results of the study will inform the CDC on how to increase uptake of STEADI implementation in tribal clinical settings.