Xstwilx (pronounced hust’-we-oo) means “well-being” in nsəlxcin (en-sul-hu-cheen), one of the three official languages of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT). It’s also the name of a new Washington State University Extension program aimed at helping youth on the Colville Reservation manage stress and trauma.
In 2022, the Colville Business Council, the reservation’s governing body, declared a state of emergency regarding the mental health of Colville tribal youth and families.
“Our young people have so much trauma that they face on a regular basis,” said Linda McLean, a 4-H Extension Coordinator for WSU Colville Reservation Extension. “From the historical suffering that happened to us as Native Americans to domestic violence and addiction in families, our young people grow up with a great deal of distress.”
To help, WSU Extension, led by the Child and Family Research Unit (CAFRU), applied for and received a grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish Xstwilx, a trauma-informed community of practice.
The grant allows the two separate WSU units, CAFRU and Colville Reservation Extension, to collaborate and establish a group to help build protective factors for children on the reservation.
“We’re inviting people from around the region to be partners on how we change the narrative and the trajectory of youth that are vulnerable to mental trauma and the physical health consequences that come from that stress,” said CAFRU Director Natalie Turner.
A community of practice is when a group who shares a common concern for something comes together and shares expertise, knowledge, and experience.
“We’re trying to break down the silos of services, to have a coordinated approach,” Turner said. “That takes hardworking organizations coming together in a unified response that has a greater impact than any one organization could have in isolation.”
Xstwilx, the Colville community of practice, includes the CCT Head Start program, the CCT Youth Development Program, CCT Behavioral Health, CCT Native Connections Suicide Prevention, CCT Boys & Girls Clubs, the Young Warriors Society, and Colville Reservation WSU Extension 4-H.
Working on the reservation involves potential trouble spots that take special skills to navigate, McLean said.
“You need to know the background and history of the community in which you are working,” she said. “You don’t want to risk triggering any trauma or causing any harm. Broken people cannot heal or help others.”
Supporting the members of Xstwilx, like teaching them about the trauma to watch for, could save the lives of the younger generation.
“We’re hoping to improve mental health outcomes and reduce the number of youths turning to opiates and suicide to cope,” Turner said. “When people are exposed to multiple traumatic experiences, they often manage their resulting stress in unhealthy ways. Over time, that leads to chronic health problems. Trauma-informed training and interventions can help stop that cycle.”
The grant has a second goal of developing an Extension volunteer onboarding training that includes trauma sensitivity.
“Volunteers are often exposed to the most vulnerable communities, while simultaneously lacking access to comprehensive training,” Turner said. “We want to provide a way to help them understand the range of human experiences so they can assist youth in their programs.”