Southern California Tribal Tobacco Coalition Embraces Youth-Led Interventions and Tradition to Reduce Commercial Tobacco Use Among American Indian Youth.
- David S. Dawson
- Apr 28
- 5 min read
Valley Center, CA April 18, 2025 – Indian Health Council, Inc. through the TEPOC (Tobacco Education Prevention Outreach Cessation) program in the Research and Student Development Department, is proud to announce its publication in American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, a peer-reviewed journal. The paper, “Collaboration as a Catalyst for Change: Reducing Commercial Tobacco Use Among American Indian Youth Through Dedication to Community, Youth-Led Interventions, and Tradition,” highlights the positive impact of forming coalitions, embracing youth-led interventions, and committing to tradition.
American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) youth have higher rates of commercial tobacco use compared to other groups. To address this, TEPOC partnered with five independently funded tobacco prevention programs serving Southern California Tribes to establish the Southern California Tribal Tobacco Coalition (SCTTC). While each program within the SCTTC has unique project aims, programs are unified by a mission to reduce AIAN youth commercial tobacco use.
Rachel Reif, who served as the Youth Engagement Coordinator for La Jolla Tribal Tobacco Reduction Program, describes the benefits of creating a coalition: “The collaboration of the five participating members of the SCTTC coalition created an opportunity to collaborate on a whole new level. Since we all had a youth component in our funded grants, we all faced the same struggles and with the support of each other, enjoyed triumphs and successes as we locked into each of our strengths. Overall, the success of each of our individual programs and the willingness of the program coordinators to go above and beyond enabled the success of our coalition in building capacity with youth and community in recognizing the harmful effects of commercial tobacco on our people and environment.”
The SCTTC garners community engagement through various activities and events that encourage youth leadership, intergenerational solidarity, and a commitment to tradition. The SCTTC’s pinnacle event, the annual Inter-Tribal Tobacco Prevention Youth Summit, unites surrounding AIAN communities through youth and elder-led activities and presentations by local tribal members. Following the second annual Summit, 100% of participants reported increased knowledge about the detrimental impacts of commercial tobacco on their health and the environment. Youth participants particularly appreciated learning about the traditional use of tobacco in Native culture, the medicine healing dance, and tobacco storytelling.
TEPOC Co-Principal Investigator and avid Summit participant, Dr. Roland Moore (PIRE California), observes that “the growing momentum and synergy generated by these inter-tribal partnerships increased the numbers of young Indigenous people across the region who have boosted their critical thinking about the varied harms caused by commercial tobacco.” This momentum exemplifies how the SCTTC’s mobilization of Southern California AIAN communities to reduce youth CTP use can serve as an example for other AIAN communities.
The SCTTC looks forward to hosting the 5th Annual Inter-Tribal Tobacco Prevention Youth Summit this summer on Tuesday, July 29th.
Reference: Kornacki C, Rodriguez J, Rodriguez J, Hurtado A, Lee JP, Moore RS, Brucks L, Geisler J, Boyle V, Martinez D, Admire A, Hanson M, Reif R, Nielson M, Henry-Walford C, Calac D. (2025). Collaboration as a Catalyst for Change: Reducing Commercial Tobacco Use Among American Indian Youth Through Dedication to Community, Youth-Led Interventions, and Tradition. American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research 32(1):1-24. doi: 10.5820/aian.3201.2025.1. Open access: https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/docs/librariesprovider205/journal_files/vol32/32_1_2025_1_kornacki.pdf?sfvrsn=c3fb59b4_3
This research was supported by the UC Office of the President’s Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program (TRDRP) grants T30IR0933 and T32CF5371 (Co-PIs Calac and Moore).
American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research is published by the Centers for American Indian and Alaska Native Health on behalf of the Colorado School of Public Health. It contains empirical research, program evaluations, case studies, unpublished dissertations, and other articles in the behavioral, social, and health sciences which relate to the mental health status of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
IHC's Student Development Program works in partnership with the California Native American Research Center for Health (CA-NARCH). The Student Development Program helps native students achieve careers in healthcare and STEM sciences. The program provides mentorship and the opportunity for students to engage in research projects and shadow clinical professionals. IHC, in partnership with academic institutions California State University San Marcos, Palomar Community College, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, is funded as a Native American Research Center for Health (CA-NARCH) by the National Institutes for Health (NIH) and Indian Health Services (IHS). It is one of 14 NARCH organizations in the United States.
Under the leadership of Dan Calac, MD (Indian Health Council) and Stephanie Brodine, MD (SDSU), CA-NARCH began as an exciting concept funded by seed money in 2001. A NARCH grant of $1.3 million in 2003 enabled CA-NARCH to begin fully pursuing its goals to strengthen tribal sovereignty over the healthcare of the community and to recruit and support students pursuing science and health fields.
CA-NARCH is a partnership of Tribal/Urban Indian Organizations and academic institutions committed to working together to increase the number of American Indian/Alaska Native scientists and health professionals; and to reduce health disparities in Native American populations.
Goals of CA-NARCH:
· Develop a team of Native American scientists and health professionals engaged in biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research.
· To promote community based participatory research in Native American communities.
· Encourage competitive research to reduce health disparities.
Founded in 1970, Indian Health Council is a healthcare institution serving nine federally recognized consortium tribes of the Native American reservations in San Diego’s north county region. This non-profit 501(c)(3) entity occupies two health centers in Rincon and Santa Ysabel; headquartered in an expansive Rincon facility.
Indian Health Council is collectively representative of several divisions including Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health, Pharmacy, Administration, and Support Services. Within these departments, many programs and services are performed including Health Promotions, Research and Student Development, and Tribal Family Services. Nine tribes and associated reservation populations are served by and participate in the IHC healthcare consortium: La Jolla Band of Luiseño Mission Indians, Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla & Cupeño Indians, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians, Mesa Grande Band of Mission Indians, Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians, San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, and Inaja-Cosmit Band of Indians.
Indian Health Council partners with numerous grant funded programs and local institutions to implement culturally aware programs and events promoting good health and mental wellness through a combination of modern medicine and traditional, cultural medicine practices.
Indian Health Council works to encourage, train, and promote native people into positions in healthcare. The organization also works to enhance the work-experience for natives currently in courses of collegiate studies, research and development.
For further information on this announcement or any other programs or services at Indian Health Council please contact:
Orvin Hanson, CEO
(760) 749-1410 ext. 5228
