In honor of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month we are highlighting Project Tshav Ntuj — an organization dedicated to suicide prevention and promoting mental health wellness in the Hmong community. The Project Tshav Ntuj mission is to raise awareness on suicide prevention, connect the community to mental health resources, and provide education on the issue by collaborating with artists and key organizations. Here is what our good friend, Mary Her, senior clinical supervisor for the Wilder Foundation, and Project Tshav Ntuj board member shared with us about this amazing organization:
Why did you start Tshav Ntuj?
Project Tshav Ntuj was formed in response to the influx of suicides among Hmong youth in Minnesota. We saw that there was a significant problem in our community that needed to be addressed. Due to the cultural barriers in acknowledging and treating mental illness in the Hmong community, our group came together to identify ideas regarding how to address mental health and suicide in a more culturally responsive manner. Our outreach has made an impact not only among Hmong youth but across all age groups within the Hmong community. Through this campaign, Project Tshav Ntuj has brought awareness of suicide prevention nationally and worldwide.
What is your primary focus when educating the Hmong community about mental health/suicide prevention?
Project Tshav Ntuj (PTN) is a nonprofit, organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes to increase public awareness of mental health and suicide. Our goal is to support and conduct nonpartisan research, educational, and informational activities to increase public awareness of issues related to mental health and suicide in the Hmong community. We provide advocacy for mental wellness through sponsor events, meetings, and workshops to destigmatize mental health and prevent suicide.
What role do music and the arts play in your outreach strategy?
Because Tomorrow Matters is a Hmong culturally specific event that uses art, music, dance, and poetry to create a space which addresses mental illness and suicide in the Hmong community. The focus population is Hmong youth and young adults who are vulnerable to social, intergenerational, and cultural implications that put them at higher risk for suicide. Our program includes local musicians, artists, and students who donate their time to perform a piece about mental health and healing while Hmong mental health providers intersperse information about mental health, suicide, and resources in between the performances.
What challenges do you face as an organization?
As a small non-profit organization our greatest challenge is funding support to ensure that we can continue to make an impact in the Hmong community. In addition, we continue to see how the stigma around mental health continues to impact our community. Due to these stigmas, individuals who need help and support do not often seek out services when they need it.
What is most important for you to share with the movemindfully community?
We encourage the movemindfully community to continue to create space for conversations around mental health and wellness and continue to collaborate and support small culturally specific organizations like PTN. It is important for us to work together to bring hope and light into the lives of those suffering from depression and suicidal ideations. Check out this beautiful song Mary and her daughter Faith covered to support Project Tshav Ntuj’s mission!