Being a good relative // Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) at the University of Oklahoma is a federally funded organization that builds capacity for suicide prevention by providing consultation, training, and resources to state, Tribal, health, community, and professional systems nationwide. We collaborated with the SPRC Tribal Initiatives team and Modern Epic to create a 90-minute immersive online training that equips crisis counselors with culturally informed knowledge and skills to effectively support Native callers, texters, and chatters in crisis.
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s (SPRC) Tribal Initiatives team recognized that crisis counselors need specialized preparation to effectively serve Native communities, where suicide rates remain disproportionately high. Their priorities included creating an immersive, discovery-based learning experience that would help crisis counselors unlearn harmful assumptions while building cultural knowledge; highlighting the rich diversity of Tribal communities; and ensuring practical applicability within the brief timeframes of crisis interactions. NL&D collaborated with the SPRC Tribal Initiatives team and Modern Epic to:
Design a non-linear, immersive learning architecture that encourages curiosity and discovery;
Develop culturally grounded content that balances foundational knowledge with recognition of ongoing learning needs and the complexity of individual caller experiences;
Create interactive knowledge checks and practical scenarios that help crisis counselors navigate the unique considerations of supporting Native callers;
Feature authentic voices and experiences from Native communities to counter stigma through meaningful exposure and representation; and
Collaborate with e-learning developers to maximize engagement while supporting practical skill development.