Lakota 988 mental health counselor has Native focus

SIOUX FALLS, SD – Tori Standing Cloud (Rosebud Lakota) is a full-time mental health counselor at the 988 Helpline Center in Sioux Falls, SD since February, 2024. She is also a full-time graduate student at the University of South Dakota on track to receive her Master’s in Social Work (MSW) degree in May, 2025, having earned her Bachelor’s degree in Human Services/Mental Health at Sinte Gleska University in August, 2017. Not incidentally, she is the single mother of a 15-month-old daughter.

The 32-year-old seems to take it all in stride. Her professional resume notes that she is skilled in crisis prevention, suicide risk assessments, conflict resolution, mediation, and cognitive behavioral therapy as well as dialectical behavior therapy.

To anyone who considers calling 988 for support but hesitates, Standing Cloud recommends they do a “test call” BEFORE a crisis. She suggests, “Call or text the 988 number and just see how it works.

“Be prepared for the person who answers your call to first ask you about your safety. The counselor will ask, ‘Are you thinking about hurting yourself? Do you have a plan to hurt yourself?’ If the answer is ‘no,’ then they will listen to anything you want to talk about and do their best to provide you with help in your local area.

“Of course, if the answer is “yes,” there are crisis intervention steps the counselor will follow.”

Standing Cloud emphasized that 988 Support is there not only for those who are at immediate risk self-harm, but the support is available to those who may be struggling with stressors of any degree. She encourages everyone to call/text/ chat BEFORE the situation escalates and becomes life-threatening.

Standing Cloud is the designated Native American Culture Focus counselor at the Helpline Center. This means that, in addition to responding to 988 crisis calls/texts/ chats, Standing Cloud’s responsibilities include providing training to the other 988 counselors in the Sioux Falls office about Native American culture, reservation life, and rural life in South Dakota. She describes her work as “very rewarding” and “a huge learning experience.”

There are about 15 counselors in the Sioux Falls office responding to 988 calls, texts, and chats from all over South Dakota – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Standing Cloud has found her co-workers to be very receptive and not at all defensive when learning about Native culture. She says they are genuinely interested and eager to learn.

Standing Cloud commented, “When I am presenting a training about Native culture, I encourage the counselors to ask me any question they might have, questions they might be hesitant to voice if they were in a large group of trainees.”

The intent is to have all of the counselors equipped and confident in their ability to interact effectively with Lakota callers. If a person contacting 988 for support specifically asks to speak to a Native counselor, there are protocols in place to accommodate that request and transfer the person to Standing Cloud if she is immediately available. If she is not on duty at the time or if she is engaged with another person requesting support, the counselor speaking to the person will assess the situation and, if appropriate, have Standing Cloud return the contact on her next scheduled shift.

“I wish I had this kind of guidance and support (that 988 provides) when I was growing up,” said Standing Cloud. “I understand that life can be tough for young people growing up.

“Everything is confidential and our counselors really care.”

Standing Cloud’s position at the 988 Helpline Center is funded by a grant from the Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board (GPTLHB) (www.greatplainstribalhealth.org/), an organization representing 18 tribal communities in the four-state region of South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Through public health practices and the formation of tribal partnerships, the GPTLHB works to improve the health of the American Indian peoples in the four-state region by providing public health support and health care advocacy.

GPTLHB serves as a liaison between the Great Plains Tribes and the various Health and Human Services divisions, including the Great Plains Area Indian Health Service. The Board works to reduce public health disparities and improve the health and wellness of the Native American peoples who are members of the 18 Great Plains tribal nations and communities.

According to the GPTLHB website, “Our vision is that all tribal nations, communities, and citizens achieve optimal wellness through the embrace of traditional cultural values, innovative and holistic healing practices, strengthened by tribal sovereignty.

“We honor the relatives we serve, by upholding cultural values, through the practice of:

– Prayer: We seek the guidance and wisdom of the Creator in our service to others.

– Respect: We honor the people we serve by treating them with dignity.

– Generosity: We seek to serve with selflessness and a giving heart.

– Truth: We seek to act with honesty and integrity, earning the trust of those we work with and serve.

– Fortitude: We build upon the strength and courage of our ancestors to improve healthcare for future generations.

– Compassion: We seek to bring kindness, understanding, and love to those we serve.

– Humility: We humbly commit to a path of learning and growth.

Standing Cloud’s career goals include completing her MSW degree, getting licensed as a social worker (requiring years of supervised experience and passing a comprehensive licensing examination), and then continuing as a professional helper in one setting or another. She may pursue a private clinical practice.

Standing Cloud says that if she could speak to all Native American youth, her message would be, “Life gets better (as you get older). There are people who will help you. Education is huge; knowledge is power. Hard work and focus on your education will lead you to success.”

(Contact Grace Terry at graceterrywilliams@gmail.com)

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