Staff Reports
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Members of the 25th Navajo Nation Council joined Diné Action Plan Task Force leaders and community advocates for the 2026 Spring Diné Action Plan gathering on March 19 and 20. The two-day convening focused on reviewing five years of progress and shaping the initiative’s next five-year strategic plan.
Navajo Nation Speaker Crystalyne Curley addressed task force members and leadership, emphasizing the importance of embedding Navajo cultural teachings into policy and decision-making.
“This work reflects who we are as Diné people. I commend the Diné Action Plan Task Force and leaders for their commitment over the past five years to grounding this work in our Navajo culture, our language, and our traditional teachings,” she said. “You are taking on the four modern-day monsters and choosing to meet them with strength rooted in our identity and values. This work is necessary for the safety, healing, and future of our people, especially our children.”
The DAP is a comprehensive, culturally grounded framework developed by the Navajo Nation Council to address four modern-day monsters affecting Navajo communities: substance abuse and addiction, suicide, violence, and missing and murdered Diné relatives.
Established in 2021, the DAP is a long-term, community-driven strategy to improve the health, safety, and well-being of Navajo families and youth. The initiative unites four specialized task forces under a shared advisory structure to coordinate data, policy development, resources, and outreach across the Navajo Nation.
Together, the task forces focus on solutions rooted in Navajo culture, language, and traditional values.
Curley also acknowledged that successful implementation of the DAP requires broader understanding among partner organizations of Navajo cultural values. She called on leaders to ensure these teachings remain relevant and accessible to younger generations and stressed the need for consistent leadership engagement.
Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty, Chair of the MMDR Task Force, emphasized the need for stronger youth-focused strategies, prevention-first approaches, improved response protocols for missing children, expanded mental health services, and education on online safety risks.
She also highlighted the need for license plate readers across the Navajo Nation and ongoing efforts to formalize Silver Alert and AMBER Alert protocols for missing elders and children.
Council Delegate Germaine Simonson reinforced the importance of youth safety and empowerment, emphasizing that the well-being of Navajo children must remain central to all DAP efforts.
Navajo Nation Youth Advisory Council At-Large member Louvannina Tsosie participated in discussions on improving engagement with younger generations.
As the DAP enters its next phase, task forces will focus on strengthening prevention efforts, improving cross-sector coordination, expanding culturally grounded rehabilitation, and ensuring services reach the communities that need them most. The updated plan is expected to be completed by September and presented during the 2026 Fall Council Session.
For more information or to connect with a specific Diné Action Plan task force, contact:
Substance Abuse and Addiction Task Force
Task Force Leader: Vera John, Navajo Division of Behavioral Health Management
Email: verajohn@navajo-nsn.gov
Suicide Prevention Task Force
Task Force Leader: Anthony Begay, Navajo Division of Child and Family Services
Email: anthony.begay@ndcfs.org
Violence Prevention Task Force
Task Force Leader: Sonlatsa Jim, NDCFS
Email: sonlatsa.jim@ndcfs.org
MMDR Task Force
Task Force Chair: Council Delegate Amber Kanazbah Crotty, Navajo Nation Council
Email: acrotty@navajo-nsn.gov
