BEMIDJI — Dr. Mark Standing Eagle Baez wants to change the conversation on Indigenous mental health. Baez, an associate professor in Bemidji State University’s clinical and counseling psychology program, has developed culturally responsive approaches to mental health diagnosis and treatment that blend Western psychology with traditional Indigenous healing practices. “The ISS is a culturally aligned and sensitive suicide screening tool specifically developed by an Indigenous practitioner for Native American and Alaska Native communities,” Baez said. He describes the Indigenous SAFE Screening (ISS) tool as the “first of its kind,” developed with a panel of experts. Those elements, he said, are essential to addressing historical trauma and improving mental health outcomes for Indigenous communities.