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Grantee Pilot Summaries

Cook Inlet Tribal Council

CITC’s population of focus is Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI) people who reside in the Anchorage MSA. The project’s goals and objectives focus on awareness and education, access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) (including teleMAT), and community supports. The project is facilitating the launch of an innovative and necessary awareness campaign and the creation of tangible education materials against opioid misuse. CITC uses outreach events and activities to share these resources and provides trainings on a monthly basis in the community. The project’s team also gives recovery service providers and Tribal communities additional knowledge and tools to fight the ongoing opioid epidemic, as well as provides services to participants and their families who suffer from the adverse effects of opioid dependencies. Through longstanding partnerships with the local tribes and clinics, CITC is able to enhance its capacity to provide medication-assisted treatment to support those recovering from opioid addiction. With the collaboration of CITC’s Case Managers and Peer Support Specialists, the team is able to provide case management, biopsychosocial assessments, and linkages to recovery and supportive services. CITC manages Alaska’s largest and most comprehensive continuum of care for SUD and COD treatment services that is specifically designed to be culturally responsive to Alaska Native people. This continuum is built from evidence-based and traditional practices and emphasizes cultural connectedness and spiritual wellness as critical components of recovery. CITC provides its participants with opportunities to engage with peers and staff members in a variety of subsistence and crafting activities, such as berry picking, fishing, hunting, mushing, wood-gathering, drum-making, kuspuk/qaspeq/atikuk-sewing, and beading.

The purpose of the Community Opioid Intervention Project (COIP) is to address the opioid crisis in the Fairbanks North Star Borough from a tribal perspective. COIP is an outpatient program and provides opioid education and awareness to the community through different outreach efforts, on areas related to prevention strategies, harm reduction and reducing stigma. Increasing access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services through referrals and case management is a focal point, as it increases the chances of long-term recovery. SBIRT screenings and MAT focused counseling will be utilized, as well. Additionally, COIP is designed to strengthen family systems through traditional engagement activities, recovery support, Elder involvement and peer support. Our target population is Alaska Native/American Indian adults.

Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board

The Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board (AAIHB) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) brings together a multidisciplinary partnership to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of culturally appropriate, evidence-based practices to address opioid use disorder among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals in the Indian Health Service (IHS) Albuquerque Area. The AAIHB COIPP focuses on two overarching goals, each with numerous objectives to be implemented over the next 3 years to 1) employ culturally appropriate and effective public health interventions for Opioid Prevention, Treatment, and Harm Reduction strategies to improve the physical, social, emotional, and cultural well-being of AI/AN individuals; and 2) Build and strengthen culturally appropriate, trauma-informed services in tribal settings to improve health outcomes for AI/AN individuals and their families.

The project is based upon the Community Coalition model, which has emerged as a central prevention strategy for substance use. Community coalitions are a multi-sector partnership model designed to address factors in the community that potentially increase substance use and support interventions that promote policy, systems, and environmental change to reduce substance use. The AAIHB COIPP will provide up to 10 sub-awards to tribes in the IHS Albuquerque Area to implement the community coalition model and form a Tribal Community Opioid Task Force comprised of, at a minimum, tribal leadership, health program staff, community members, law enforcement, and behavioral health programs. Sub-awardees will be encouraged to address activities that focus on policy, systems, and environmental change related to opioid use prevention, treatment, and recovery. During each project year, the AAIHB COIPP will provide at least three trainings on culturally appropriate and trauma informed best practices to implement opioid prevention, treatment, including Medicated Assisted Therapy, harm reduction, and recovery strategies.

Forest County Potawatomi Community

The Forest County Potawatomi (FCP)’s project focuses on the expansion of our Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program beyond individualized treatment and care. FCP recognizes that, to create sustainable sobriety, an entire community needs to become supportive. The project focuses on the involvement of families, education, and embracing traditional and cultural healing for individuals seeking sobriety. The first portion of the FCP project is the funding of additional supportive staff to provide service to individual with SUD including a MAT Nurse Practitioner, Recovery Coach, Psychological services, and counselors. The FCP grant goals are: 1. To reduce unmet opioid treatment needs and overdose deaths; 2. To create a comprehensive team to support and empower families as they address the opioid abuse problems in the community; and 3. To increase public awareness and education of culturally appropriate, family-centered opioid prevention, treatment and recovery.

The immediate family of clients in the FCP MAT program will be provided a family resource packet. These packets contain information on SUD, resources for families, and education on recognizing family behavior that is not supportive. The projects also fund monthly community activities that are intended to educate and promote healthy and sober families. Also included is the development of an Elder mentoring program. This will unite clients with members of their family and/or community that can serve as a mentor and guide. FCP will also be using funds to organize a presentation for the community n Trauma Informed Care. Lastly, the project will focus on awareness by developing educational and encouraging messages that will be shared through various forms of media.

Indian Health Board of Minneapolis

IHB?s innovative culturally-based approach to addressing social determinants in the urban American Indian community has facilitated healing at both individual and collective levels. With this grant, we are developing culturally relevant educational print and video materials promoting community awareness of Opioid use prevention and resources for families experiencing Opioid use disorders. We receive information about Opioid Use Prevention and Resources through in person or virtual tabling at community events. Native American individuals will be reached with prevention, education, and resources messages through social media and transit marketing following the development of materials with community input and with a designer with relevant experience in the community. One on one education with community members at events. The implementation of culturally informed messaging, with the help of this funding, will be more meaningful to our community. Education on the use of naloxone as an overdoes intervention will protect community members. We are also developing a family focused, culturally relevant assessment for screening. We rely on a trauma-focused and healing-focused approach that brings strengths to the forefront of each patient?s healing journey. Throughout the grant period, we utilize a Community Advisory Council (CAC) to inform planning and implementation of all Recovery Support Services (RSS) activities. We use the strength and knowledge of the community to inform our work and reach the community. Community partnership will aid in expanding community education and awareness.

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior

The Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Mino Bimaadiziiwin (The Good Life) Prevention Program works with our Recovery Clinic (MAT) team to provide sober activities/cultural specific treatment options for our community members in their time of need.  The Prevention Program also works in the area schools (Hayward and Lac Courte Oreilles) spreading the word on Drug and Alcohol Prevention and uses a curriculum that teaches life skills, LCO tribal history, and culture to our students.  This project includes speakers from the Community to come in and share with the students and those in Recovery their own stories, experiences, and knowledge.  The Advisory Board (formed through the grant) has been busy developing this curriculum to fit the needs of our children and adult clients.

In addition to the things we have going on we are working closely with other Tribal Programs, Tribal Government, and Community members to help bring the best possible treatment to our community members.  Through this grant the community is invested and we will be able to turn the corner on Opioid addiction.

Eastern Shoshone

The purpose of the Eastern Shoshone Recovery (ESR) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) is to address the opioid crisis on the Wind River Reservation (WRR) by developing and expanding community education and awareness of prevention, treatment, and recovery activities for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder. The population of focus includes families living on the WRR who the opioid crisis has impacted. This project aims to increase awareness and education, create comprehensive support teams for families, and reduce unmet treatment needs and opioid overdose deaths through MAT. Shoshone values will guide this project: family, humility, honesty, humor, language, tradition, spirituality, life lessons, respect, courage, honor, and generosity.

COIPP collaborates with ESR partner grant programs, Partnerships for Success, and Native Connections, as well as the Boys and Girls Club to provide cultural programming for the youth of the WRR. COIPP has co-hosted several Gathering of Native Americans (GONAs) youth events, has hosted a weekly drumming activity to teach youth traditional songs, drumming, and dancing. COIPP has disseminated public awareness and education efforts via the program’s social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Their electronic billboard and the Path to Wellness App are additional resources for information dissemination and supportive service delivery. COIPP currently provides Zoom telehealth services and continues to plan for future community activities.

Fort Peck

The purpose of the Fort Peck Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) initiative is to enhance OUD client tools, resources on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation (FRIR) through three areas within the treatment modality at Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center (SBRRC): Prevention, Equine Therapy, and Aftercare.

The well equipped staff at SBRRC will provide a series of trainings and learning opportunities to the local community and clients by (1) providing resources and factsheets on opioid use for wide distribution on the FPIR, (2) introducing clients to equine therapy and obtaining Eagala Certification Training for at least one mental health services provider, (3) providing essential aftercare services to clients graduating from the program, and (4) conducting community training opportunities through Native PRIDE/HOPE events to develop self-leadership and confidence skills.

Native American Development Corporation

As Year One of the Native American Development Corporation’s (NADC) Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project prepares to wrap-up, the project has established a number of impactful partnerships within Yellowstone County, Montana. Our community and healthcare network focus continues to offer trainings, engage community members about dimensions of substance use disorders, harm reduction efforts, and medication assisted treatment. With this, we are actively working to secure the necessary scoped providers within our clinic to begin year two of the project. We have encountered a number of challenges related to provider shortages, staff turnover within the clinic, policy revisions, and prescriptive philosophies associated with medication assisted treatment. As a result, we moved to a phased model for implementation drawing from established service providers while continuing to expand services. We are excited about the partner engagement and participation to date. New efforts include the use of cultural activities as prevention, harm reduction education and harm reduction strategies.

Operating an Urban Indian Organization (Billings Urban Indian Health and Wellness Center), NADC established a health advisory committee with key stakeholders from various organizations in the Billings area. This decision continues to prove beneficial as we negotiate the accomplishments, challenges, and growth/expansion aspects within the project. In addition, collaboration through NADC subsidiaries and a community steering group continue on a recurrent basis broaden our participation within the community. We are partnering to offer trainings relevant to the scope of the project and include community members as identified.

Kumeyaay Wellness Center

The Kumeyaay Wellness Center (KWC) program provides services to all community members seeking support for mental health issues, substance use, and other wellness concerns. Located in rural San Diego, KWC provides community support where there is none. Our program offers a flexible, multi-level outpatient treatment for clients, ages 13+. Outpatient treatment gives individuals an opportunity to interact in a real-world environment, while benefiting from a peer-oriented, structured therapeutic program. In addition to the IOP, KWC offers individual counseling, family support, evening support groups, harm reduction education, and cultural education.

The Kumeyaay Wellness Center embraces the Wellbriety movement, and our staff is trained by the White Bison institute. KWC embraces this movement because it acknowledges that intergenerational trauma can be a strong contributor to self-medication practices and poor emotional/mental health. We work with our clients to identify causes for substance use, areas of their life that may need changing, and work alongside them to meet their identified goals. We do not judge. In addition to Wellbriety, KWC intertwines traditions of the Kumeyaay by offering Inipi Ceremony (sweat lodge), weaving and beading classes, bird singing classes, and cultural classes. KWC is always consulting with members of the community to make certain our services align with community need. More recently, KWC has begun to offer harm reduction community education classes. Our goal is to make sure there is Narcan available to everyone, make certain people are trained to administer it, and that the community is educated about the risk of substance use. In In addition to Narcan, KWC offers strips to test drugs for Fentanyl prior to use. KWC also provides support to family and friends through Al-Anon and encourages all to also get the support they need. As COVID continues to influence our ability to offer in person services, we are utilizing this time to reorganize and analyze our services to be a stronger more effective community support.

Mathiesen Memorial Health Clinic

Red Feather Clinic-Medication Assisted Treatment Program serving our community to prevent and heal addiction. We provide evidence-based, trauma-informed, culturally-aware care.

Services available: Substance use treatment medications, Behavioral Health, Substance use counseling, Education, Care Coordination, Assistance with Health Insurance enrollment, Resource referrals, and Acupuncture Therapy. No Referral needed, Walk-Ins welcome! All insurances accepted. No cost Narcan kits available to patients and community.

Southern Indian Health Council, Inc.

The Southern Indian Health Council?s Kumeyaay Wellness Center (KWC) program provides services to all community members seeking support for mental health issues, substance use, and other wellness concerns. Located in rural San Diego, KWC provides community support where there is none. Our program offers a flexible, multi-level outpatient treatment for clients, ages 13+. Outpatient treatment gives individuals an opportunity to interact in a real-world environment, while benefiting from a peer-oriented, structured therapeutic program. In addition to the Intensive Outpatient Program, KWC offers individual counseling, family support, evening support groups, harm reduction education, and cultural education.

The Kumeyaay Wellness Center embraces the Wellbriety movement, and our staff is trained by the White Bison institute. KWC embraces this movement because it acknowledges that intergenerational trauma can be a strong contributor to self-medication practices and poor emotional/mental health. We work with our clients to identify causes for substance use, areas of their life that may need changing, and work alongside them to meet their identified goals. We do not judge. In addition to Wellbriety, KWC intertwines traditions of the Kumeyaay by offering Inipi Ceremony (sweat lodge), weaving and beading classes, bird singing classes, and cultural classes. KWC is always consulting with members of the community to make certain our services align with community need. More recently, KWC has begun to offer harm reduction community education classes. Our goal is to make sure there is Narcan available to everyone, make certain people are trained to administer it, and that the community is educated about the risk of substance use. In In addition to Narcan, KWC offers strips to test drugs for Fentanyl prior to use. KWC also provides support to family and friends through Al-Anon and encourages all to get the support they need. As COVID continues to influence our ability to offer in person services, we are utilizing this time to reorganize and analyze our services to be a stronger more effective community support.

Yurok tribal Court

The Yurok Tribe is the largest tribe in California, with over 6,000 enrolled members. The Tribe’s ancestral territory and reservation makes up large parts of both Del Norte County and Humboldt County, California. The Yurok Tribal Court (YTC) model is holistic, emphasizing Yurok values of healing and redemption through assumption of responsibility over traditional criminal justice system values of retribution, incapacitation, and deterrence. With the support of COIPP, YTC is creating comprehensive support teams to empower AI/AN families in addressing the opioid crisis in Tribal and urban Indian communities. The Court is utilizing existing YTC infrastructure and expanding YTC programs to support clients seeking opioid treatment, including criminal diversion and reentry programming. Additionally, COIPP will enable YTC to increase public awareness and education about culturally appropriate and family centered opioid prevention, treatment and recovery practices in its Tribal Community. These activities will include developing local and culturally relevant educational materials on opioids, working alongside CCI to develop an updated list of available treatment and recovery resources for those affected by opioids, with AI/AN-specific resources highlighted, and providing public education through a range of avenues such as on social media platforms, cultural awareness events.

Penobscot Indian Nation

The goal of our project is to develop and expand our efforts related to community awareness and education regarding culturally-appropriate and family-centered opioid prevention, treatment and recovery activities.

Grant activities include the development and implementation of the following:

  • Safety program that includes providing medication lock boxes to all households on the reservation and a comprehensive "take-back" program.
  • Youth, family and MAT program participant engagement activities that provide a connection to the earth, tribal traditions and a healthy lifestyle.
  • A culturally-based prevention program for students in grades 1-8 in the reservation school.
  • Provide awareness and education materials on all tribal and regional resources on opioid prevention and treatment to all tribal members at all tribal events.
  • Provide public awareness and education on the use and administration of naloxone.
  • Distribute naloxone at all tribal community events with education on administration.

Wabanaki Healing & Recovery

"wherever you are on your journey, we have a place for you"

The Center for Wabanaki Healing and Recovery Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov Substance Use Treatment Center is a place where indigenous people can heal, connect to culture, and receive the services needed for their recovery journey. The Center will offer intensive outpatient services, medication assisted treatment, and culture-based practices to indigenous men and women from all over Maine, and ultimately from other parts of the region and country. This project supports the overall objectives of the Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) because it is piloting the development of a substance use recovery treatment model that integrates western medical knowledge with indigenous cultural practices. WPHW, along with its planning partners, feels strongly that Wabanaki culture must be centered in the recovery programs, services, and supports. A program like the one described above has never been developed before, making the Center the first of its kind.

The campus for the Center includes four properties, each providing varying levels of recovery services. The three properties located in Millinocket include a recovery residence (providing housing and supportive programming to those in recovery), the Healing Lodge (providing services for those seeking higher level recovery and treatment services), and the Gathering Place (a 45-acre farm on the Penobscot River that houses a food sovereignty program and a medicine walk,  and will be a base for cultural healing and gathering). The fourth property included in the Center campus,  a recovery residence providing supportive housing, social service linkages, employment support, and recovery programing called  Opportunity House, is located in Bangor.  To begin this work, WPHW will offer intensive outpatient (IOP) therapy at the Healing Lodge beginning in early 2022.  We will phase into the inpatient treatment programs as the second phase of development.

Currently we are planning and developing a Friends and Family Center to support community healing and recovery, as well as detox and other emergent supports in the Greater Bangor area.

Citizen Potawatomi Nation

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services (CPNHS), in coordination with local partners, addresses the opioid crisis in its AI/AN community by developing and expanding community education and awareness of prevention, treatment and/or recovery activities for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder. This includes developing strong working alliances with treatment providers, agencies, and stake holders in our community in order to reduce the many obstacles patients face when seeking treatment. Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in the CPN community are prioritized for services due to the lethality of OUD and have access to a full range of treatment services across a continuum of care model that includes MAT, outpatient, intensive outpatient, residential, and extended residential treatment services. Support for sober living is also made available to enhance recovery and improve prognosis. The tribal community supports a holistic, cultural foundation to education, prevention, treatment and recovery building on the community’s strong resilience. With this in mind, individuals who are served in by the COIPP project are also linked with other CPN programs in Education, Work Force, and Social Services." Some of the highlights of our project include:  

  • Medication safety box dissemination across our clinics
  • A social media campaign partnership between CPN’s domestic violence program and CPN’s behavioral health department that communicates hope, change, and healing from abuse and addiction in the New Year.
  • Consistent community messaging to stake holders about the COIPP program
  • Plans for a Spring/Summer community education event on the neurobiology of addiction and how families can better support their loved ones in recovery.
  • 16 patients have received services including inpatient, outpatient, MAT, and contingency management using COIPP funds.

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) employees a Project Director, Cultural Treatment Advocate, and Prevention Specialist. The Choctaw Nation consists of a ten and a half county reservation and is located within rural southeast Oklahoma. The above employees provide services throughout the reservation. While the project has many focuses, the scope includes emphasizing community prevention efforts, through distribution of Narcan and other substance abuse deterrent measures including a host of training opportunities, building a culturally specific curriculum for Choctaw Nation’s residential centers, and expansion of MAT services. COIPP further emphasizes collaborative measures to overarchingly respond to the opioid epidemic.

Oklahoma City Indian Clinic

At OKCIC, we are focusing on expanding awareness and services that reach the entire family system. Opioid use not only affects the individual using the substance but everyone who loves and cares for that individual. With our project funding, we are increasing awareness through patient and family education. This education will focus on prevention efforts to minimize generational cycles that lead to use, focus on treatment interventions for those currently suffering and healing objectives for both the individual and family system. OKCIC has expanded our team and processes to focus on integrative care. This includes creating a council of community members to advise staff in gaps of services or lack of knowledge from the community. This also includes a multidisciplinary team to focus on creating a treatment plan for patient care. With this funding, a patient will be able to present to primary care and immediately be set up with a clinician to link the patient with behavioral health and a pharmacist to assist the patient in medication management whether that is through primary care or specialty care such as psychiatry.

Additionally, to focus on healing the entire family system, OKCIC is focusing on generational risk factors that may influence younger generation patients to be high risk and intervene with prevention efforts. OKCIC has also partnered with Peaceful Family Solutions to offer a week-long camp for patients and families to help children heal after experiencing a parent who is in recovery. In an effort to support treatment and recovery for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) pharmacy providers have implemented initiatives to spread awareness and increase access to several life-saving devices, including Narcan® (naloxone) nasal spray, medication lock bags, and Deterra® Drug Deactivation Systems. In addition to an increase in Narcan® training and distribution during Pharmacy clinic appointments, there have been several outreach events to educate and provide product to community members. More than 50 individuals have received Narcan® thus far. Patients have also been educated on medication safety and provided with medication lock bags to prevent medication misuse. Deterra® Drug Deactivation System, an at-home medication disposal kit, has been provided to over 200 patients to aid in proper disposal of old medications. OKCIC also offers a pharmacist-led Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic where referred patients can receive Suboxone® (buprenorphine/naloxone) to treat OUD. Information regarding the MAT clinic is made available to patients during primary care and behavioral health appointments. One patient even self-presented to the MAT clinic and the appropriate follow-up with an interdisciplinary team was coordinated within 24 hours of presentation. These Pharmacy initiatives will continue to provide a safe and supportive environment for patients with OUD and will leverage community and family members to play an active role in addressing the opioid crisis.

Osage Nation COIPP Project

Osage Nation is working to establish safe, sober supportive communities in Osage County. It is felt that there are many in our community who are supportive of people in recovery, but are not sure how to show their support and acceptance. Additionally, many in the community are unsure of how to seek help. In an effort to both bolster the acceptance of those in recovery as well as the availability of treatment, Osage Nation is working to implement the White Bison Wellbriety programs. These trainings will be for counselors and community members alike. A partnership has been entered with KTUL Channel 8 in Tulsa titled " Addicted Oklahoma”. This partnership provides monthly education on a variety of topics. A series of Narcan education/distribution events are being organized. In year 2, we hope to hold an Opioid Awareness Pow wow to raise awareness. Finally, Osage Nation is organizing a series of Walks for Sobriety to raise awareness and show support for those in recovery.

Jamestown S’Klallam Healing Clinic (JSHC)

Rendering of future Jamestown Clinic

The Jamestown S’Klallam Healing Clinic (JSHC) will provide MAT for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) by utilizing a comprehensive support team approach dedicated to providing intensive individualized wrap-around services for Tribal Citizens of five regional Tribes and the residents from the surrounding Clallam and Jefferson Counties. The program will meet the patients where they are in their struggle with OUD and provide individualized medical care, preventative care, chemical dependency counseling, mental health counseling, and a culturally centered approach to family healing, and aftercare. We will develop a tracking and referral network plan for those in need of additional social services such as securing food, housing, counseling, job training, vocational and educational assistance, cultural and family support, and other individualized support services. Our community partners will be on site, ready to connect patients with vital community resources.

The JSHC is dedicated to pioneering a level of holistic treatment and stigma-free access for individuals suffering from co-occurring disorders (COD) through utilizing MAT and evidenced-based approaches to behavioral health treatment to individuals suffering from OUD. Through the use of holistic behavioral assessments and treatment, we want patients to begin to understand themselves, to understand their mental health diagnosis, the reason for the development of their COD, and to understand the effective treatment of their disorder for them to return to a life marked with meaningful relationships.