Red Lake Band holds Information Session on Legislative Bills and Congregate Shelter

The Red Lake Band held an Informational Session on Legislative Bills and Congregate Shelter on Monday, April 15, 2024 at the Red Lake Casino Event Center.

Congregate Shelter Project

This project was conceptualized from the series Zhawenimin summit meetings held in 2023 in response to the Opioid and Fentanyl crisis our community is facing, along with homelessness issues.

Purpose: To address the current challenges posed by the opioid crisis and homelessness within the Red Lake Nation by offering a comprehensive, innovative, and culturally sensitive facility. The shelter and service center aims to reduce drug related injuries, prevent overdose deaths, provide support services and facilitate the transition to stable and supportive housing for unhoused individuals.

Description: Establish an optimized and fully functional 54-bed shelter offering accommodations for unhoused adults. The min goal of the shelter is to minimize the harms associated with drug use, prevent overdose deaths and help individuals prepare for supportive housing. This housing will be in a supportive environment offering housing case management and further services to enhance residents’ readiness for stable housing, promote self-sufficiency and facilitate their transition to permanent housing. This building will hold 18 beds reserved for immediate shelter and safety for homeless individuals in crisis. These beds will be divided into two rooms in order to provide individualized care for those actively using drugs and those who are in recovery. The shelter will also offer 36 single occupancy rooms to offer personal space within a service-rich environment. Facilities for current drug users will be separate from those in recovery. There will be a centralized safe recovery site service center to connect the different components of the shelter which will be staffed by professionals throughout the week during daytime hours to provide current and former resident’s access to necessary support and resources. An operations plan for this program must be created and implemented. This center will have a maximum capacity of accommodating 75 individuals daily. The building will also prioritize cleanliness by offering sanitation facilities including handwashing stations, showers and laundry facilities to promote proper hygiene and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Finally, each of the spaces is designed to facilitate culturally specific programming for the shelter residents.

Project

• 3 levels of support, crisis, transitional and sober living

• 54 beds

• 14,000 sq. ft. building

• Project Cost Estimate $7M

• DHS Rural Grant Submitted 9-21-23

• DHS RG Awarded 2-11-2024

• Project Planning Begins 2024

There was also a review of the land back bill, and more meetings are being planned for all districts and urban areas.