Tackling the opioid epidemic

PORTLAND, ORE. - Across the Pacific Northwest, Native nations and Native-led organizations are working to combat the opioid crisis, offering substance use disorder treatment programs to support their citizens, other Indigenous people and the broader community. Services span from the Native American Rehabilitation Association and Painted Horse Recovery in Portland to clinics across Oregon and Washington.

A new model of care is also popping up to address the opioid crisis: treatment vans. The vans administer medication and provide services for those struggling with substance use disorders. A recent study found that these vans expand access to treatment options, specifically medication for those in recovery, for both Native and non-Native people.

The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde opened the first opioid treatment facility run by a Native nation in Oregon in April 2021. In Washington, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation and the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe have all recently launched similar services.

https://ictnews.org/news/tackling-the-opioid-epidemic