The Forest County Potawatomi Community’s Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project (COIPP) proposes a three-pronged approached to expanding its current MAT programming beyond individualized treatment and care. The Tribe recognizes that the Tribal community is a critical component of maintaining long-term sobriety, however, many of the clients enrolled in FCPC’s MAT program do not have adequate support within the home, their families, and the community to assist them in achieving their sobriety goals.
Therefore, the first component of the Tribe’s COIPP project focuses on building community awareness and education, specifically by involving Tribal elders, as cultural and spiritual guides for MAT-enrolled clients. This component, paired with requiring all MAT clients to undergo a physical examination to address any underlying medical conditions that maybe contributing to their opioid abuse, will utilize a holistic approach to recovery and healing. The Tribe will hire a Dual Diagnosis Counselor, who will also act as a case manager for MAT clients and will assist them in navigating through the various components of the MAT program, particularly as it is expanded, as proposed, in this project.
The second component of the Tribe’s project will engage the families and loved ones of its MAT clients by collaborating with FCPC Family Services and Community Center staff to develop family-focused programming, activities and events that promote healthy engagement. The Tribe will hire a Behavioral Health Counselor, who specializes in Marriage and Family Therapy, to assist families in identifying and managing any issues that may hinder positive family dynamics, as well as sobriety and recovery for those battling opioid addiction. The Tribe will also hire a Family Recovery Coach to support these families in the community setting, as well as expand its current Elder Teaching Program, such that additional MAT participants are able to work one on one with Tribal elders in the community.
By implementing the first two components of this project, particularly hiring additional staff members, the Tribe will alleviate the caseload strain on current staff by offering additional treatment/care options. Therefore, the third component of this project is to expand access to MAT services to clients not currently enrolled in the program due to staffing limitations. The Tribe seeks would to increase MAT enrollment by at least 25% (from 73 current participants to 92 participants by February 2022). These efforts will be supported by partially funding one of the current MAT Nurse Practitioners, such that there are no gaps in service when her current funding expires.
Lastly, the Tribe seeks to utilize COIPP funds to run a project awareness campaign and to develop family educational materials for in the home. The Tribe also seeks to host a family-focused training for the community to provide additional education, such that they are better able to support their loved ones.
The Tribe respectfully requests $500,000 in COIPP funding to implement the first year of this three-year project.