Friday, May 9, 2025
5/9/2025
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance - The proposed ONPP SAPTA project is formulated on lessons learned from ONPP’s successful participation as an MSPI pilot project. As well, the proposed SAPTA project is designed and built on the prevention foundations established during MSPI. This project, if awarded, provides an exciting opportunity for ONPP to expand on effective strategies while implementing promising practices to reduce the prevalence of substance abuse and the overall use of addicting and illicit substances among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Substance use data paint a grim picture of the issue in the Osage Nation Reservation, contiguous with Osage County, Oklahoma. According to Oklahoma State Department of Health Injury Prevention Service, there were 43 documented unintentional drug overdose deaths in the county from 2014-2018. As described in other sections, Osage County is a rural area, meaning that these deaths are especially tragic and impactful on the small communities that were home to these individuals. Of the people who died, 67% had a history of substance abuse, while 23% had a history of mental health problems. Alcohol, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are among some of the most common substances attributed to the overdose deaths. The project intends to improve care coordination by fostering community coalitions and networks through active participation. This will be accomplished by continued participation in the existing Osage County Community Health Alliance (OCCHA) and reconvening the currently inactive Osage County Drug and Alcohol Joint Task Force. Project staff will make available to behavioral health providers educational opportunities regarding Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral, Treatment (SBIRT) and trauma informed care. The strategies will yield the best possible results for the people served by this project. If awarded, this project will expand behavioral health care services through the use of culturally appropriate evidence-based and practice-based models to address the issue of substance abuse. This will be accomplished by implementing evidence-based and culturally appropriate programs Celebrating Families and Medicine Wheel and 12 Step Training for Youth. Proposed activities will also improve the referral process by educating community members and social service organizations of signs and symptoms of substance abuse and increasing overall awareness of available substance abuse prevention, treatment, and aftercare services. The project will expand on early intervention strategies, developed during the Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) Initiative, for American Indian youth at risk for substance abuse behavior. This includes implementing Too Good for Drugs and Violence in local school districts, continued development of the Wah-Zha-Zhe Youth Council and developing a youth mentor peer to peer support program.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).