Thursday, March 13, 2025
3/13/2025
The Yurok Tribe proposes to maintain and enhance the Pee-wo’: Yurok Collaborative Opioid Response project to increase community awareness of cultural pathways to healing, advance outreach, education, and training to prevent opioid-related death, improve access to culturally integrated Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) treatment, and enhance family-centered support systems through existing Yurok Wellness Court, Wellness Outreach, and Reentry programs. The Yurok Reservation and its surrounding communities in Humboldt and Del Norte County face the highest opioid-related death rates in the State of California. Established criminal networks, born of over half a century of cannabis trafficking, along with staggeringly high prescription rates, have led to an immense opioid crisis in the community. The recent introduction of xylazine to the region has further increased the dangers of opioid-related overdose and death and magnified the need for outreach and education. With the support and guidance of families, youth, and partners in the Yurok Tribe Wellness Coalition (YTWC), the Tribe will implement intervention and prevention activities to reduce opioid misuse, overdose, and opioid-related death, and provide pathways to healing in the Yurok community. Project activities will include development of culturally relevant materials and education programs training community members to recognize signs of opioid misuse and overdose; awareness campaigns to inform and educate families and service providers on culturally integrated treatment and recovery services; expansion of transportation services to increase access to MOUD and other treatment for opioid use disorder; enhancement of harm reduction activities throughout the community, including public access naloxone distribution boxes, test strip distribution, and naloxone training; and integration of a culturally integrated case planning system in Yurok Tribal Court Wellness and Reentry programs to improve participant outcomes and program performance. Comprehensive data metrics will be collected, analyzed, and reported to the YTWC throughout development and implementation of the project to gain input and enhance strategies.
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).