Sunday, April 28, 2024
4/28/2024
Tribal Opioid Response Grant Pleasant Point Tribal Government Project Abstract Summary The Passamaquoddy Tribe is the eastern most tribe in the United States. Tucked away in the northeastern coastal corner of Maine, Washington County is home to 2,000 Passamaquoddy Tribal members. Pleasant Point Health Center, the implementer, has 45 years of experience serving the Pleasant Point community where 60% of the population makes less than $24k/year and the not-employed rate often exceeds 50%. 60% of Pleasant Point’s community is also under the age of 35. The population of focus for this project be those aged 49 and younger given that overdose rates are highest among this particular population in addition to youth for preventive purposes. The MOUD component will provide services for all those in need while also extending outreach and focused services on high risk individuals (recently overdosed, those currently using, pregnant aged women, Hepatitis C or HIV positive, recently incarnated, and/or suicidal). Beyond the overwhelming increase in drug overdoses in Washington County drugs, particularly opioids, are causing people to die at rates never experienced before in the county: “With just 2 percent of Maine's population, Washington County currently accounts for 19.5 percent of pending homicide cases in the state.” All of these homicides involved drug related matters. In 2019, overdose deaths in Maine were at a rate of 39.7 deaths per 100,000 persons, nearly double the national rate of 21.6 deaths per 100,000. In one year fatal overdoses rose 33% in Maine from 380 in 2019 to 504 drug deaths occurring in 2020. Of those 504, 83% were caused by opioids, nearly always in combination with other drugs or alcohol. Adults between the ages of 26 and 35 had the highest rate of deaths due to substance abuse or overdose during 2016, followed closely by 36 to 49 year olds. Substance abuse and overdose death rates among age groups between 18 and 35 have been steadily increasing for the past several years. To counter these disturbing trends the already existing MOUD program which provides comprehensive care will be fortified with a Patient Navigator (PN) through this project. The PN will assist with administrative duties and increasing the quality of care, alleviating these burdens to the Nurse Practitioner who directs the program, allowing him to focus on high risk clients. This PN will also facilitate and track client’s progress, address basic needs, and connect them to recovery services including vocational support while facilitating adapted contingency management. A full and part time recovery coach funded under this project will assist in supporting and growing the recovery community by managing safe spaces to meet and facilitating community healing events honoring the TBHA. A partner, Vocational Rebab, will also provide those in recovery and seeking treatment with work opportunities while also facilitating training and connections for employment. Prevention activities will provide training to Teachers in the elementary school in trauma informed care and substance abuse prevention which will be integrated into the school curriculum. Harm reduction will include training Health Center staff and tribal council members in overdose prevention including the administration of narcan. The safe space for the recovery community will be located in the same facility as the maker’s space that will be used to teach traditional native arts to youth and those in recovery. There will also be opportunities for those in recovery to learn carpentry and other income generating skills. Finally, the Native Reach app, funded under this project, will connect community members and those in recovery to information related to project events, including treatment, recovery and prevention resources. This will also be available for the larger community to share information to allow for a sense of connection and togetherness instrumental for healing.
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).
