Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
AAIHB Tribal Opioid Response Project - From 1999 to 2019, opioid-only mortality rates increased from 2.8 to 15.8 per 100 000 (p<0.001) for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women and 4.6 to 25.6 per 100 000 (p<0.001) for AI/AN men in the U.S. During the same time period, the AI/AN population also exhibited significant increases in mortality rates due to opioids in combination with other substances (i.e., alcohol, benzodiazepines, and methamphetamine), where all opioid-related mortality rates increased significantly (p<0.001) from 5.2 to 33.9 per 100 000 AI/AN persons. Similar behavioral health disparities are witnessed among the AI/AN population in New Mexico. The AAIHB TOR Project has been designed to address the opioid overdose crisis in tribal communities via a collaboration of a tribally designated organization, the Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Inc. (AAIHB), four of its six Consortium Tribes (Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mescalero Apache Tribe, Ramah Navajo, To’Hajiilee Navajo) and Zuni Pueblo. The overarching purpose of the AAIHB TOR Project is to support the continuum of prevention, recovery, and harm reduction services for opioid use disorder (OUD) and co-occurring substance use disorders among AI/AN youth and adults. Project goals and measurable objectives are aligned with the foundational elements, priorities and strategies of the National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda. Our three intersecting goals include the following: 1) training, certification and mobilizing a cadre of AI/AN peer support workers in all 5 participating tribes; 2) Strengthening opioid prevention and education services and awareness in AI/AN communities; 3) Developing and sustaining, culturally centered harm prevention/ reduction services within AI/AN communities. The AAIHB Tribal Opioid Response Project will weave in four Evidence Based Practices into this effort – Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Project Venture (PV). These selected EBPs are appropriate for the proposed outcomes, have strong evidence, and a history of successful implementation with diverse communities in New Mexico, including tribal communities. We will also implement the following community defined evidence practices: BRAVE intervention, Gathering of Native Americans (GONA), and White Bison’s Wellbriety trainings. The AAIHB TOR Project is therefore well positioned to strengthen prevention, recovery, and harm reduction activities among AI/AN youth and adults throughout our region to engage tribes, create awareness of OUD and prevention pathways, increase access to harm reduction practices, and enhance recovery support for affected individuals and families that are currently experiencing substantial behavioral health disparities.
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).