Friday, January 24, 2025
1/24/2025
The Bering Strait Opioid Response Project, spearheaded by Kawerak Inc., represents a critical and culturally-grounded intervention to address the devastating opioid crisis ravaging Alaska Native communities in the Bering Strait Region. This comprehensive Project aims to transform the landscape of substance use prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for a population facing unprecedented challenges. With alarming statistics showing that AI/AN populations experienced the highest drug overdose death rates nationally at 56.6 deaths per 100,000 persons in 2021 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023), the urgency of this Project cannot be overstated. The Bering Strait Region, where approximately 75% of the population is Alaska Native (Norton Sound Health Corporation), spans across 16 remote communities and faces unique geographical and cultural barriers to accessing vital services, with the nearest inpatient treatment facility located over 500 miles away. This region is home to three distinct linguistic and cultural groups: Inupiaq, Central Yup'ik, and Siberian Yupik (Kawerak). The area encompasses about 23,000 square miles, including the Seward Peninsula, King Island, and Little Diomede Island (Bering Straits Native Corporation). Many residents still maintain traditional lifestyles, relying on the land and sea for much of their food, with subsistence activities playing a central role in community identity (Norton Sound Health Corporation). By integrating traditional healing practices with evidence-based interventions, this Project will build community capacity, increase access to life-saving resources, and strengthen support systems for individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders. Through a multifaceted approach encompassing prevention education, expanded naloxone distribution, telehealth partnerships for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), and the development of a culturally-appropriate peer recovery support program, the Bering Strait Opioid Response Project aims to reduce overdose deaths, increase access to treatment, and empower communities to reclaim their health and cultural resilience. This approach is particularly important given the region's unique cultural diversity and the significant role that traditional practices play in the lives of its inhabitants. By tailoring interventions to respect and incorporate these cultural elements, the project has a greater chance of success in addressing the opioid crisis while preserving and strengthening the cultural fabric of the Bering Strait communities.
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).