Tuesday, February 11, 2025
2/11/2025
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana is seeking funding under SAMHSA’s Tribal Opioid Response program to enhance its Substance Abuse Program, specifically opioid treatment and prevention. The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana is one of four federally recognized tribes in Louisiana and has been a federally recognized tribe since 1981. There are over 1,600 enrolled Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Members. Approximately 40% live either on or near the reservation and designated tribal lands located in Central Louisiana. Although the average household income for Tunica-Biloxi Tribal members is $18,518 (Louisiana Workforce Commission 2017 Labor Statistics), nearly 50% of tribal households fall in the low-to-moderate income range based on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development LMI household data (Household Income less than $23,850 for a family of four) which limits access to healthcare and substance abuse treatment services. With a substance abuse rate of 15.7% among American Indians nationally and an illicit substance abuse rate of 22.4% (among Tunica-Biloxi tribal members between the ages of 16-35), it is imperative that the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana provide comprehensive opioid abuse abatement program. Under the current Tunica-Biloxi Substance Abuse Program, tribal members seeking assistance are able to access treatment and support services during the recovery process. Although this program has been around for three years and has helped many tribal members, many more tribal members suffer from opioid abuse issues. Furthermore, with the rise of prescription drug abuse such opioids and benzos, many tribal members are becoming addicted to legal drugs including tribal youth. Due to drug arrests that have been made on the reservation involving opioids, the rate of substance abuse cases on the reservation has increased by 9% from 2016 to 2020 (Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Police Department). The key goals of the Tunica-Biloxi Substance Abuse Program are to: 1. Decrease the rate of opioid and substance abuse among Tunica-Biloxi tribal members by providing comprehensive, culturally appropriate, wrap around substance abuse treatment services to tribal members within our service area; and 2. Increase access to mental health and counseling services available to tribal members with opioid and substance abuse addictions.
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).