Funding will be used to support the Karuk Tribe's Mens transitional house and to assist in addressing the opioid overdose crisis in tribal communities by increasing access to FDA approved medications - Project Abstract Summary The Karuk Tribe/Tribal Opioid Response serves one of the most remote/poverty stricken and geographically isolated areas; northwestern Humboldt County and all of Siskiyou County in a large area approximately 6,000 square miles that is considered frontier with less than with fewer than 1.87 persons per square mile. The two counties within the Tribe’s service area, Siskiyou and Humboldt have an opioid prescription rate of 1,000 prescriptions per 1,000 residents (more than one per person). California Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard ranks Humboldt County 4th and Siskiyou County 5th in the number of opioid involved overdose deaths. while California's overall opioid death rate is lower than some other states individual counties in the state and in particular rural counties are experiencing prescribing rates and death rates that are among the worst in the country. With 3,642 enrolled members, the Karuk Tribe is one of the largest Tribes in California. The Karuk Tribe has three primary service jurisdictions: Orleans, Happy Camp and Yreka CA. The mission of the Karuk Tribe Substance Use Disorder Program (KSUDP) is to provide timely assessment, referral and supportive treatment services to Native American (NA) community members whose substance use has led to a dependency qualified under DSM V criteria. A KSUDP priority will be integrating traditional/cultural practices and including traditional tribal practitioners within the service delivery systems and to provide training on cultural and organizational competency for all employees associated with treatment of tribal community members. The KSUDP will collaborate with tribal and community partners to conduct a needs assessment to identify ways to improve access to OUD treatment and related services. Information obtained through the process will assist in utilizing the funds received from the grant based on current information we have identified the following GOALS, 1) Increasing access to OUD treatment and improving retention in care for community members diagnosed with OUD. 2) increased access of FDA approved drugs to treat OUD and availability of education instruction of Narcan in tribal communities to prevent or reduce the occurrence of opioid overdose deaths. 3) Continuing to provide a sobor Transitional Recovery Home —Ikrivraam for NA men afforded the opportunity to maintain their sobriety and begin the process of improving their lives towards self-sufficiency, and. 4) improving skills of KSUDP delivery of evidence-based services for OUD. Strategies and interventions will provide a comprehensive array of outreach services across the spectrum of prevention, treatment, and recovery. Individuals in recovery will have a meaningful role in community recovery support services such as peer supports, recovery coaches, spiritual support, drug and alcohol-free social engagement, and recovery housing. The KSUDP will serve 30 unduplicated opioid patients annually. For the two-year project we will serve a total of 44 unduplicated opioid patients and sustaining 44 unduplicated clients in years 3,4, and 5. Evidenced based treatment modalities include Medication Assisted Treatment, Matrix Model, and Promoting Awareness of Motivational Incentives (PAMI). The project will include consultation with the California Indian Rural Health Board in our Tribal Epidemiology Center.
