Ponca Tribe Specialty SUD and/or COD Project - The Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, headquartered in White Eagle, Oklahoma, an unincorporated town not found on maps, located in rural north central Oklahoma just 25 miles south of the Kansas border. The tribal jurisdiction is 1,651 square miles of land that sits 8 miles North of Ponca City, Oklahoma in Kay County and Noble counties. The project service area consists of Kay County and parts of Noble County. The Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma proposes to use the Targeted Capacity Expansion: Special Project grant funds to focus on strengthening the substance use and mental health treatment options, increase recovery support services, initiate prevention activities, implement harm reduction services, and capacity building by strengthening partnerships in the community with non-native organizations. The Ponca Tribe Specialty SUD and/or COD project will focus on American Indians/Alaskan Natives in the Kay County service area. Out of the 4,102 enrolled tribal members, 49% are males and 51% are females. The primary language spoken is English. 95% of the American Indians/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) that receive services through the Ponca tribe report low to moderate income. The goals of the program are 1) Increase the capacity of recovery support services designed to improve access and retention in services, 2) Maximize the accessibility of evidence-based treatment practices for AI/AN clients diagnosed with a substance use disorder (SUD) or co-occurring disorder (COD), 3) Provide community members with the necessary education and equipment to reduce-substance-related harm, and 4) Evaluate program accomplishments throughout the grant cycle and report results to community members. The objectives to meet these goals consist of 1) Expand and enhance transportation services to clients by increasing service frequency and extending coverage to underserved areas thereby improving accessibility, reducing travel times, and meeting the transport needs of the community within the next 12 months, 2) Provide sustainable recovery housing options that offers safe, stable, and supportive living environment for individuals in recovery from substance use and/or co-occurring disorders to at least 50 clients within the next 12 months, 3) Provide direct, comprehensive treatment services for clients with SUD or COD inclusive of screening, assessment, and service coordination to improve recovery outcomes, reduce the risk of relapse, and support long-term sobriety within the next 12 months, 4) Implement a comprehensive tobacco cessation program for people with SUD and/or COD within the next 12 months, 5) By the end of year 1, the program will procure and distribute 500 naloxone overdose kits, and 6) By the end of year 1, the program will procure and distribute 250 fentanyl test trips and 250 xylazine test strips. Lastly, the project will develop suitable questionnaires, surveys, and other data collection protocols to effectively measure the success of the program’s goals/objectives. This information will assist the proposed project in reporting requirements on core processes, outcomes, impacts, and benefits associated with the project. An annual report will also be created to disseminate to stakeholders, community members, and other interested parties to increase investment in the program.
