Addition Treatment Resources Needed to Assist American Indian Reservation

POPLAR, Mont. - June 6, 2018 - PRLog -- U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke met with Fort Peck Reservation tribal leaders in Poplar, Montana to discuss how to expand addiction treatment resources for its Assiniboine and Sioux Tribe populations.

The American Indian (AI) population in the U.S. has been great affected by the opioid crisis.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2015 AI experienced the highest rate of drug-related overdoses.

Tribal committee board chairman Floyd Azure stated that meth abuse has afflicted many community members. He added that this has left many job unfilled since people cannot pass drug tests for employment.

Zinke stated that treating mothers and grandmothers would help keep families together and cut down on sending many AI children to foster care.

Azure stated that many reservation children were transferred to foster care since their family members had substance use disorders.

Another borad member, Marva Chapman-Firemoon, suggested building a dormitory for children as a safe spot to live while their parents receive treatment.

Azure said that there is much need for an addiction treatment center on the reservation.

https://www.drugaddictionnow.com/2018/06/06/addiction-treatment-poplar-needed-assist-american-indian-reservation/