The red lake band of chippewa indians is a federally recognized tribe located in northern minnesota

The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians received a $900,000 Project Grant from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Tribal Justice Assistance program (CFDA 16.596). The grant will fund the development, implementation, and operation of a Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program at the Red Lake Detention Center. The goal is to address the opioid crisis within the Red Lake community by providing evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, including the use of FDA-approved medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. The 5-year project aims to save lives, reduce morbidity and mortality, and support the tribe's comprehensive "Zhawenimin Opioid Crisis Response Plan" that focuses on harm reduction and addressing barriers like stigma. This funding is crucial to the tribe's efforts to improve healthcare outcomes and justice system services for their members.

With this funding the tribe will develop, implement, and operate a medication-assisted treatment (mat) program in the red lake detention center. Red lake is phasing in a new, harm-reduction-based approach to the opioid crisis. The zhawenimin opioid crisis response plan is a comprehensive guide to making this paradigm shift. The red lake band of chippewa indians aims to save lives and heal the red lake community by removing barriers like fear and stigma, creating safe spaces, interweaving programs and services to benefit red lake members, and drawing upon their cultural traditions to heal their people. The proposed detention center mat program is crucial to the overall plan. Mat is the use of medication in combination with counseling and behavioral therapy, which has been proven effective in the treatment of opioid use disorders. Mat, utilizing the U.S. Food and drug administration approved medications methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone, is considered a central component of the standard of care for the treatment of individuals with substance use disorders. The use of mat increases the likelihood of successful treatment for individuals with substance use disorders and reduces morbidity and mortality. Outcomes for incarcerated native americans are below average: in beltrami county where the red lake indian reservation is located, inmate deaths are usually among the highest in the state alongside hennepin county. A 2023 inmate death highlighted the need for improved health care at the red lake detention center.