The LAC courte oreilles band of lake superior chippewa indians, a federally recognized tribe located in northwest wisconsin has been tirelessly battling the opioid epidemic coupled with increased…

The Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin was awarded a $995,511 Project Grant by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.838 - Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substances Use Program) to address the opioid epidemic and increased methamphetamine use in their community. The key products and services to be delivered through this 3-year grant include:

1. Implementing the "Mino-Bimaadiziiwin II (The Good Life)" program to connect tribal members in local jails and state/federal prisons with recovery supports and other services to aid community reintegration upon release.

2. Launching a youth prevention education program based on the Gathering of Native Americans framework to assess individual, family, and community needs and support substance use prevention and juvenile delinquency.

3. Partnering with the Great Lakes Intertribal Epidemiology Center to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the tribe's existing substance use services and identify data-driven improvements and focus areas.

The grant will leverage cultural elders and a multidisciplinary approach to address the mental, physical, and spiritual needs of the Lac Courte Oreilles community.

The LAC courte oreilles band of lake superior chippewa indians, a federally recognized tribe located in northwest wisconsin has been tirelessly battling the opioid epidemic coupled with increased methamphetamine use in our community. Native americans in sawyer county are currently ranked 3RD in the entire state of wisconsin for overdose fatalities and are being incarcerated in local jails at higher rates than our non-native counterparts where a majority of underlying charges are related to substance use. To address these community concerns, our tribe plans to implement mino-bimaadiziiwin II, (the good life) by connecting with tribal affiliated individuals within the local jail or state/federal prison system to improve community integration upon release by increasing access to recovery supports and other services required to sustain recovery. We also will implement a youth prevention education program, based upon the gathering of native americans framework to assess youths individual, family, and community needs to support substance use prevention and juvenile delinquency. Integration with cultural elders into all aspects of our project is crucial to support culturally appropriate and relevant program delivery to ensure we are meeting the mental, physical and spiritual needs of our community and individuals we are serving. The final component, includes a partnership with the great lakes intertribal epidemiology center to strengthen our current substance use focused services by conducting a comprehensive evaluation to provide data driven support for modifications and prioritization of areas of focus.