SAC and FOX nation healing pathways initiative - the SAC and FOX nation proposes the healing pathways initiative, a comprehensive, culturally responsive behavioral health program designed to expand…

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Sac & Fox Nation $298,467 on September 30, 2026, under the Opioid STR (Tribal Opioid Response) program (CFDA 93.788).

The Sac & Fox Nation Healing Pathways Initiative establishes an integrated continuum of behavioral health services addressing opioid and other substance use disorders within the tribe. Services include behavioral health screening and assessment, medication for opioid use disorder when clinically appropriate, behavioral health counseling, peer recovery support, care navigation, overdose recognition and response education, community prevention activities, and coordinated referrals to healthcare and community resources. The Nation integrates these services within its Health Division to deliver coordinated, person-centered care addressing behavioral health, physical health, and recovery needs while promoting long-term wellness.

The multidisciplinary project team comprises a project director, licensed behavioral health clinician, certified peer recovery support specialist, and independent evaluation consultant. The Nation leverages existing healthcare infrastructure, administrative systems, and prior experience managing SAMHSA and Indian Health Service grants to maximize direct services.

Place of performance is Stroud, Oklahoma, serving a predominantly rural tribal population experiencing significant barriers to behavioral healthcare, including limited access to specialty providers, transportation challenges, and workforce shortages.

Period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031.

SAC and FOX nation healing pathways initiative - the SAC and FOX nation proposes the healing pathways initiative, a comprehensive, culturally responsive behavioral health program designed to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery services for tribal citizens affected by opioid and other substance use disorders. Serving a predominantly rural population, the nation continues to experience significant barriers to behavioral healthcare, including limited access to specialty providers, transportation challenges, workforce shortages, and increasing rates of opioid and polysubstance use. The proposed project will strengthen the nation's existing behavioral health infrastructure by increasing access to evidence-based services while addressing social and geographic barriers that contribute to delayed treatment and poor health outcomes. The healing pathways initiative will establish an integrated continuum of care that includes behavioral health screening and assessment, medication for opioid use disorder (moud) when clinically appropriate, behavioral health counseling, peer recovery support, care navigation, overdose recognition and response education, community prevention activities, and coordinated referrals to healthcare and community resources. Services will be integrated within the SAC and FOX nation health division to ensure participants receive coordinated, person-centered care that addresses behavioral health, physical health, and recovery needs while promoting long-term wellness. The project will be supported by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a project director, licensed behavioral health clinician, certified peer recovery support specialist, and an independent evaluation consultant. The nation will leverage its existing healthcare infrastructure, administrative systems, and successful experience managing substance abuse and mental health services administration (samhsa) and indian health service (IHS) grants to maximize direct services and ensure efficient implementation of project activities. Recognizing transportation as one of the greatest barriers to accessing treatment within the nation's rural service area, the project will purchase one program vehicle during the first year to transport eligible participants to behavioral health appointments, medication for opioid use disorder services, recovery support activities, and other project-approved healthcare services. This investment will improve treatment access, reduce missed appointments, increase participant engagement, and strengthen continuity of care throughout the five-year project period. The healing pathways initiative incorporates nationally recognized evidence-based practices, including comprehensive screening and assessment, medication for opioid use disorder, motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and peer recovery support services. These interventions will be delivered within a culturally responsive framework that honors tribal values, promotes family engagement, and recognizes the importance of community in supporting recovery.