5 Arizona tribes receive grants through the White House to battle opioid addiction
Five Arizona tribes will receive $3.63 million in grants to address opioid and other drug addiction and recovery, the Biden administration announced Friday.
The grants will fund access to medications to treat opioid use and support prevention, treatment and recovery programs for both opioid and other drug abuse.
The Gila River Health Care Corporation, Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Yavapai Apache Nation were among the 102 tribes or tribal organizations sharing a total of $54.9 million.
The grants are part of $1.6 billion in investments for communities throughout the country addressing opioid addiction and overdoses. The money will flow through the U.S. Health and Human Services' state, tribal and rural community opioid response programs.
The Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System received $31.9 million for similar strategies.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2021. Tribal Epidemiology Centers, a consortium of the Indian Health Service and other organizations that serve American Indians and Alaska Native tribal and urban communities, said the opioid-related overdose death rate is 13.7 deaths per 100,000 Native people in the U.S., compared with the national rate of 13.1 per 100,000.
The grants are in addition to a $590 million settlement reached with federally recognized tribes in February. More than 400 tribes and tribal organizations sued three drug distributors and manufacturer Johnson & Johnson, accusing them of deliberately promoting the highly addictive opioids, which caused overdose deaths and large health care expenditures.
President Joe Biden has made combating the opioid crisis a priority, according to a news release from the White House. In his first State of the Union address, Biden outlined actions to address the crisis and support "the tens of millions of Americans in recovery."
He also requested $42.5 billion for more drug control efforts in the new fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, a $3.2 billion increase from last year. The president also asked for increased funds for drug interdiction to reduce illicit drugs from reaching the street.
Access to drug programs is a key part of the administration's efforts to end the crisis, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“I have heard many stories of despair from individuals battling addiction and from families who have lost loved ones to overdose," Becerra said. "Through these grants, we are investing in evidence-based supports and services for individuals, families, and communities on the road to recovery. Through these grants, we are investing in hope.”
Americans seeking treatment for mental health or substance use issues should call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) or visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov.
Debra Krol reports on Indigenous communities at the confluence of climate, culture and commerce in Arizona and the Intermountain West. Reach Krol at debra.krol@azcentral.com. Follow her on Twitter at @debkrol.
Coverage of Indigenous issues at the intersection of climate, culture and commerce is supported by the Catena Foundation.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona tribes will receive drug treatment grants from the White House
