Local officials in northern Wisconsin against proposed Native youth recovery center
Town officials in northern Wisconsin are expressing their opposition to a proposed youth drug recovery center to be built in their town, about 60 miles north of Wausau.
In a resolution earlier this fall, town of Cassian officials cited fears of safety and reduced property values if the Adolescent Recovery and Wellness Center were to be built by the member tribal nations of the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council.
They also complained they weren't consulted about the proposed project before plans moved ahead. They said the town lacks funding and its infrastructure can't support the demands of the recovery center.
Town officials didn't return a request for comment by the Journal Sentinel.
The proposed youth recovery center will be a 36-bed residential facility for children ages 13 to 17 located in north central Wisconsin to serve member tribes in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. While priority will be given to Native American youth, the center will be open to non-Native youth, too.
In a Cassian town meeting this summer, during which Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council CEO Bryan Bainbridge made a presentation about the project, Bainbridge said an audience member told him to “go back to the reservation.”
He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he believes some officials and residents may not have much issue with the project itself, but rather who it’s being built and operated by.
Bainbridge said there are also many residents who have expressed support for the project, including the neighboring property owner.
He said at the end of the town meeting, an elderly man tapped him on the shoulder and told him not to give up.
In a letter to town officials in response to their resolution, Bainbridge wrote that town officials were made aware of the project since at least June 15 and referred to his presentation at the town meeting July 24.
Bainbridge said he also invited town officials to the ground blessing event July 31, but none came.
He wrote that the Inter-Tribal Council hasn't and won't ask the town for financial support for construction, operations or maintenance of the center.
“Zero financial support is being asked, or will be asked, of the town of Cassian,” Bainbridge wrote.
He wrote that one of the benefits of partnering with tribal entities is their ability to access funding, such as from the federal and state governments and tribal revenue from gaming and other sources.
“We would welcome the opportunity to explore how we could work together to seek out additional funds to help address challenges within the town,” Bainbridge wrote.
Regarding concerns about property values, he said that academic researchers have challenged whether a treatment facility causes a negative impact. He said the facility only will be accepting children voluntarily seeking help with addiction and would overwhelmingly prefer privacy. Children will be monitored 24/7 by staff and with video surveillance.
“Doing nothing to fight addiction will only continue to diminish the quality of life for all residents of Oneida County, including the town of Cassian, and the Northwoods,” Bainbridge wrote. “The associated costs of not approving this youth treatment facility are too great.”
He added that the project is following all Oneida County zoning laws and ordinances.
“It’s shocking to most people when they find out there’s essentially zero residential treatment facilities for youth in the Northwoods,” Bainbridge wrote. “Early intervention with children, for example, is one way to reduce the growing need and costly nature of treatment for adults in the Northwoods. Essentially, help youth now or pay much more later.”
Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Native youth treatment center opposed by local officials
