- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 will hold a hearing on “Fentanyl in Native Communities: Native Perspectives on Addressing the Growing Crisis.”
On October 20, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration sent Congress a list of emergency supplemental spending that includes a request for $250 million to the Indian Health Service to fight the opioid/fentanyl crisis. This investment is proposed as part of a $1.55 billion investment into Opioid Response grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Overall, the proposal represents a historic 16 percent set-aside of emergency opioid response funding for Tribes and Tribal organizations.
The Committee will hear directly from Tribal leaders and Native health experts to examine the impact of fentanyl in Native communities and learn about the promising tools Native communities have developed to address their own needs.
Panelists Include:
Lummi Nation, Bellingham, Washington
The Honorable Jamie S. Azure, Chairman
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota, Belcourt, North Dakota
The Honorable Bryce Kirk, Councilman
Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation, Poplar, Montana
Dr. A. Aukahi Austin Seabury, Ph.D., Executive Director & Licensed Clinical Psychologist
I Ola Lāhui, Inc., Honolulu, Hawii
Mr. Eric M. Gettis, Senior Vice President of Behavioral Health
Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, Juneau, Alaska
WHEN: Wednesday, November 8, 2023, 2:30 pm - EST
WHERE: Dirksen Senate Building, Room 628
LIVESTREAM: Live video of the event will be available here.
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