ORNTOR16 April Webinar-Recording

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The video discusses a meeting featuring multiple speakers focused on addressing the opioid crisis in Indigenous communities. The Opioid Response Network (ORN), funded by SAMHSA, collaborates with states, tribes, and individuals to provide culturally responsive education and training on opioid and stimulant addiction. The meeting highlights the importance of acknowledging historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples and the need for a future based on respect and inclusion.<br /><br />One of the speakers, Sheek Eshi, offers a prayer and emphasizes Lakota traditional healing. Philomena Quebec, a lawyer specializing in Indian law and public health, discusses the disproportionate impact of drug overdoses on American Indian and Alaska Native populations. She identifies misconceptions about genetic predispositions and emphasizes the need for improved access to evidence-based treatments like medication for opioid use disorder.<br /><br />Quebec presents data showing higher overdose fatality rates among Indigenous populations in specific states and underscores the lack of research into causal factors, calling for improved data sovereignty and control. She advocates for harm reduction strategies, including culturally grounded youth prevention activities and traditional spiritual practices.<br /><br />Finally, the meeting addresses policy advocacy, suggesting the need for consistent funding, a revision of punitive drug policies, and enhancing treatment accessibility. The importance of Medicaid waivers and legal frameworks to support traditional medicine and community health initiatives is emphasized, urging engagement with federal and state entities to better serve these communities.

Keywords

opioid crisis

Indigenous communities

Opioid Response Network

SAMHSA

culturally responsive education

historical injustices

Lakota healing

drug overdoses

American Indian

data sovereignty

harm reduction

policy advocacy