Recovery Cafe/s 4 Clallam County

Join us on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 10am PST, 1pm EST, 6pm BST, 7pm CEST

Mad in America presents Part II of a special panel discussion on understanding and supporting those experiencing extreme states, dissociation, and experiences labeled as psychosis. We’ll take a deeper dive into how engaging and validating these states can serve as a supportive tool for healing. We’ll provide concrete examples of possible approaches and demonstrate that recovery, even in people labeled as “incurable,” is possible in various forms. Our expert panel includes survivors, family members, and therapists. Extensive resources will be shared, and the discussion will conclude with an open audience Q&A.

Supporting Extreme States, Dissociation & Experiences Labeled as Psychosis Part II will offer a deeper dive into supportive approaches for states that are causing distress with a focus on the topic of recovery.

LINK AND EVENT DETAILS BELOW…

About the Conversation
Jared, a 35-year-old veteran struggling with PTSD and considering su***de, was visited by local police for a “well check” per the request of a family member.

Ethan, a 26-year-old man with Down Syndrome, was confronted by off-duty police officers for not leaving a theater at the end of a movie.

What these two men have in common with each other—and a reported 178 additional people in the United States between 2019 and 2021—is that they were killed by police as a result of phone calls to law enforcement for help pertaining to mental health, disabilities, and/or Deafness.

Next month’s Judi’s Room will explore the subject of police shootings related to mental health, disabilities, and/or Deafness, including the factors that contribute to them and proposed solutions. Participants are encouraged to join in the conversation as time permits. More details will be announced shortly.

About Judi’s Room
Named after celebrated human rights activist Judi Chamberlin, Judi’s Room is a free event presented jointly by MindFreedom International (MFI) and I Love You, Lead On to facilitate opportunities for ongoing cross-disability dialogue. It typically begins with a presentation by one or more expert panelists followed by an open public discussion.

If you require accommodation for this event such as sign language interpretation, please email [email protected] at least three business days in advance.

If you would like to support Judi’s Room, please consider donating to MFI and I Love You, Lead On.

If you are not yet subscribed to our mailing list for Judi’s Room and would like to sign up to receive invitations to these events in the future, please send an email to [email protected] with “Add me to Judi’s Room” in the subject heading.

A recording of this event will later be posted on MFI’s official YouTube channel.

https://mindfreedom.org/front-page/judis-room-may-2024/

Event Details
Topic: When calling for help gets you killed
Date: Wednesday, May 1st, 2024
Time: 3 PM Pacific | 4 PM Mountain | 5 PM Central | 6 PM Eastern & Atlantic | 6 AM Eastern Australia | 7 PM Brazil | 11 PM UK
Platform: Zoom
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82375518189

Judi's Room to present a conversation on May 1st about police shootings related to mental health, disabilities, and/or Deafness - MindFreedom International (MFI) Next month’s Judi’s Room will explore the subject of police shootings related to mental health, Deafness, and/or disability, including the factors that contribute to them and proposed solutions. Participants are encouraged to join in the conversation as time permits. More details will be announc...

“Bazelon Center and Mental Health Experts File Amicus Brief Opposing the Criminalization of Homelessness and Presenting Proven Solutions in Landmark Supreme Court Case”

On April 3, 2024, “the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, together with the American Psychiatric Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association for Rural Mental Health, and National Association of Social Workers, filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court case Grants Pass v. Johnson, addressing the impact of efforts to criminalize homelessness on people with mental health disabilities and refuting arguments that such efforts are necessary to combat homelessness.” For “This Supreme Court Case on Homelessness May Limit Prisoner Rights and Expand Executions: In Grants Pass v. Johnson, a town in Oregon asks the court to reconsider what constitutes ‘cruel and unusual punishments,’” click here. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2024/04/10/supreme-court-homeless-grants-pass-originalism

For the amicus brief, click here.https://www.bazelon.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Amicus-brief-Grants-Pass-v-Johnson-4-3-2024.pdf

How a Supreme Court Homeless Case May Limit Prisoner Rights In Grants Pass v. Johnson, a town in Oregon asks the court to reconsider what constitutes “cruel and unusual punishments.”

If you work with marginalized or at-risk populations… please read. This sounds really good… Pics are from the Plan…

“Treatment Not Trauma: A Community Care Infrastructure for Crisis Response, Mental Health, and Shared Safety”

A recent STAT article—”Moving from crisis response to crisis prevention in U.S. mental health systems” (February 8, 2024)—describes “Treatment Not Trauma,” a plan that organizers in Chicago have devised, which “begins from the recognition that the most important part of addressing mental health crises is to prevent them from ever arising. It therefore calls for neither a psychiatric nor police model of mental health response—both of which are dominated by reaction rather than prevention—but instead for a public health model of community wellness.” For the 26-page white paper about this approach, published in July 2023, click here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MePyLfXHufEHsPzfGHChZreWCcnrYR5G/view?usp=drivesdk

and “Transforming mental health systems globally: principles and policy recommendations.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673623009182

An important case…

We REALLY need eCPR here. Try it… am hoping we will have in-person training soon…

“eCPR is a profound process of reclaiming our Connection (to self and others), embodying emPowerment, and ultimately feeling Revitalized. The certification training engages your heart and mind in an experiential and unfolding process that includes embracing mutual support. With over a decade of providing this training widely in the U.S with rapid expansion globally, the consistent feedback is that it helps us become better listeners and supporters. It changes our perception of not only ourselves but of the world around us. It teaches us how to tap into our well of compassion and enhance all our relationships.

Thriving in these times of uncertainty means we need to practice self-care and reclaim our ability to feel connected, empowered, and revitalized. Honestly, many of us were pleasantly surprised at how effective eCPR training has been in our new virtual training space. The energy, the safety, the sense of closeness and connection are all there. We invite you to join us on this deepening journey.

Those of us with lived experience of severe emotional distress have been well prepared for this global crisis because we have long known that our healing and resilience are enhanced by our connecting at a heart-to-heart level. eCPR certification training helps to alleviate the trauma of isolation and separation by laying a foundation for healing and wellness.


People who may be interested in eCPR include: Peer support specialists, mental health professionals, family members and friends of people in mental health recovery, nonprofit professionals, and educators…”

Free Emotional CPR (eCPR) Trainings Open to the Public

Please share…

“Bringing Together Law Enforcement and People Who Use Drugs in a New Way: The CLEARS Project”

Date & Time- April 17, 2024 12:00 noon PDT

This presentation will review the CLEARS Project that uses a “policy codesign” approach to bring together law enforcement, people with lived/living experience of drug use and legal involvement, and service providers to develop local solutions to drug use around Washington State.

Presenter: Mandy Owens, PhD: Dr. Owens is an Assistant Professor at the Addictions, Drug & Alcohol Institute in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. Her work focuses on the intersection between substance use and the criminal legal system, including research and implementation efforts with law enforcement, jails, and prisons around Washington State. Dr. Owens also is a licensed and practicing psychologist working with people with substance use disorder.

Objectives: by the end of this webinar, participants should be able to:
1. Identify “policy codesign” as an evidence-based strategy to bring together diverse stakeholders.
2. Learn about the CLEARS (Community-Law Enforcement Aligning in Response to Substance Use) Project in three sites around Washington State: Clallam, Thurston, and Yakima Counties.
3. Describe local solutions to address crisis response to drug use with law enforcement in rural WA areas.

Northwest (Region 10) Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Collaborative | Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Oregon The Northwest (Region 10) Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Collaborative provides training and technical assistance across SAMHSA Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Alaska.

If you are aware of any organizations or stakeholders involved in the SUD treatment system within the Salish region (Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap County) please encourage them to register using the online form before Monday, April 22nd: https://tinyurl.com/yrr3483a

Please reach out to Nicole Oberg at [email protected] with any questions. We look forward to seeing you all on the 26th!

HELP ADDRESS “GAPS IN THE (substance use treatment/recovery) SYSTEM”

“Substance Use Disorder Summit”

Friday, April 26, 10 AM- 3PM

John Wayne Marina, Sequim

Lunch provided

Please join Salish Regional SUD providers and stakeholders for a conversation/work session regarding gaps in services for the SUD treatment population.

Registration is required before Monday, April 22. Register online: https://tinyurl.com/yrr3483a.

2024 SUD Summit Registration Form

This. Growing enough within ourselves to see that Divine… this is why Recovery Cafes matter…

This (the disparities seen by people living on the west end of Clallam County) is precisely what Nate Tyler spoke about at the “Recovery Language” workshop held by Olympic Community of Health (OCH) at Peninsula College a few weeks ago.

We need tangible, meaningful and relevant help brought into Clallam County’s more distant locations. Thats how working together to start a Recovery Cafe… can help!
_________

“Among all race/ethnic groups in the US, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black populations have the highest rates of opioid overdose death. These disparities may be due to differences in access to treatment generally, and opioid use disorder medications specifically. This study examined differences in geographic proximity to opioid treatment programs and buprenorphine providers by race and ethnicity.

“The long and winding road”: Native Americans have the furthest to travel for opioid use disorder medications In this geospatial modeling analysis done in Ohio, more than a third of opioid use disorder treatment need was outside a 15-minute drive time of an Opioid Treatment Program to access methadone trea…

What **specific** ways can we ‘be there’ for family members or friends when we sense (or learn from them) that they are going through a rough patch?

“… Yet… there’s another conversation that we need to have about reaching out. More specifically, we need to talk about how our loved ones can do better in reaching out to us.

In a perfect world, anyone who was having a hard time could issue the “bat signal” and get every ounce of love and support they deserve. But it rarely works that way, because mental illness is so stigmatized to begin with. Many of us are simply too afraid to reach out…”

WHAT MIGHT YOU ADD?

11 important ways my loved ones supported me during a mental health crisis. “Heart reacts” and “hope you’re okay” comments on Facebook, however well-intentioned they are, often aren’t enough.

Families…

Substance Use Disorder (SUD)
Family Navigator Training
New Dates Added!

Washington State Community Connectors (WSCC) and partners have developed training to educate families about substance use disorder (SUD) and related treatment options across the state. This training is for parents, family members, and caregivers who are interested in learning how to support their loved ones with SUD. Participants will learn up-to-date information about SUD, addiction and its effects on the adolescent brain, skills for families navigating their relationship with someone with SUD, and systems navigation.



This training is grounded in research and information supported by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), including their training and technical assistance partners. A toolkit, including information and resources regarding SUD supports and services specific to Washington State, will be provided as a reference guide for participants.

Training details
The training is a 16-hour course split into 4 days of 4-hour modules.

Attendance is required for all 4 days.

April 15-18, 2024
9:00 am– 1:00 pm
https://wsccsupport.org/event/sud-family-navigator-training-39-2/


May 20-23, 2024
9:00 am– 1:00 pm
https://wsccsupport.org/event/sud-family-navigator-training-38-2/

June 10-13, 2024
9:00 am– 1:00 pm
https://wsccsupport.org/event/sud-family-navigator-training-37-2/


For more information, please visit the WSCC website

Thoughts? Happening here? Accurate?…
__________________________________

APRIL 6, 20248:31 AM ET
HEARD ON WEEKEND EDITION SATURDAY
By Scott Simon, Brian Mann

More people suffering from drug addiction are being forced into drug treatment and threatened with prison if they don't comply. Some say it's "tough love." Critics say it's unethical and ineffective.

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

People with addiction are being forced into drug treatment programs more frequently across the country. Those who refuse are threatened with prison, the loss of welfare benefits or other penalties. Supporters say this tough-love approach may be necessary, but many doctors and addiction experts disagree and say it might lead to more fatal overdoses. NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann joins us now. Brian, thanks for being with us.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Hi there, Scott.

SIMON: Brian, how common has mandated addiction care become around the country?

MANN: They're really common. And it's noteworthy, Scott, that drug use is one of the few areas of American life where officials use this threat of criminal penalties and prison time to pressure people into accepting medical treatment against their will. With the threat of fentanyl, more states are embracing this idea. Just a few weeks ago, when lawmakers in Oregon were debating a measure to recriminalize hard drug use, this kind of mandated treatment was a cornerstone of the bill. Here's State Representative Kevin Mannix.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KEVIN MANNIX: The central or core principle here was accountability combined with compassion.

MANN: And that measure passed on a bipartisan vote. California passed a similar law last year, making it a lot easier to detain people and force them into medical treatment for addiction. And voters in San Francisco just approved a measure that requires people on welfare to get drug treatment.

SIMON: What's the argument for forced treatment?

MANN: Well, really, since the 1970s, governments in many parts of the U.S. have used drug courts and other systems to pressure people to first get sober and then accept treatment. Because of fentanyl, as I mentioned, street drugs are more deadly, killing tens of thousands of people a year, so these policies are gaining momentum again. I spoke about this with Tom Wolf. He's a recovery activist in San Francisco, and he says this process, being arrested and threatened with punishment, saved his life.

TOM WOLF: It helped me kick the withdrawals from the he**in and the fentanyl that I had started to use as well. And then I was given an opportunity, a choice. I could continue to sit in jail at that point, or I could go to a rehab.

MANN: So these programs do help some people. Wolf's been in recovery for nearly six years.

SIMON: Brian, you also spoke with some addiction experts who were troubled by this approach. What did they say?

MANN: Well, really, most experts I spoke to, Scott - physicians and researchers - said linking health care and police and criminal punishments is ineffective and can actually scare people away from treatment. Morgan Godvin studies drug policy in Portland, Ore. She was addicted to he**in and says she and many of her friends were forced into these treatment programs. She says they were dehumanizing and dangerous.

MORGAN GODVIN: Psychologically, I associate treatment with handcuffs and strip searches. We were harmed by our contact with the criminal justice system.

MANN: And one of the big concerns here, Scott, that people raise is that people sent into these mandated treatment programs often relapse. They start using drugs again, then they wind up behind bars. And there's strong data showing those people sent to jail or prison are then far more likely to overdose and die when they're released. So experts say these tough-love laws are meant to be compassionate, but often have these really deadly unintended consequences.

SIMON: You also heard concerns, Brian, about medical ethics. What did people say about that?

MANN: Yeah, a lot of doctors I talked to say using police and threats of prison time to coerce people into medical care they don't want is just wrong. I spoke about this with Dr. Stephen Taylor with the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

STEPHEN TAYLOR: We want to help people who have addiction disorders, but we have to respect people's autonomy and their rights to accept treatment if they want to accept treatment.

MANN: And Taylor, who's Black, says this kind of coerced treatment is especially problematic for people of color.

SIMON: And why is that?

MANN: Well, Scott, studies show Black people, Native Americans and Hispanics are arrested far more often when they use drugs, and they're punished more severely. Researchers also say there's bias and stigma against people of color inside many of these addiction treatment programs that people are being forced into. One study published just last year in the New England Journal of Medicine found substantial racial and ethnic disparities. I spoke about this with Kassandra Frederique, who's also Black. She heads a group called the Drug Policy Alliance that opposes drug criminalization.

KASSANDRA FREDERIQUE: Oftentimes when people name the carrot and stick intervention, what they tend to miss is that some people get the stick more than others.

MANN: So again, the idea, the goal of these laws is compassion. But critics say the end result is often more people, especially people of color, winding up behind bars.

SIMON: I don't have to tell you, Brian, fentanyl is a real crisis that harms human lives. The critics of these mandatory treatment programs have other ideas.

MANN: Yeah, everyone I interviewed, Scott, agrees about one thing, that the U.S. needs a lot more drug treatment programs that are more widely available and affordable. People say if that system were in place, more people would enter treatment voluntarily. Right now, a lot of the states adopting these mandated treatment programs don't have enough capacity in their health care systems to treat the people being arrested. A lot of communities are ramping up their health care programs for addiction, but that process is going to take years.

SIMON: NPR's Brian Mann, thanks so much.

MANN: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Critics of forced drug treatment say it could lead to more fatal overdoses More people suffering from drug addiction are being forced into drug treatment and threatened with prison if they don't comply. Some say it's "tough love." Critics say it's unethical and ineffective.

QUESTION- For those who’ve gone through thru a deeply hard time, and post something about it on social media - would you feel “heard” or “cared for” if AI (Artificial Intelligence) finds it and responds…
…..
““We stumbled upon your post…and it looks like you are going through some challenging times,” the message begins. “We are here to share with you materials and resources that might bring you some comfort.” Links to su***de help lines, a 24/7 chat service, and stories of people who overcame mental-health crises follow. “Sending you a virtual hug,” the message concludes.

This note, sent as a private message on Reddit by the artificial-intelligence (AI) company Samurai Labs, represents what some researchers say is a promising tool to fight the su***de epidemic in the U.S., which claims almost 50,000 lives a year. Companies like Samurai are using AI to analyze social media posts for signs of suicidal intent, then intervene through strategies like the direct message.” …….

Can AI Stop Su***de? Companies are using it to flag concerning posts on social media.

We need these HERE! Help!!!

Recovery Café: A Nonprofit Helping Folks On Their Path to Recovery Learn about Recovery Café, a healing community for those traumatized by addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges.

***I can’t do it alone***.

Since the first day this FB page went “live”, “this” has been a one-person show. I started this effort because PND repeatedly had front page articles that spoke of our dire rates of overdoses, of su***des and substance use. Behind the massive beauty found here, this County holds an ocean of tears from the families and descendants of those who’ve died from fentanyl, from oxycontin… from alcohol… from family traumas of all kinds.

I also remember the racism and NIMBY mindset (remember “Save our Sequim”?) when Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe planned their Healing (MAT) Center. While I heard of locals supporting the Clinic, there were barely whispers even recognizing or supporting folks seeking recovery. It was essentially political… anti-MAT vs pro-Tribe. Lost in this was recognition of all the hurting people.

Why would our community support a Healing Clinic - but apparently **not** the people who needed it?

STIGMA. Fear. Lack of a peer voice.

While I have definitely seen support and heard interest, no one - until I recently presented after an OCH training on “Recovery Language” at Peninsula College - has really shown focused interest.

***I can’t do it alone***.

I am grateful that Nate Tyler, a candidate for LD24 joined me to speak of needs on the west end. Amber Tatarek also spoke - of efforts to get Salish Recovery Coalition moving here (part of Washington Recovery Alliance).

It was noted at the time, however, that it appears there were no people from Port Angeles or Sequim City halls attending this training. This is concerning because both cities have undoubtedly lost valued citizens to overdoses.

I can’t raise the funds, build support and do the many necessary details.

I am just one person- who knows what families and people go thtu as I have lost multiple family members over many years to alcohol, su***de and overdose. The first was in 1948. Second in 1976. Third in 2016.

I have no doubt that other Clallam County residents can cite tearful dates of their own. We hide them because society largely expects us to. We are your legislators, your teachers, your first responders and store clerks. And because many of us have lived thru the emotional distress of traumas, we need people to care.

People are dying. Right here.

We need more that gala fund raising dinners that draw in professional speakers. We need to actually listen to people right here who know how “Recovery” works.

We need a Recovery Cafe.

It has a proven track record.

Will you help?

***I can’t do it alone***.

Please - show up. Read up (right here) on what Recovery Cafe is and why it works… why it matters.

***I can’t do it alone***.

This is why we ALL need Recovery Cafe/s. The stuff here is so cutting edge… 💔❤️‍🩹❤️👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

How We Help Each Other Heal Research on the importance healing in relation.

About

Recovery Review is a community of recovery-oriented experts on addiction and addiction recovery. Our backgrounds include public policy, research, physician health programs, methadone maintenance, collegiate recovery, urban crisis services, hospital-based mental health and substance use disorder services, and teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels.

History of this blog

This blog started in 2005, while I (Jason) was working for Dawn Farm.

I hoped that it would inform my staff’s work and help convey the message that recovery is possible for even the most troubled people with addiction when they are offered help in adequate quality, duration, and intensity by providers and systems who believe they are capable of full recovery.

The blog was also intended to offer an alternative to media coverage, research bias, and stigma often obscure this.

I left Dawn Farm in 2019 and they kept Addiction and Recovery News. We copied all of my posts over here and started this new format.
………

A War on Recovery?
MARCH 7, 2024 ~ JASON SCHWARTZ ~ 3 COMMENTS
STAT ran an article this week that seemed to conflate treatment, recovery, and mutual aid groups: The recovery group Narcotics Anonymous — perhaps the country’s largest provider of addiction treatment Lev Facher. (2024, March 5). How the U.S. is sabotaging its best tools to prevent deaths in the opioid epidemic. Retrieved March 7, 2024, from … Continue reading

(no title) a community of recovery-oriented experts

On Portland streets, recovered drug users offer lifeline to fight fentanyl’s cruel cycle New program pairing peers and police operates occasionally, underscores huge unmet need for basic services.

BELLINGHAM, Wash, — Evelyn Jefferson walks deep into a forest dotted with the tents of unhoused Lummi Nation tribal members and calls out names. When someone appears, she and a nurse hand out the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone.

Jefferson, a tribal member herself, knows how critical these kits are: Just five months ago, her own son died of an overdose from a synthetic opioid that's about 100 times more potent than fentanyl. The 37-year-old's death was the fourth related to opioids in four days on the reservation.

"It took us eight days to bury him because we had to wait in line, because there were so many funerals in front of his," said Jefferson, crisis outreach supervisor for Lummi Nation. "Fentanyl has really taken a generation from this tribe."

A bill before the Washington Legislature would bring more state funding to tribes like Lummi that are trying to keep opioids from taking the next generation too. The state Senate unanimously approved a bill this week that is expected to provide nearly $8 million total each year for the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington, funds drawn in part from a roughly half-billion-dollar settlement between the state and major opioid distributors.

RELATED | As opioids devastate tribes in Washington state, tribal leaders push for added funding

The approach comes as Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington die of opioid overdoses at five times the state average, according to 2021-2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that includes provisional numbers. The rate in Washington is one of the highest in the U.S. and more than three times the rate nationwide — but many of the Indigenous nations in the state lack the funding or medical resources to fully address it.

Lummi Nation, like many tribes, faces an additional challenge when it comes to keeping outside drug dealers off their land: A complicated jurisdictional maze means tribal police often can't arrest non-tribal members on the reservation.

"What do we do when we have a non-Lummi, predatory drug dealer on our reservation with fentanyl, driving around or on their property and are selling drugs?" said Anthony Hillaire, tribal chairman.

Against the backdrop, tribes such as the Lummi Nation, about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Seattle, say the proposed funding — while appreciated — would barely scratch the surface. The tribe of about 5,300 people on the shores of the Salish Sea has already suffered nearly one overdose death a week this year.

Lummi Nation needs $12 million to fully finance a 16-bed, secure medical detox facility that incorporates the tribe's culture, Hillaire said, and money to construct a new counseling center after damage from flooding. Those costs alone far exceed the annual total that would be designated for tribes under the legislation. The Senate has proposed allotting $12 million in its capital budget to the facility.

"We're a sovereign nation. We're a self-governed tribe. We want to take care of ourselves because we know how to take care of ourselves," he said. "And so we usually just need funding and law changes — good policies."

The proposed measure would earmark funds deposited into an opioid settlement account, which includes money from the state's $518 million settlement in 2022 with the nation's three largest opioid distributors, for tribes battling addiction. Tribes are expected to receive $7.75 million or 20% of the funds deposited into the account the previous fiscal year — whichever is greater — annually.

Republican state Sen. John Braun, one of the bill's sponsors, has said he envisions the funds being distributed through a grant program.

"If this ends up being the wrong amount of money or we're distributing it inequitably, I'm happy to deal with this," he said. "This is just going to get us started, and make sure we're not sitting on our hands, waiting for the problem to solve itself."

Opioid overdose deaths for Native Americans and Alaska Natives have increased dramatically in the past few years in Washington, with at least 100 in 2022 — 75 more than in 2019, according to the most recent numbers available from the Washington State Department of Health.

In September, Lummi Nation declared a state of emergency over fentanyl, adding drug-sniffing dogs and checkpoints, while revoking bail for drug-related charges.

The tribe has also opened a seven-bed facility to help members with withdrawal and get them on medication for opioid use disorder, while providing access to a neighboring cultural room where they work with cedar and sage. In its first five months, the facility treated 63 people, the majority of whom are still on the medication regimen today, said Dr. Jesse Davis, medical director of the Lummi Healing Spirit Opioid Treatment program.

But truly thwarting this crisis must go beyond just Lummi Nation working on its own, said Nickolaus Lewis, Lummi councilmember.

"We can do everything in our power to protect our people. But if they go out into Bellingham, they go out anywhere off the reservation, what good is it going to do if they have different laws and different policies, different barriers?" he said.

The tribe has urged Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and President Joe Biden to declare states of emergency in response to the opioid crisis to create a bigger safety net and drive additional vital resources to the problem.

In the encampment in Bellingham, Jefferson estimates there are more than 60 tribal members, some she recognizes as her son's friends, while others are Lummi elders. She suspects many of them left the reservation to avoid the tribe's crackdown on opioids.

When she visits them, her van filled with food, hand warmers and clothing to hand out, she wears the shirt her niece gave her the day after her son died. It reads, "fight fentanyl like a mother."

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"It's a losing battle but, you know, somebody's got to be there to let them know — those addicts — that somebody cares," Jefferson said. "Maybe that one person will come to treatment because you're there to care."

Washington tribes are battling an opioid crisis. Will a multimillion-dollar bill help? Evelyn Jefferson walks deep into a forest dotted with the tents of unhoused Lummi Nation tribal members and calls out names.