KESHENA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Menominee Nation tribal leaders are attributing a significant decrease in drug overdose incidents to increased education and awareness efforts, as well as more recovery resources.
“Just having more access and being able to be open about the need for help and treatment has really done a significant job,” said Addie Caldwell, director of wellness programs at the Maehnowesekiyah Wellness Center.
So far in 2024, officials with the tribe’s Drug Addiction Intervention Team (DAIT) say there have been three confirmed overdose deaths and a nearly 70% overall decrease in overdose incidents.
In 2023, there were 116 overdose incident calls, which included 17 overdose deaths. Back in 2022, when the tribe declared a state of emergency related to the impacts of drug use and addiction, there were 101 calls.
Many of the overdose incidents the tribe is seeing involve fentanyl. For DAIT Co-Chair Ben Warrington, as an EMT, it’s especially difficult receiving those overdose calls.
“As a service provider, as an EMT, getting that call, you’re always worried it could be one of your family members or a friend, and that has happened,” said Warrington.
While the tribe has seen a positive trend this year, leaders agree there’s more to do. Points of emphasis include reaching their youth and expanding more access to mental health care.
“We have kids that are growing up in homes where they’ve seen, unfortunately, multiple overdoses. They’ve lost family members. They’ve lost mom and dad. These things come with so much grief, so much trauma,” said Caldwell.
“Being in recovery my own self, you know, it’s a beautiful thing to engage and to be apart of that process for people and to show people, like ‘We can do this, we do this together,'” added Spencer Gauthier, secretary for the Menominee Tribal Legislature.
Anyone battling addiction is encouraged to take advantage of the resources the tribe has available.
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