Project Description: The Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (NPAIHB) is conducting this project as a consortium of tribes that have chosen to participate in an NPAIHB Tribal Opioid Response Consortium. NPAIHB provides training and technical assistance to the 43 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho (NW). In collaboration with the NW tribes and tribal clinics, the project will build regional opioid prevention, treatment, and wrap-around services for tribal partners. Activities will increase the availability and use of evidence-based practices, culturally-appropriate services, resources, and messages that meet the unique needs of American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) individuals and communities.
Project Design: The purpose of the study is to understand both the implementation process and impact of the Tribal Opioid Response Consortium, in an effort to cultivate a broader understanding of what constitutes an effective response to opioids in Indian Country. The study includes process evaluation questions related to TOR-funded activities undertaken by the tribes in the region, including: 1) what prevention programs are implemented by individual Tribes, 2) what treatment services are provided, 3) what recovery services are offered, and 4) what policies are implemented, as well as 5) documentation of how many individuals are served (and their general characteristics), 6) how many treatment providers are trained in opioid response strategies, and 7) how many clinics have increased their capacity for opioid response. The study also includes an outcome evaluation that will examine: 1) any changes that occurred in the region to support more effective opioid response in Indian communities, 2) any progress toward the NPAIHB’s written grant objectives, 3) any population-level changes in the region with regard to the number of fatal and non-fatal opioid overdoses and number of treatment admissions, and 4) any changes reported by individuals who received TOR-funded medication-assisted treatment (MAT) or engage with a recovery coach or peer mentor. Collectively, study results will shed light on the types of opioid programs and services that Northwest Tribes are implementing, help identify promising practices and effective policies used by Tribes in the region, provide Tribes in the consortium with the opportunity to efficiently share information and learn from each other, and examine any changes in opioid use or effects in the region.
Funding Source: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Start Date: October 2018
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