Ketchikan Indian Community's Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substances Use Program Application for the Behavioral Health Department

The Ketchikan Indian Community (KIC) is a federally recognized tribe in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough, a remote island region in Southern Southeast Alaska that lacks access to comprehensive treatment options. In Alaska, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) residents have the highest rates of poverty and the highest opioid-related naloxone intervention, hospitalization, and death rates. The project will enhance current services for adults with substance use disorders including opioid use disorder and stimulant use disorder, and increase access to detox, crisis stabilization, and treatment services to decrease the risk of overdose and increase access to long-term treatment services. This program will operate within KIC’s Behavioral Health Program, which includes a medically assisted treatment (MAT) program, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment services, crisis stabilization services, and long-term mental health therapy services. The project will be achieved through developing a peer support, outreach, and harm reduction program. Additionally, the program will: expand the availability of substance use disorder treatment services by developing partnerships and developing processes for providing services in community-based settings, including the soon-to-be-launched community navigation center; provide comprehensive treatment and harm reduction services for (AI/AN) individuals with substance use disorder; develop a Peer Support Specialist services program to work within the KIC Tribal Addictions Program; provide medication-assisted treatments (MAT) including buprenorphine and extended-release buprenorphine to 10 uninsured AI/AN individuals. These goals will be achieved through activities under the program that include: daily groups and supportive services by Peer Support Specialists within and outside of the KIC Behavioral Health Clinic; outreach services to distribute information, and harm reduction supplies including naloxone; performing brief interventions; providing referrals to treatment; providing case management services to connect individuals with wrap-around services; providing MAT therapies in our Behavioral Health Clinic; and developing partnerships with other entities providing substance use disorder treatment and harm reduction services.