Indian Alcohol and Drug Prevention Project

The FY 2006 Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program allows American Indian and Alaska Native communities to plan and implement activities that will reduce and control crime associated with the distribution and use of alcohol and controlled substances in tribal communities. Through this program, the recipient will develop new or enhance existing strategies that prevent, interdict, and treat alcohol and drug use by tribal members. Awards will used to develop a project activity team; identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who illegally transport, distribute, and use alcohol and controlled substances; prevent and reduce the number of alcohol and substance-abuse-related crimes, traffic fatalities, and injuries; develop and enhance collaborations with federal, state, tribal, and local criminal justice agencies; integrate tribal and non-tribal services for offenders and their families; and make available culturally appropriate treatment and other services.

The Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe (also known as the Oyate) proposes to utilize this grant to expand upon its multi-faceted approach to drug and alcohol abuse in the community. The current approach involves the following facets: 1) an adult drug court that services tribal members convicted of felony drug and alcohol offenses in state courts who have received deferred or suspended imposition of sentences; 2) a culturally-based youth enhancement court for juveniles, and their families, who have committed drug and alcohol violations on the reservation that includes treatment, culture, vocational/educational opportunities and restitution; 3) a coordinated treatment delivery program involving the Oyate's Treatment Provider, Dakotah Pride Treatment Center, the Oyate's Child Protection Program, and the Tribal Court treatment counselor; 4) tribal law enforcement interdiction efforts including increased presence on the tribal highways and state highways that traverse the reservation that includes tribal-state cooperation in prosecuting those persons who bring drugs onto the Lake Traverse reservation and those who consume them; and 5) community education and forums to respond to an increasing drug prevalence on the reservation, coordinate efforts to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and to rehabilitate those Oyate members with drug and alcohol problems and to educate Oyate members on the prevalence of drugs in the community.

CA/NCF