OTAP News and Events
Get the latest announcements on SAMHSA’s efforts to address substance use among Native people. Access the latest news, upcoming events and more.
News
- The American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Behavioral Health Center of Excellence (CoE) has launched its new website. The AIAN CoE aims to develop and strengthen behavioral health agencies to better serve and advocate for AIAN communities across the United States to improve health outcomes and reduce behavioral health disparities.
- Biden-Harris Administration Releases National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and First-Ever Federal Action Plan – On January 4, 2024, SAMHSA held a Tribal Listening Session on the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP). The listening session provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to share information about the 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and Federal Action Plan and engage with Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals on critical issues related to suicide prevention among American Indian and Alaska Natives.
- Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Opioid Response Team wins 2023 Rick Smith Injury Prevention Award from Indian Health Service (PDF | 51 KB)
- Consumer Alert Regarding Fraud Schemes Targeting Native American Communities in Behavioral Health Treatment Centers
- HHS Dear Tribal Leader Letter on Medicaid Fraud in Arizona November 2023 (PDF | 193 KB)
Featured Resources
- FACT SHEET: President Biden Signs Historic Executive Order to Usher in the Next Era of Tribal Self-Determination: creates a one-stop-shop for federal funding available to Tribes. The Tribal Access to Capital Clearinghouse will be launched at the Tribal Nations Summit to provide a one-stop-shop for Tribes and Native businesses to find federal funding.
- Adapting Evidence-Based Practices for Under-Resourced Populations
- American Indian and Alaska Native Disaster Preparedness
- Native Collective Research Effort to Enhance Wellness (N CREW) Program: Addressing Overdose, Substance Use, Mental Health, and Pain
Upcoming Events
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
This session will illustrate the power of traditions and cultural practices in healing. For example, many communities hold ceremonies when service members leave for their service and again when they return. Practices like sweat lodges, talking circles, honor songs, and drumming all work to heal the mind, body, and soul.
Presenters:
- Barbara Aragon (Laguna Pueblo, Crow), Technical Assistant, SAMHSA TTA
- Raymond Daw (Navajo Nation), Behavioral Health Consultant, National Association of Behavioral Health Consultants
- Ivan Sam (Navajo Nation), Cultural Ambassador, The Veterans Art Project
Past Events
Time: 2 - 3:30 p.m. ET
Hosted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
This listening session seeks input from American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Service Members, Veterans and their Families (SMVF), and community leaders serving this population.
Listening Session Goals:
- Better understand the views and concerns of tribal communities and find ways to build a strong tribal program for suicide prevention
- Ensure representation and elevate indigenous knowledge throughout all aspects of program planning and implementation
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
This session will provide an overview of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda and will describe resources available to promote the mental health and well-being of Tribal communities.
Presenters:
- Captain Karen Hearod, M.S.W., LCSW (Choctaw Nation), Director, Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy, SAMHSA
- Sienna Hunter-Cuyjet, LMSW, LCSW, LICSW, ACSW (Shinnecock Nation), Certified Trauma & Resilience Practitioner, SAMHSA Tribal Training & Technical Assistance (TTA) Center, Three Star Government Solutions, LLC
Time: 2 – 3:30 p.m. ET
This session will provide an overview of the history of military service among American Indian and Alaska Native people. It will emphasize the importance of practicing cultural humility and trauma-informed care.
Presenters:
- Gregorio Kishketon, D.Ph. (Tribal Elder with the Water Clan – Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma), Program Analyst, Center for Minority Veterans, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
- Scott Barton (Mashantucket Pequot/Mohawk), Director of Tribal Initiatives, Suicide Prevention Resource Center, University of Oklahoma
Time: 4 - 5:30 p.m. ET
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing a webinar and conference call (PDF | 93 KB) for prospective applicants interested in applying for fiscal year 2024 Tribal Opioid Response Grants (Short Title: TOR), TI-24-009. The webinar and conference call will be led by SAMHSA Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy staff.
Time: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET
Information about the SAMHSA TTAC and the agenda for this meeting can be found on the SAMHSA website. During the meeting, SAMHSA TTAC delegates and SAMHSA leadership will discuss SAMHSA programs/initiatives and tribal behavioral health priorities.
Review the TTAC Charter for more information on TTAC function, activities, and structure.
March 5, 2024 | Tribal Listening Session: SAMHSA Client-Level Performance Management Tools
This listening session series provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to hear from Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals about how to decrease burden and increase data quality to streamline reporting for grants. This information helps inform the redesign of the client-level performance management tools.
- Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality Office of Evaluation Listening Sessions Executive Summary (PDF | 85 KB)
- Tribal Grantee Listening Session Summary (PDF | 230 KB)
February 29, 2024 | Tribal Listening Session: SAMHSA Client-Level Performance Management Tools
This listening session series provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to hear from Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals about how to decrease burden and increase data quality to streamline reporting for grants. This information helps inform the redesign of the client-level performance management tools.
- Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality Office of Evaluation Listening Sessions Executive Summary (PDF | 85 KB)
- Tribal Grantee Listening Session Summary (PDF | 169 KB)
January 4, 2024 | Tribal Listening Session: The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP)
This listening session provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to share information about the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention and engage with Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals on critical issues related to suicide prevention among American Indian and Alaska Natives they would like to see represented in the new strategy.
- Listening Session Executive Summary: The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) (PDF | 25 KB)
- Dear Tribal Leader Letter: The 2024 National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (PDF | 279 KB)
November 13, 2023 | Tribal Listening Session: Use of High Dose Buprenorphine for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
The session provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to hear from providers treating opioid use disorder in Tribal clinical settings about the need for practical experience with higher dose (24mg+) buprenorphine. This information helps inform federal guidance and activities on buprenorphine dosing in the context of fentanyl.
- Drug Overdose Deaths by Selected Sociodemographic and Social Determinants of Health Characteristics 2019–2020
- Buprenorphine After Nonfatal Opioid Overdose: Reduced Mortality Risk in Medicare Disability Beneficiaries
- Buprenorphine Dose and Time to Discontinuation Among Patients With Opioid Use Disorder in the Era of Fentanyl
November 9, 2023 | Tribal Listening Session Part 2: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources Native Americans Grant Program
The listening session provided an additional opportunity for SAMHSA to share information about the statutory requirements and engage with Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals on the development of this program.
- Listening Session Executive Summary: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans Program (PDF | 123 KB)
- Listening Session #2 Executive Summary: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans Program (PDF | 96 KB)
August 29, 2023 | Tribal Listening Session Part 1: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans
The listening session provided an opportunity for SAMHSA to share information about the statutory requirements and engage with Tribal Leaders and Tribal Behavioral Health professionals on the development of this program.
- Dear Tribal Leader Letter: Invitation to the Tribal Listening Session (PDF | 255 KB)
- Tribal Listening Session Framing Paper: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans Program (PDF | 255 KB)
- Listening Session Executive Summary: Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Resources for Native Americans Program (PDF | 123 KB)
March 23, 2023 | Tribal Listening Session: Updating the National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda (TBHA)
SAMHSA has heard from Tribal Leaders that an update to the TBHA, including lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, is needed to ensure its priorities and strategies continue to be reflective of tribal behavioral health.
- Dear Tribal Leader Letter: Updating the National Tribal Behavioral Health Agenda (PDF | 348 KB)
- TBHA Community Convening Report (PDF | 324 KB)
March 27, 2023 | SAMHSA Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act Listening Session with Tribal Educators
SAMHSA and DEA seek views and perspectives from tribal educators on key opioid use disorder and other substance use disorder training elements to inform guidance related to the implementation of the MATE Act.
November 9, 2023 | Tribal Consultation: Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) Grant Program
Before any action is taken that will significantly affect Indian Tribes, it is the SAMHSA policy that consultation with Indian Tribes will occur to the extent practicable and permitted by law. The Tribal Consultation session provided an opportunity for government-to-government dialogue.
- TOR Consultation Report (PDF | 139 KB)
- Dear Tribal Leader Letter: Invitation to the Virtual Tribal Consultation (PDF | 231 KB)
- TOR Briefing Document (PDF | 110 KB)
March 10, 2022 | Tribal Consultation: Proposed Changes to 42 CFR Part 2
Written comments were accepted until April 6, 2022. There were 201 registered participants, including Tribal leaders, OCR and SAMHSA senior leaders, other HHS and government staff and other Tribal partners. Six written comments were received.
August 15, 2023 | Tribal Recovery Summit
The purpose of the summit was to share best practices and experiences related to expanding recovery related programs and opportunities within American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities. The ultimate goal of the Summit was to provide all attendees with valuable insight and information that can help improve recovery related outcomes. This included opportunities to discuss strategies that provide evidence of successful service to the community, identify emerging and innovative areas that require focus to guide the further progress, and increase shared knowledge about approaches that may transform the future of recovery in AIAN communities nationwide. Over 200 people attended either in person or virtually.
October 26, 2022 | Region 7 Tribal Behavioral Health Summit
The Summit brought together Tribes, Urban Indian Health Programs, and Tribal-serving organizations from across Region 7 to discuss behavioral health issues among Native communities.
September 12, 2023 | SAMHSA Office of Recovery Equity Week American Indian/Alaska Native Communities Defining their own Principles of Recovery Webinar
This event highlighted federal partner efforts that support rural communities to advance health equity and recovery support services for healthy outcomes with particular focus on American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
May 11, 2023 | Promising Practices in Tribal Communities for Children’s Behavioral Health Webinar
This webinar highlighted promising practices and outcomes of behavioral health prevention and services developed and implemented by and for children, youth, and families in Tribal communities; shared information about Federal programs and resources to support the behavioral health and well-being of children, youth, and families in Tribal communities; created a forum to discuss and learn about opportunities to strengthen the integration of relevant behavioral health services in human services and health care programs in Tribal communities; and provided the opportunity for participants to ask questions and share information about what they are observing in their communities and where they see gaps and opportunities for resources and partnerships to support children, youth, and families.
March 8, 2023 | Future Tribal Technical Advisory Committee Delegates Informational Event
On March 8, 2023, SAMHSA TTAC delegates and staff from the Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy met to learn about the vital work this group is doing regarding behavioral wellness. TTAC delegates are leaders in their tribes and regions and keep SAMHSA informed of behavioral health needs and concerns in Indian Country.
December 8, 2022 | Introduction to the Opioid Response Network for TOR Grantees Webinar
In this webinar, presenters from the Opioid Response Network discussed technical assistance needs and processes for TOR grantees.