Protecting communities from meth, prescription drug abuse
Outreach staff at Cheyenne River Indian Outreach are always working to educate the community. To stay on top of issues that need attention, they attended a training session on methamphetamine and prescription drug abuse.
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Cheyenne River’s neighbor to the north, hosted the two-day event. Speakers included:
- FBI agent working on the North Dakota Drug Task Force
- Nurses from Indian Health Services
- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Housing Authority Director
- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Environmental Protection Agency Director
- Standing Rock Tribal Attorney
- US Attorneys for North Dakota and South Dakota
- Director and Counselors from Child Protection Services
“The variety of speakers really helped us understand how every part of a community can be affected by drug use — especially one as toxic as methamphetamine,” said LeNae, Outreach Coordinator for Cheyenne River Indian Outreach.
Each agency deals with different aspects of the drug problem. The EPA and Housing Authority work to resolve the housing shortage and clean homes contaminated by methamphetamine use. Attorneys discussed the banishment order put in place by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, which calls for those convicted of using or distributing methamphetamines to leave the reservation. Child Protection Services touched on the lack of foster homes and how drugs in a home can damage or affect children.
“This was an exciting opportunity for us,” said LeNae. “We need to work together to combat this horrible epidemic before it takes over our communities. We are thankful for being able to attend workshops like this.”