Fentanyl discussed at annual Centennial Accord meetings

Last month, the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation hosted the annual Centennial Accord meetings, a formal collaboration between the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington and the state government. Hundreds of Tribal leaders from Washington, Idaho, and Oregon attended and participated in the meetings.

At this year's meetings, Tribal leaders shared how fentanyl and opioids have impacted their nations and people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose death rates were highest for American Indian and Alaska Native people compared to other racial and ethnic groups in 2019 and 2020. In response, Governor Inslee stated that he plans to propose a bill to enhance K-12 education about opioids.

Funding for mental health care and harm reduction strategies were also discussed to prevent opioid misuse and death among native people in Washington State. Additional key topics addressed during the Centennial Accord included:

• Making the Washington State Opioid Fentanyl Summit an annual event.
• Expediting the Community Health Aid Practitioner/Behavioral Health Aid State Plan Amendment.
• Developing a Tribal youth opioid prevention campaign that reaches all aspects of Tribal communities.
• Ensuring the Electronic Health Records program is funded to help Tribes pay for the administration and implementation of the system.
• Allowing billable Substance Use Disorder services for incarcerated Tribal members and the general population.
• Analyzing the Arizona Medicaid Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM) 1115 Waiver submission to see if it can be implemented in Washington.

For more information and to view pictures taken at the Centennial Accord meetings, check out The Chronicle's article, Washington governor, tribes talk business, fish and fentanyl.