Cherokee Nation uses opioid settlement funds for treatment center

The Cherokee Nation is using opioid settlement funds to build a residential and intensive outpatient treatment center in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, that will incorporate Cherokee cultural practices into addiction recovery, according to KOSU. The tribe, which was the first tribal nation in the United States to sue opioid manufacturers in 2017, recovered about $150 million through settlements tied to the opioid crisis. Tribal officials said the new 45,000-square-foot facility will include 100 inpatient beds, outpatient services, a stickball court and garden space for traditional foods. 

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said the tribe wanted to take an active role in opioid litigation after missing earlier tobacco settlement lawsuits. Juli Skinner, senior director of the Cherokee Nation’s behavioral health center, said the facility will be the first addiction treatment center fully operated by the Cherokee Nation. Tribal officials said the center is expected to open next year and will provide services at no cost for tribal citizens.