Mendocino County’s Native American community has been especially hard hit with the opioid crisis.
For 2018, Mendocino County ranked fifth in the state for opioid overdoses with a rate of 13.7 deaths per 100,000 residents.
But that number nearly doubles for Mendocino County Native Americans - which saw a rate of 25.37 deaths per 100, 000 residents, according to the on-line data detailed in the California Opioid Dashboard (www.discovery.cdph.ca.gov/CDIC/ODdash/)
In an effort to educate and train Native American stakeholders and tribal leaders, a Narcan training and education workshop was held on January 31 at the Consolidated Tribal Health project in Redwood Valley. It isn’t necessary to attend a Narcan training in order to carry and administer the antidote, but it’s highly recommended.
The Jan. 31 Narcan training was part of the California Rural Indian Health Board’s response to the opioid crisis in Indian Country around the state and here in Mendocino County.
Narcan is the trade name for Naloxone - you’ll often hear those words used interchangeably. And it works to reverse an opioid overdose sometimes in as fast as 3 minutes.
The Narcan antidote can revive people from the brink of death. Narcan is a nasal spray. It looks like a common antihistamine - which squirts right into the nose. It isn’t dangerous to the person administering it, and it wont hurt anyone who doesn’t have opioids in their system.
And anyone administering Narcan is protected by the Good Samaritan law - unless the person helping someone suffering from an overdose is currently on parole.
Narcan is now available for free at the Consolidated Tribal Health Project in Redwood Valley, MCAVHN (Mendocino County AIDS/Viral Hepatitis Network) in Ukiah, the Mendocino County Public Health Department and some Mendocino County tribal offices are offering Narcan as well.
One Tribe, the Pinoleville Pomo Nation is slated to open a clinic soon in the former county probation department on Standley St. in Ukiah
Once it opens, it will be the state’s first Native American Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) clinic, offering medicines to combat opioid addiction such as Methadone, Suboxone and Buprenorphine. Narcan will also be available.
It will be called the “New Life Clinic,” and will offer clinical services to Native Americans as well for as non natives, including counseling, therapy, job training, child care, traditional and alternative medicine, as well as dispensing medicine.
Culturally specific Native American resources for substance use disorder and recovery:
Consolidated Tribal Health Project
Redwood Valley
(707) 467-5616
At Consolidated Tribal Health Project:
Debbie Swayze, Substance Abuse Counselor
(707) 467-5660
Tribal Community Support Groups
Red Road Groups
Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians
Celebrating the Red Road
Community Room
Wednesdays 5:30 pm
Hopland Band of Pomo Indians
Walking the Red Road to Wellness and Healing
Mondays 4 to 5 p.m.
Hopland Healthy Living Center
3000 Shanel Rd. in Hopland
Paul (707) 472-2100 x 1200
Cahto Healthy Living Group
Cahto Tribal Office meeting room in Laytonville
On the last Friday of every month
12:000-1:00 pm
Doris Sloan (707) 467-5644
Pinoleville Pomo Nation
Red Road
Tuesdays & Thursdays from 10 to 11 am
776 S. State St., Suite 101 in Ukiah.
(707) 462-7801
Redwood Valley Rancheria
Red Road
Thursdays at 6:00 pm
Tribal Office at 3250 Road I in Redwood Valley
Martin Martinez at (707) 485-0361
Indian Senior Center
Red Road to Wellness
425 N. State Street, Ukiah
Mondays at 6:00 pm
Traditional Healer Sessions
CTHP is resuming Traditional Native American healing services for eligible CTHP patients.
(707) 467-5645
Ford Street Project
Sweat Ceremonies open to the pubic every Sunday (except the last Sunday of the month)
139 Ford St., Ukiah
(707) 462-1934
Tribal Medication Assisted Treatment Project (TMAT)
Visit the Department of Healthcare Services at
Tamika Bennett, project coordinator:
(916) 929-9761 x 1527
California Consortium for Urban Indian Health
(415) 345-1205
Mendocino County Behavioral Health
(707) 467-5645
Mendocino County Safe Rx Opioid Safety Coalition
www.SafeRxMendocino.com