Contributed by Michelle Overstreet
In June, Cook Inlet Tribal Council (CITC) and the Mat-Su Health Foundation held a press conference announcing a partnership that would offer funding for CITC to provide services to members of the Mat Su Valley. MY House was part of the press conference because we have been partnered with CITC for going on two years and have seen amazing impact on the lives of our homeless youth. Notice I said, “Homeless youth”, not, “Cook Inlet Tribal member homeless youth”.
Although several news organizations covered the story, they missed a key aspect of the partnership:
ALL CLIENTS will be served by CITC in the Valley! Not just Alaska Natives; they will be serving everyone! This means no waiting for assessments for clients wanting to get into substance abuse treatment, faster access to treatment services and peer support, and it means barriers that have separated Alaska Natives from the rest of the population are coming down. We are working together as Alaskans to save lives and make services accessible for everyone!
Imagine if every Alaska Native or American Indian facility that has only served that certain population across the state and nation changed with us and started serving everyone. Care facilities working together to get people to treatment and clean and sober! This has the potential to help turn the tide on the opiate epidemic, bring Americans together and break down barriers that create an “us” and “them” climate in communities.
This is huge, impactful and potentially life-changing for many Alaskans and eventually Americans. What a wonderful world this could be… Let’s keep working together to save lives!
