to Plan for Settlement Expenditures
President Rickey Armstrong’s Executive Order established the Opioid Task Force to develop an Opioid Response Plan to address and reduce the impact of addiction and opioid use in our Seneca communities. These plans are being developed in accordance with the Opioid Multi-District Litigation (MDL) Tribal Abatement Fund Trust. The Task Force is comprised of President Rickey Armstrong, Councillors Arlene Bova, Eliot Jimerson, Lisa Maybee, Odie Porter, Keith White, Staff members: Natalie Hemlock, Nakida Redeye, and Flip White.
Over a period of fifteen years, the Seneca Nation expects to receive $5.2 million from the settlement funds. ($6.1 million was awarded, and $900K was assessed for legal fees.) The first Task Force meeting was held on November 1, 2023 with Legal Counsel Karla General providing an overview of the Tribal Abatement Fund Trust (TAFT) and the court-approved uses of funds, including culturally prescribed uses, and a breakdown of settlement distributions. Since that first meeting, the Task Force has met bi-monthly to develop an Opioid Response Plan that addresses the community’s needs.
To ensure that funds are spent in accordance with the Settlement, the President’s Office contracted with Consultant Dawn Colburn, MSW, to review the Nation’s current prevention and treatment programs and assist with identifying areas for additional investment. Through extensive interviews with Seneca Nation department heads, front line workers, grass roots organizations, county and state funded agencies, Dawn summarized and presented the information to the Task Force for its review. As of April 11, 2024, the Plan remains in draft form awaiting the full Council’s review to initiate the spending plan.
The Plan includes coordinating with all Seneca Nation programs, including the Seneca Health System’s Behavioral health unit, Seneca Strong, Education Departments, the Community Centers, as well as working with law enforcement and our community-based organizations to tackle this epidemic that is gripping our entire community.
Community meetings will be forthcoming to share information about programs, resources, and support that is available to get our Seneca members the help they need to live healthy lives.
Did You Know…
- The Cattaraugus County jail consists of approximately 20% Natives, when approximately 4% of the County population is Native. (Mary O’Leary, Cattaraugus County Mental Hygiene Director, January 2024).
- Overdose rates among Natives has increased fivefold over the course of the last decade in the United States. (Hazeldon Betty Ford foundation, Cecilia Jayme, September 2022).
- Nationally, Natives experience 7x higher overdose rates than Whites. (Hazeldon Betty Ford foundation, Cecilia Jayme, September 2022).
