The Nisqually Indian Tribe announced on Oct. 9 that construction for a medically assisted treatment (MAT) facility broke ground this week.
Located at 3663 Pacific Ave SE in Olympia, the MAT facility will help address the opioid crisis in Thurston County.
According to a press release, the Nisqually Indian Tribe is “passionate” about implementing a whole person recovery model, which keeps all services under one roof so the patient has the best possible chance at recovery.
“We know from the example of Washington tribes who have already adopted this model that it creates more opportunity for successful treatment,” Willie Frank III, chairman of the Nisqually Indian Tribe, said in a media release. “As Indian people, we have always been about whole person wellness, but we have had to circle back through Western medicine to our approach that we will be offering to tribal and non-tribal people.”
The goal of MAT is to “bring healing and wellness to the local community,” while serving tribal and non-tribal patients. The press release stated that staff will receive training on how to properly use the overdose reversal drug naloxone, often referred to as Narcan. All employees will receive a kit to keep with them, and there will be additional kits located throughout the Nisqually government campus and on poles in neighborhoods.
“Like every other community, but especially in Indian Country, we are losing too many of our people to addiction and overdose related to opioids,” Frank said. “Thinking of the next seven generations, that means lifting up those with us now and supporting their healing journey so they can be a part of the bright future of the Nisqually Tribe.”
The Nisqually Healing Center is planned to be a 22,000-square-foot integrated care center, focused on opioid use disorder, primarily. The facility can serve up to 500 patients and will bring up to 100 jobs to the surrounding community.
Services at the facility will include substance use disorder counseling and education, mental health counseling for individuals and families, medication assisted therapies, psychiatric medication management, dental care and primary care, according to the press release.
For more information, contact Joe Cushman, planning director at the Nisqually Tribe, through email at cushman.joe@nisqually-nsn.gov or by calling (360) 456-5221.
