KESHENA, Wis. (WBAY) – The Menominee Indian Reservation is reporting a drop in drug overdoses, in line with a downward trend seen across the country.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in May that there was a 3 percent drop in overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023 in the United States, a landmark statistic not seen since 2018. Data is still being collected for 2024, it said the nation.

The Menominee Tribe, which declared a state of emergency in 2022 related to the impact of drug use and addiction, has seen a nearly 70 percent drop in overdose incidents so far this year, the nation said in a news release Tuesday.

While the decline is good news, it doesn’t mean that there is no longer much work to be done to combat addiction and substance abuse. Many clinics and treatment centers, such as the Maehnowesekiyah Wellness Center, have seen an increase in the number of patients seeking help for mental health and/or addiction issues.

The Menominee Tribe said statewide issues such as access to care and treatment, program funding, adequate staffing of providers, limitations of the law and limited resources in jails and prisons remain. These issues affect the timely delivery of services.

Addiction and mental health support is available to everyone! To find resources on the Menominee reservation, please visit https://www.menominee-nsn.gov/GovernmentPages/Initiatives/DAIT.aspx.

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