Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse

Coordinating across federal agencies responsible to address alcohol and substance abuse issues, including DOI's (Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education), DOJ's (Office of Justice Programs, Office of Tribal Justice) and HHS' (IHS and other agencies in charge of assisting Indian Country)

Press Release 8/5/2011: New Approach Launched to Reduce Tribal Alcohol and Substance Abuse Problems

The Tribal Law and Order Act which President Obama signed into law on July 29, 2010, works to promote and improve justice, safety and health within American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. In particular, the law calls for the creation of the new office to coordinate alcohol and substance abuse efforts among the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities and federal agencies.

The office will be located in HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The office is poised to begin work immediately, in collaboration with DOI and DOJ on determining the scope of the ongoing problem -- identifying and assessing national, state, tribal, and local alcohol and substance abuse programs and resources; and creating standards for programs. An interdepartmental coordinating committee will guide the overall direction of the new government efforts to improve its work with tribal communities.

That's My People
Originally hosted at the Department of Justice at http://www.justice.gov/tribal/videos.html
"That's My People" is a public service announcement (PSA) developed at the 2011 National Intertribal Youth Summit (NIYS). The PSA represents many voices and vocalizes issues that tribal youth across all regions identified as important to address in their communities. It was filmed on site during the NIYS at the Santa Fe Indian School.

Featured Resources

It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome you to the first edition of the Prevention & Recovery newsletter. This publication is intended to highlight successful practices and stories in Indian Country. Its purpose is to inform you on the issues of alcohol and drug abuse in order to help provide you with the tools, resources, and information needed to prevent and address issues of alcohol and drug abuse in your communities.

Download the inaugural issue of the quarterly newsletter Prevention & Recovery: A Multi-Agency Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Collaboration (PDF, 1.2Mb).

The Office of Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse' current featured resource is "CultureCard: A Guide to Build Cultural Awareness". It is intended to enhance cultural competence when serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Covers regional differences; cultural customs; spirituality; communications styles; the role of veterans and the elderly, and health disparities, such as suicide.