Working together: Addressing prescription drug abuse and underage drinking - a collaboration between the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the Chickasaw Nation, the Comanche Nation, and the Oklahoma City Area Inter-tribal Health Board

Competition for grant dollars is fierce, especially for tribes with low citizenship. Funding agencies want to maximize their dollars by having the greatest effect, and funding individual tribes with low membership may not achieve this. Funding a consortium of tribes to address a common problem, however, not only increases the population affected but also strengthens efforts of consortium members.

Our goal is to describe how four tribes and one tribal health board are working together to address two major common problems – prescription drug abuse and underage drinking.

In response to a funding opportunity from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Oklahoma City Area Inter-tribal Health Board (OCAITHB) solicited participation from the 42 tribes in its jurisdiction. Four tribes responded – the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes, the Chickasaw Nation, and the Comanche Nation. These five organizations formed the Oklahoma Area Inter-tribal Consortium (OIC) and submitted an application.

The OIC was awarded the SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework – Tribal Incentive Grant (SPF-TIG). Now, this consortium is collecting previously uncollected data regarding substance use among Native Americans. Using these data, these tribes are developing and implementing prevention strategies in their communities.

Tribes working together acts as a force multiplier The OIC’s demonstrated results can serve as a model for other tribes or organizations interested in working together to address common issues.

Future funding opportunities should be molded in a way that encourages consortiums. This is a win-win for tribes and funding agencies.