ᏗᎦᏎᏍᏙᏗ FEATURES
illegitimate prescriptions inside the Cherokee Nation. This show signs of stunted growth, heart defects, poor vision and other negligence to follow federal law, the suit states, has fueled an health issues. Because the Cherokee Nation operates a closed addiction epidemic among Cherokees. To date, at least 25 states, health care system for Native Americans, the Cherokee counties, cities and other bodies have filed similar suits against Nation, Indian Health Service, Medicaid and Medicare will distributors and manufacturers of opioid drugs. incur the cost to treat these patients for potentially their entire While lawsuits make headlines, Cherokee Nation’s ICW lives. This can make it even more difficult to find families fights the battle on a personal front. The department has five willing to foster children born to this epidemic. workers in its child protective While the Cherokee services unit. When a newNation ICW child protective born has symptoms of opioid services unit responds to crisis dependence, medical staff situations, ICW also takes contacts an ICW case worker, preventive measures by who immediately goes to the helping known opioidhospital to begin an addicted mothers tackle investigation. their addiction before “The worker administers becoming pregnant again. a drug test, conducts in Because reunification terviews and observes the of the family is always the baby’s parents at the hospital, preferred outcome, ICW and maybe at their home. provides those parents whose We consider removing the children have been taken into child from the parents’ protective custody the steps custody based on the totality to legally regain their parental of circumstances,” Bakerrights. Limore said. “If needed, we “It’s basically, ‘Fix the contact the attorney general’s problems or you’ll office and go before a judge. possibly lose your children,’” We don’t just automatically Baker-Limore said. “If we’re remove children. It’s a system successful and get the parents of checks and balances that off opioids, then any future involves the Indian Child children they have will Welfare office, the attorney not be born drug-positive general’s office and finally the if they continue to remain judge, who is also an attorney clean. Any work you do to and makes the final call.” improve the family, you If deemed in the best feel like you’re saving interest of the child, a baby future children.” can be removed from paren Baker-Limore said tal custody. It next falls to although there will always be Nikki Baker-Limore, Cherokee Nation Indian Child Welfare Executive Director, ICW to locate another family some children who must be examines case files of recent newborns who tested positive for opioid addiction. member or another Cherokee removed from their parents’ Nation citizen to care for and custody due to other issues, foster the child. she hopes Cherokee Nation’s lawsuit will drastically reduce the “It’s tough. The baby could be in the hospital for a couple of number of babies born with opioid addiction, which in turn could days or a couple of weeks. When they come home, they’re end one of the worst epidemics the tribe has faced in many years. probably going to cry inconsolably,” Baker-Limore said. “We’ve “I hope these children are at least given a chance. They’re at had people tell us they can’t take a child going through least born whole. There isn’t any amount of money or medical withdrawal right now. And as the case moves forward, that child treatment that can fix the developmental issues they’re born with is going to have additional needs. It’s taxing because you start the that are permanent,” Baker-Limore said. “That’s what I hope we’re case at a high level of need, and everyone is affected.” able to change, giving kids a better chance at life because opioids As opioid-addicted babies grow, Baker-Limore said they can are destroying it right now.”
The Official Cherokee Nation News
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