Suquamish to build opioid treatment clinic, transitional housing

The Suquamish Tribe is moving forward with an ambitious plan to create a new culturally centered opioid addiction treatment clinic. A new director has been hired to lead the efforts. A transitional housing recovery project is also in the works.

The opioid treatment center will offer a full array of medically assisted treatment, counseling and mental health therapy, health care, dental care, and other wrap-around services, all in one location, according to Suquamish Health Division Director Steve Kutz.

The Suquamish Tribe declared an opioid state of emergency on Sept 11, 2023, and ordered tribal government to create an emergency task force to begin work on a coordinated response.

One year into that work, the task force has transitioned into a steering committee, with Community Health Manager Jeff Riggins appointed chair and the Wellness Center’s Substance Use Disorder Supervisor Brian Burwell serving as vice chair.

“We’re committed to integrating cultural components into this clinic, which has been shown to improve outcomes in addiction recovery within tribal communities,” said Riggins. “Currently, the only opioid treatment clinic in Kitsap County is in Bremerton, but it lacks cultural elements and is located in a uninviting strip mall with minimal services that we already offer through our Wellness Center.”

Tribes do this well

“Tribal communities know how to do this well,” said Kutz, adding Suquamish is patterning its new clinic after successful tribal clinics in Swinomish and Jamestown. The Nisqually Tribe is set to open a new 22,000-square-foot facility in downtown Olympia in early 2025, serving both tribal and non-tribal clients.

“Suquamish wants to take care of its members, but also the general public. You want to heal the wider community around the tribe because that helps make the tribe safer, too,” Kutz said.

Plans call for locating the clinic at a site that is accessible with good public transportation. With early support from local leaders and organizations, Poulsbo is a leading option.

“We will likely start in a temporary location to begin building up our staff and get some services up and running while we create plans for the permanent location,” said Kutz.

New director hired Manuel Pablo has been hired to help lead the development as director of the clinic. Pablo comes to Suquamish from the Cowlitz Tribe where he helped create a similar addiction services clinic in Tukwila.

“We started from nothing and built a staff of more than 20 people with a client load approaching 200 people at any given time,” said Pablo. It was work that left him in awe of both the strength and resiliency of those in recovery.

“I’m amazed by the human spirit, to see people pull themselves out from the bottom of the bottom. That’s real courage. I get emotional about it. I’ve been to some tough places and there’s not a lot of things that get me stirred up, but that kind of courage is one of them.”

Tough places indeed. A former Army surgical nurse, Pablo deployed to Africa during the Ebola outbreak and did two combat deployments to Iraq. He knows the opioid crisis is another of kind of fight, but his time with the tribal community in Tukwila left him wanting to do even more.

“If we do this the right way, in the right spirit, I think the tribe will be very proud of this clinic,” said Pablo.

Transitional housing and more

Meanwhile, the tribe is in the process of creating a Transitional Housing Recovery Program, building off its initial Tiny Homes project.

Plans call for the construction of six transitional homes plus a clubhouse for group work and services, expected to open by next summer. Managed by the Wellness Center, services will include substance use treatment, mental health support, and employment assistance, said Riggins.

Wellness is also creating a new peer case manager position who will focus on outreach, engagement, and advocacy for clients in early recovery. The peer case manager will also provide naloxone training and help reduce barriers to recovery.

A new nurse-family partnership program offered by Community Health is also in the works. The program will offer comprehensive services to pregnant and postpartum women struggling with opioid addiction. Tentatively set to launch early next year, services will include home visits by registered nurses starting early in pregnancy and continuing until the child’s second birthday.

The Opioid Crisis Steering Committee is also launching two new working groups:

• The Data Collection Workgroup will focus on gathering information from Suquamish Police, 911 dispatchers, local hospitals, and other partners to understand the community’s needs and gaps, said Riggins.

• Healing of the Canoe Workgroup has been tasked with updating and adapting the Healing of the Canoe program as a resource for treatment and recovery strategies.

“The Steering Committee plans to establish other workgroups to focus on community outreach, youth, education, policy, and more,” said Riggins. “These groups will include members of our community including tribal Elders, youth, and Tribal Council members.”

By Jon Anderson

Suquamish Tribe provides free naloxone kits, also known as Narcan, throughout the tribal community.

These easy-to-use nasal sprays can help save the life of someone overdosing on Fentanyl or other opioids.

Lobbies (during business hours):

• Admin Building

• Alexis Men’s Oxford House

• Community Development

• Community Health

• Healing House

• Human Services

• Teresa Women’s Oxford House

• Tribal Child Welfare

Exterior Locations (accessible 24-7):

• Fitness Center

• House of Awakened Culture

• Old Man House Park Bathroom

• Place of Change bathroom

• Suquamish Church of Christ (near Food Pantry)

• Suquamish Seafoods

• Waterfront Park

• Wellness Center/Police Department