MASHPEE – Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell has issued a call to action in the wake of two more overdose deaths in the past weeks.
In a message, Cromwell says the tribe has been “disproportionately impacted by this scourge.” 17 citizens of the 2,500 member tribe have died of suspected overdoses in the last 18 months.
“As we mourn the tragic death-by-overdose of two more Tribal Citizens over the past two weeks, I am writing you, not only to give voice to our profound and collective grief, but also as a call to action,” Cromwell wrote.
Tribal officials plan to launch new initiatives to counter the opioid crisis, including establishing their own transitional half-way houses, adding a human services case manager, and creating a dedicated hot line for members who need assistance with addiction.
The Tribal Council also voted unanimously to establish an intervention and crisis response team aimed at addressing substance and alcohol abuse.
Cromwell said officials plan on holding a community forum in the near future to discuss how the tribe can “face this crisis in a unified way.”
“We are taking a ‘head-on’ approach and will arm our community with the resources to combat and overcome this disease that is threatening our People,” Cromwell added.
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