Alcohol's deadly toll on Indians
12 percent of tribal deaths linked to excessive drinking.
To Caron Yellowfish, it's no surprise that nearly 12 percent of all deaths among American Indians are alcohol-related, which is what figures contained in a new study from the Centers for Disease Control show.
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Several tribes offer treatment for addiction
In Oklahoma, several tribes have free programs to educate members about drug and alcohol abuse. In addition to education, a handful of tribes operate free residential drug and alcohol treatment centers. In Talihina, the Choctaw Nation operates a residential treatment center that sees about 300 people per year, said Darrell Sorrels, director of the Choctaw Nation's recovery center.
Sorrels said about half the people who come to the residential treatment center are battling alcohol addiction. The other half are usually trying to kick a methamphetamine habit, he said. Access to treatment can be a challenge, but that can be true for most people who live in rural Oklahoma, regardless of race, Sorrells said.
In other cases, American Indians who have successfully completed treatment programs move to a different location to avoid a relapse, said Caron Yellowfish, director of a halfway house in Lawton. It's not uncommon for former residents of the halfway to relocate to Lawton, where they already have a support network. Many continue contact with members of their Alcoholics Anonymous group, she said.
"They come back each year and visit,” she said.
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