A new non-profit, Red Shield 8 Nations, Inc., was recently formed when representatives from seven participating tribes, together with Montana urban Indian organizations met on the Assiniboine Sioux Nations (Fort Peck) Reservation.
This new nonprofit will design, own, and operate an inpatient residential treatment center for substance use disorder on behalf of the governing tribes.
The group will address the need for culturally relevant and affordable inpatient care.
The center will provide the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Level 3.7 (inpatient) and Level 4 (medical detox) care. As of now, the design and business plan include 32 beds with facilities for adults and families. The long-term plans include youth treatment. Medicaid services provided by tribes are 100% reimbursed by the federal government so initial projections show this facility could generate an estimated $8 million in savings to Montana’s state budget.
The services provided will be grounded in Native culture and will work to transition folks successfully back into community life by coordinating these services with existing reservation-based and urban outpatient programs.
The nonprofit is working with a consultant to complete a site selection study and facility design.
