Cherokee Nation to unveil first in-house drug treatment center
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Cherokee Nation will unveil its first tribally-operated addiction treatment center Monday at 10 a.m. in Muskogee.
This center will be built in Tahlequah and use the millions of dollars from the tribe's opioid settlement funds.
The $18 million and 17,000 square foot treatment center will be located in the Park hill area of Tahlequah, and construction is set to start this year.
Plans include the main treatment center along with separate dormitories for men and women.
The development will also include cultural amenities for residents such as stickball fields, basketball courts, marbles courts, and more.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner will be in attendance at the unveiling to detail more plans that are part of the tribe's $100 million amended Public Health and Wellness Fund Act.
It will provide $73 million to construct facilities across the reservation over the next five years to meet behavioral health service needs, including drug treatment and prevention.
Additionally, it will provide $5 million in scholarships to encourage Cherokee citizens to enter behavioral health fields and work in the tribe's health system.
This investment will dedicate millions for recovery employment programs and innovative strategies for recovery.
Cherokee Nation employees and citizens who have been impacted by the opioid epidemic will also be in attendance for this historic event.
