MENOMINEE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – The leader of the Menominee Indian Tribe is sharing her thoughts on recent overdose incidents in the community, which includes a death in the jail.
Three people overdosed in the jail on Dec. 23, according to the tribe. Family members of Dallas LaTender, 37, confirm he is the man who died in the incident, which is under investigation with help from the FBI.
Menominee Tribal Chairwoman Gena Kakkak released the following statement Friday:
During what should be a happy and joyous time of year has turned into a time of concern and mourning for a number of our Menominee Nation tribal members. Several recent overdoses, including an overdose death in our jail, have many in our community wondering what is happening and what can be done about substance abuse, particularly the scourge of the deadly drug known as fentanyl.
This is not a problem unique to our community as fentanyl use has skyrocketed nationally and so have the deaths associated with the drug. Just a pinhead dose of fentanyl, which is commonly added to a wide range of substances, is enough to kill someone. That is why, more than a year ago, the Menominee Indian Tribal Legislature declared fentanyl and other opioids a health emergency.
We formed a Drug Addiction Intervention Team (DAIT), a cross functional team comprised of 20+ Tribal, community and County departments, agencies, health and education representatives. The DAIT has worked tirelessly to identify challenges and roadblocks as they collaboratively implement solutions for those who are struggling with substance use as well as their friends and loved ones who want to help. This includes eliminating barriers to assessments and treatments, providing free Narcan and fentanyl test strips, offering recovery coaches and implementing a comprehensive educational outreach effort.
As much as we’re doing, it is still not enough. We need every one of us, every Menominee, every family member, every person who works with our Tribe or on our Reservation to talk about what is happening, and to do something to address or change the situation. Talk with your children and help them learn how to say no to drugs. Be aware of the signs of addiction. Know where to find help. If you or someone you know uses drugs, practice harm reduction by having test strips and Narcan on hand. But also realize that Narcan is not always 100 percent effective in reversing an overdose, especially if a substance is laced with multiple types of unknown drugs. Finally, when you’re ready for help, know that help is available.
Drug use takes a toll on everyone, from the first responders who directly deal with overdoses to those who are working on identifying challenges and solutions to the issue. We thank all of you who are spending countless hours working on the problem.
As we mourn the loss of yet another Tribal member to an overdose, we will continue to work on this health emergency by focusing time and resources on the problem. It’s going to take all of us to do something about illegal drugs in order to make a difference.
