In Bellingham, Washington, Evelyn Jefferson ventures into a wooded area where members of the Lummi Nation tribe are living in tents. She calls out names and when someone responds, she and a nurse distribute naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses.

Jefferson, a tribal member herself, knows how critical these kits are: Just five months ago, her own son died of an overdose from a synthetic opioid that’s about 100 times more potent than fentanyl. The 37-year-old’s death was the fourth related to opioids in four days on the reservation.

Jefferson, a crisis outreach supervisor for Lummi Nation, explained that it took eight days to lay their loved one to rest due to a backlog of funerals. The tribe has been heavily impacted by fentanyl, losing many members from their generation.

A proposed legislation in the Washington Legislature aims to increase financial support for tribes, such as Lummi, in their efforts to prevent opioid addiction in future generations. The bill was unanimously passed by the state Senate this week and is projected to allocate a total of approximately $8 million annually to the 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington. These funds will be sourced, in part, from a settlement of around $500 million between the state and top opioid distributors.

The approach comes as Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington die of opioid overdoses at five times the state average, according to 2021-2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data that includes provisional numbers. The rate in Washington is one of the highest in the U.S. and more than three times the rate nationwide — but many of the Indigenous nations in the state lack the funding or medical resources to fully address it.

The Lummi Nation, similar to other tribes, encounters an extra obstacle in their efforts to prevent external drug traffickers from entering their territory. A complex system of jurisdiction often prevents tribal law enforcement from apprehending non-tribal individuals on the reservation.

Anthony Hillaire, the chairman of the tribe, asked what actions to take if there is a drug dealer who is not a member of the Lummi tribe, selling fentanyl and driving on or near the reservation.

Amidst the current circumstances, indigenous groups like the Lummi Nation, located approximately 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Seattle, express that the suggested financial support, although acknowledged, would only make a small impact. With a population of around 5,300 individuals residing on the coast of the Salish Sea, the tribe has already experienced nearly one death from overdose every week in 2021.

According to Hillaire, the Lummi Nation requires $12 million to completely fund a 16-bed, safe medical detox center that includes traditional tribal elements. They also need funds to build a new counseling center due to flood damage. These expenses are much higher than the annual amount allocated for tribes in the proposed legislation. The Senate has suggested setting aside $12 million in their capital budget for the facility.

“We are an independent country. We are a self-ruling tribe. We desire to provide for our own needs as we are capable of doing so,” he stated. “Therefore, we primarily require resources and modifications to laws – effective policies.”

The suggested action would designate funds placed into an account for opioid settlements, consisting of funds from the state’s $518 million settlement in 2022 with the top three opioid distributors in the nation, to be allocated to tribes fighting against addiction. It is anticipated that tribes will receive either $7.75 million or 20% of the total funds deposited into the account from the previous fiscal year, whichever is greater, on an annual basis.

State Senator John Braun, a Republican and one of the bill’s creators, has stated that he envisions the allocation of funds through a grant system.

“If by any chance the amount of money is incorrect or if we are distributing it unfairly, I am willing to address the issue,” he stated. “This will only serve as a starting point and prevent us from being idle while waiting for the problem to resolve itself.”

The number of deaths from opioid overdose among Native Americans and Alaska Natives has significantly risen in Washington over the last few years. According to the latest data from the Washington State Department of Health, there were at least 100 deaths in 2022, which is 75 more deaths than in 2019.

In September, the Lummi Nation announced a state of emergency concerning fentanyl. They implemented measures such as using drug-sniffing dogs and checkpoints, as well as revoking bail for individuals facing drug-related charges.

The group has established a facility with seven beds to assist individuals in overcoming withdrawal and receiving medication for opioid addiction. They also have a cultural room nearby where they use cedar and sage in their healing practices. Within the first five months, 63 individuals were treated at the facility, and the majority are currently continuing with their medication treatment, according to Dr. Jesse Davis, the medical director of the Lummi Healing Spirit Opioid Treatment program.

However, effectively addressing this crisis requires more than just the efforts of the Lummi Nation, according to Lummi councilmember Nickolaus Lewis.

“We have the ability to take all necessary actions to safeguard our community. However, if they leave Bellingham or venture outside the reservation, it becomes futile due to the existence of varying laws, policies, and obstacles,” he stated.

The tribe has called on Governor Jay Inslee of Washington and President Joe Biden to announce states of emergency in reaction to the opioid crisis, in order to establish a larger safety net and allocate more crucial resources towards addressing the issue.

At the Bellingham encampment, Jefferson approximates that there are over 60 members of the tribe, including some of her son’s acquaintances and Lummi elders. She believes that several of them have departed from the reservation in order to evade the tribe’s efforts to control opioid usage.

During her visits, she brings her van stocked with food, hand warmers, and clothing to distribute. She makes sure to wear the shirt her niece gave her the day after her son passed away, which reads “fight fentanyl like a mother.”

“It’s a difficult struggle, but someone has to be there to inform those struggling with addiction that someone cares,” stated Jefferson. “Perhaps that one individual will seek help because they know you care.”