Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Response Taskforce

One significant opioid effort we are involved in is the Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Response Taskforce.

Tribal Nations have faced negative impacts on their health and wellness since the country was colonized. These impacts persist to this day and worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of particular concern is the high rate of opioid and fentanyl-related overdose deaths within Native communities, which represents a health disparity that is above the national average.

During the 2022 Centennial Accord, Tribes called upon then Governor Jay Inslee to act and combat the opioid/fentanyl crisis that disproportionately affects the state’s Native communities. As a result, there was a call to action to develop an annual Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Summit to address the opioid crisis within Native communities in the state.

Background and legislative history

During the 2024 Washington state legislative session, funding to establish the Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Taskforce was appropriated to the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC). AIHC is a nonprofit organization in the state that focuses on the health of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) with an expressed mission to improve the health and cultural wellbeing of AI/AN, shaping a collective Tribal voice on health disparity priorities.

Members

The Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Taskforce includes representatives from each of the federally recognized Tribes in Washington state, both Urban Indian Health Programs, two Native individuals with lived experience, four state legislators, and representatives from a Washington state city and county.

Additionally, the taskforce includes appointees from various agencies such as the Health Care Authority, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Commerce, Department of Corrections, Department of Health, Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Children, Youth and Families, as well as the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs, the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Washington State Patrol.

The HCA’s Office of Tribal Affairs (OTA) supports the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) to coordinate the Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Response Taskforce as directed by the Legislature through the 2024 legislative session.

Key responsibilities

The key responsibilities* of the taskforce members include:

Reviewing laws and polices relating to:

• The illicit sale and use of opioids and fentanyl.
• Jurisdictional authority.
• Tribal exclusionary authority.
• Any related impacts affecting American Indians and Alaska Native people.

Addressing these five priority areas by developing recommendations for changes in legislation and policy:

• Public safety and the justice system
• Continuum of care
• Housing and wraparound services
• Family and community
• Community response

*As outlined in the proviso SB 5950, Section (145)(a).

Washington State Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Summit

In fiscal year 2025, the taskforce held its third summit at the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s ilani Casino Hotel Resort. The Washington Tribal Opioid Resource Exchange (WA-TORE) was established as a result of the 2024 summit and the taskforce’s legislative report. A standalone website will be developed and is currently in the planning stages.

Meeting schedule

Meeting and frequency

Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday quarterly.

Leadership

The taskforce will be co-chaired by one legislative member and four Tribal leaders chosen at the first meeting.

Taskforce subcommittees

In an effort to develop comprehensive recommendations, the taskforce established subcommittees for the priority areas listed under Key responsibilities, utilizing already existing meetings. Subcommittees meet monthly and will be chaired by a Tribal leader and co-chaired by a representative of a state agency.

Public Safety and Justice Committee of the Washington Tribal Opioid and Fentanyl Taskforce

Meets on the second Monday of the month at 10 a.m.

Visit the Public Safety and the Justice System page on the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) website.

AI/AN Opioid Response Workgroup

Meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 3 p.m.

Visit the Continuum of Care page on the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) website.

Governor’s and Tribal Leaders Social Services Council (GTLSSC) Tribal Housing and Services Workgroup

Meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m.

Visit the Housing and Wraparound Services page on the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) website.

Tribal Opioid/Fentanyl Prevention Education Awareness Campaign Workgroup

Meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m.

Visit the Family and Community Services page on the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) website.

AIHC Current Issues in Public Health and Emergency Response

Meets monthly on a Thursday at 8:30 a.m.

Visit the Community Response page on the American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) website.

For Our Lives campaign

For Our Lives is designed to inform and educate Tribal communities about opioid misuse prevention, overdose response, and treatment. 

Visit the For Our Lives website.

To see additional support and resources, visit our resource page.

Referral information

If you or someone you know needs support with substance use concerns, help is available. Below are referral pathways and programs that provide timely assessments, treatment options, and support services for individuals and families across Washington State. Learn more about each program and how to get connected to the right resources.

• General referral – Reach out to your local behavioral health provider or community health center to explore available treatment options and services based on individual needs.
• Washington Recovery Helpline – Outpatient and residential referrals, next day assessments, Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, along with other addiction specific resources.
• Kids Mental Health Washington (KMHWA) – Serves any school-aged youth, regardless of insurance, acuity, and current behavioral health service enrollment.
• Family Initiated Treatment (FIT) and Adolescent Initiated Treatment (AIT) – Learn how families can initiate care for youth in need.
• Ricky's Law: Involuntary Treatment Act (ITA) – Understand the legal process for emergency behavioral health intervention.
• Children’s Long-term Inpatient Program (CLIP) – Explore intensive inpatient care options for children and youth with complex mental health needs.

Treatment options

Finding the right support for substance use disorder (SUD) starts with understanding what are the available treatment options and what to expect when referred to them. This section provides an overview of the types of services that may be included in a personalized care plan, from outpatient counseling to residential treatment and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD).

View youth and young adult residential providers.

Map of residential providers

Map long description: Youth and young adult residential providers map

A map of Washington broken out by counties. Provider names and blue location indicators display in the county where they are located. From north to south, the counties and their providers are:

• Whatcom County: Sea Mar Visions
• Spokane County: Healing Lodge of the Seven Nations
• King County: Sea Mar Renacer Youth Treatment Center
• Yakima County: Sundown M Ranch
• Clark County: Madrona Recovery

Madrona Recovery has a footnote reading, "Madrona Recovery has another location in Tigard, OR (not pictured)."

Age of consent

Washington’s age of consent for behavioral health services (e.g. mental health, substance use) is 13 years old. This means that young people have full authority to access services on their own and limit family and caregiver involvement in their treatment. Substance use patient records are subject to even stricter protections, which may inhibit communication with treatment providers further. Parents and caregivers should always seek guidance with their young person’s treatment team on how to best support their care.

• Signs and symptoms of addiction – Review common symptoms and side-effects of substance use and identify possible signs of early use.
• Defining types of treatment – Treatment for SUD can take place in different settings and at different degrees of intensity.
• Substance Use Treatment fact sheet – Get a quick overview of what SUD is and how it’s treated.
• Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) – Discover how medications can support recovery, including tailored information for:
  • Youth MOUD – Medication treatment options specifically for youth.
  • Caregiver and Youth MOUD – Information to help caregivers understand and support youth in treatment.

Crisis intervention

Immediate, compassionate support during a behavioral health crisis can make all the difference. Mobile crisis teams provide rapid, community-based response and stabilization services for individuals and families in need.

• Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) and Mobile Rapid Response Crisis Teams (MRRCT) – Learn more about these services and how they support youth and families in crisis, with a focus on current efforts in King County.

Resources and how to say involved

Caregiver support

Caring for a loved one with a substance use disorder can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. This section offers resources, education, and peer support to help caregivers navigate challenges, build understanding, and access meaningful support.

Substance Use Disorder Family Education sessions – Learn more about substance use disorder and how to support your loved one’s recovery. Substance Use Disorder Family Navigator Services – Connect with trained navigators through organizations such as:

• Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center
• Tacoma Recovery Center
• Peer Washington (Olympia, Seattle, Kent, Spokane)
• Recovery Café of Clark County

Supporting youth who use opioids – Tools and guidance for families of young people struggling with opioid use. Support groups – Join community-based groups such as:

• Community Reinforcement and Family Training Skills Groups
• SMART Families and Friends

Center of Parent Excellence (COPE) – Access specialized support and coaching for parents and caregivers navigating behavioral health challenges.

Youth and young adult recovery support

Recovery is possible—and young people deserve access to the right tools, community, and support to thrive. This section highlights recovery-focused programs and services tailored for youth and young adults, including education-based recovery models, peer support, and safe, stable housing options.

Seattle Public Schools Recovery High School – A supportive learning environment for students in recovery. Collegiate Recovery Support Services – Campus-based resources that help young adults maintain recovery while pursuing higher education. Peer Support – Connect with others who have lived experience and are trained to walk alongside youth in recovery. Supportive housing options – Explore recovery-focused living environments, including:

• Recovery Residences
• Washington Alliance for Quality Recovery Residences
• The Bridge program, including:
  • North Star Advocates
  • Excelsior LifePoint program

Clinically managed low-intensity SUD residential treatment (ASAM Level of Care 3.1) – Structured recovery housing with treatment support at programs such as:

• Sea Mar Renacer
• Sea Mar Visions

Washington Thriving

Washington Thriving is a collaborative statewide effort to develop a strategic plan for equitable behavioral health for children, youth, and young adults from before they are born through age 25, including their parents and caregivers. This ambitious process prioritizes collaborative engagement between individuals with lived or living experience as a youth or parent or caregiver and decision makers who will act to make the vision a reality.

Learn more.

Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG)

The Children and Youth Behavioral Health Work Group (CYBHWG) provides recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature to improve behavioral health services and supports for children, youth, young adults, and their families/caregivers. The group includes legislators, state agencies, health care providers, tribal governments, community behavioral health services, advocates, and other organizations, as well as youth and young people who have received services and parents of children and youth who have received services.

Learn more.

Family Youth System Partner Round Table (FYSPRT)

FYSPRTs bring families/caregivers, youth, and system partners together to improve behavioral health services and outcomes for youth and their parents or caregivers in Washington State. These groups provide a space to share lived experiences, identify recurring gaps or needs, and collaborate on solutions to ensure youth and families/caregivers have access to the services that they need. FYSPRTs represent the policy level of the system of care approach by ensuring that the voices of youth and families/caregivers are part of shaping policies and services to create a more responsive and effective behavioral health system.

Learn more.

Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee (SURSAC)

SURSAC brings together individuals with lived experience, service providers, advocates, and system partners to improve access to and the effectiveness of substance use recovery services in Washington State. The committee advises on the implementation of recovery-oriented policies and programs, identifies gaps in services, and helps shape a system that is equitable, person-centered, and rooted in community needs. SURSAC ensures that the voices of people in or seeking recovery are central to building a more accessible and supportive recovery system.

Learn more.

(Updated January 13, 2026)