USET OTPH Opioid Recovery Series

In 2026, the USET Office of Tribal Public Health partnered with four Tribal Nations to elevate culturally grounded approaches to substance use recovery and healing through the USET OTPH Opioid Recovery Series. The series created a space for public health officials, counselors, psychiatrists, social workers, clinicians, service providers, clinical administration staff, and Tribal leaders to share strategies rooted in traditional knowledge and evidence-based practices.

The impact of the series so far is clear: 100% of participants who completed post-event surveys following January and April webinars reported that the trainings were a good use of their time. Participants described leaving the sessions with practical tools, renewed perspective, and deeper understanding of how recovery efforts can be strengthened through culture and community.

So far, the series has brought together 34 individuals representing 14 different Tribal Nations.

January Webinar: Physical Healing through Medication Assisted Treatment (January 29)

Presenters from the Catawba Nation shared how physical healing can be supported through Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), an evidence-based approach that combines FDA-approved medications with counseling and behavioral therapies. The session aimed to provide a holistic perspective, grounded in traditional teachings and clinical best practices, to help participants better understand, implement, and support MAT in their Tribal Nations.

One participant reflected on the importance of broadening the conversation around recovery:

“I also left with a strong reminder that recovery is not an individual journey. Families and communities need support too — through grief support groups, craft groups, and community reinforcements — and through ongoing education that helps people better understand the medication and the disease, reduce stigma, avoid enabling, and learn how to walk alongside someone in recovery with care and awareness, without unintentionally becoming a trigger.”

April Webinar: Emotional Well-Being through Healing of the Canoe (April 30)

The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe highlighted the role of emotional healing through Healing of the Canoe – a culturally grounded life skills and substance abuse prevention curriculum for Native youth. By sharing both traditional teachings and programmatic best practices, presenters equipped attendees with strategies to better understand, implement, and support prevention efforts within their own communities.

The session deeply resonated with participants, with one attendee sharing:

“Kids need and deserve an outlet to speak freely about substance abuse. This program is needed.”

The Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center (GLITEC) was recently recognized through the Wisconsin Public Health Association’s 2026 “Excellence in Advancing Policy” Award for work supporting Tribal public health systems, partnerships, and policy advancement across the Great Lakes region.

While the recognition was presented to Dr. Kade Lenz, the work reflects the collective efforts of Tribes, Tribal public health staff, epidemiologists, environmental health professionals, leadership, and community partners working together to strengthen public health infrastructure serving Tribes.

GLITEC serves Tribes and urban Indian communities across Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Chicago through a wide range of public health initiatives focused on improving health outcomes and strengthening Tribal public health capacity. Over the past several years, GLITEC staff and partners have worked to advance initiatives related to Tribal data sovereignty, emergency preparedness, environmental health, chronic disease prevention, dementia and brain health, maternal and child health, infectious disease response, and community-driven public health planning.

Much of this work has focused on strengthening collaboration between Tribes, state health departments, federal agencies, universities, and national public health organizations while ensuring Tribal voices remain central in decisions impacting Tribal Nations. This includes efforts supporting Tribal epidemiology infrastructure, regional emergency preparedness coordination, culturally grounded community health assessments, environmental health initiatives, and improved access to Tribal public health data.

GLITEC has also supported work related to Tribal Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) development, data use agreements, public health workforce development, and technical assistance for Tribal health departments and programs. Across projects, the emphasis has remained on building sustainable systems that respect Tribal sovereignty while supporting community-driven public health priorities identified by Tribes themselves.

In addition to regional work, Dr. Lenz serves on the National Tribal Toxics Council under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP). Through this role, he contributes to national conversations surrounding environmental health, toxic exposures, chemical safety, and environmental justice impacting Tribal Nations.

In February 2026, Dr. Lenz met with OCSPP leadership and staff at EPA Headquarters in Washington DC, to discuss Tribal environmental health priorities and emerging public health concerns impacting Tribes. Discussions included environmental exposures, chemical safety considerations, public health infrastructure needs, and the importance of Tribal representation in national environmental health decision-making processes.

For GLITEC, the Wisconsin Public Health Association recognition represents more than a single award. It reflects the growing visibility of Tribal public health leadership and the importance of investing in Native-led public health systems that are culturally grounded, community-driven, and responsive to the unique needs of Tribes.

The recognition also reflects the strength of the broader team at GLITEC and GLITC. Recent recognitions across the organization include:

• Amber Hoon, LPN and GLITEC Program Director for Dementia and Brain Health, receiving the 2025 Bemidji Area Health Warrior Award from the National Indian Health Board.
• Kade Lenz, PhD, MPH and GLITEC Program Director for the IHS Cooperative Agreement, being honored with the 2025 40 Under 40 in Public Health Award from the de Beaumont Foundation as the first awardee from a Tribal organization.
• Will Funmaker, MBA, MLT(ASCP)CM, GLITEC Director and Executive Director of the Great Lakes Area Tribal Health Board, being recognized among Wisconsin’s Most Influential Native American Leaders for 2026 by Madison365.

Together, these recognitions reflect the depth of expertise, collaboration, and commitment across the organization and the Tribes served by GLITEC and GLITC. They also highlight the growing national recognition of Tribal public health leadership and the importance of supporting Native-led solutions to improve health outcomes for future generations.

 

Kade Lenz, PhD, MPH
Program Director – IHS Epidemiology Cooperative Agreement; Interim Program Director – TECPHI
Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Epidemiology Center (GLITEC), Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council, Inc.

---