Fighting meth

After hours of emotional testimony from law enforcement officials and people on and off the reservation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community Council voted unanimously Monday to declare a state of emergency against methamphetamine and other drugs on the reservation.

The vote was taken during a meeting attended by law enforcement officers, representatives from social service agencies from both the reservation and surrounding towns, and people from nearby communities.

The crowd at Monday's meeting was so large that the council's chamber was filled to capacity and some had to sit outside the chamber, listening to the meeting over speakers.

Charmayne Healy, who works at Aaniiih Nakoda College, and Miranda Crasco Kirk, both young mothers and Fort Belknap residents, pushed for the declaration, an unprecedented move in the reservation's battle to curb drug use.

Healy and Kirk said the declaration will hopefully allow them to bring in more resources and establish a support network to help treat addicts, dissuade drug use and educate people about its dangers.

"We don't have the resources to send people to treatment, we don't have the resources for drug testing," Kirk said. "The epidemic here is so bad that we don't have the funding to assist the way we should be assisting."

The council also voted unanimously, to set aside $150,000 from the reservation's profit-sharing arrangement with the Island Mountain Development Group to fund a pilot program.

It is not yet known what the money will specifically go toward, however Healy and Kirk will administer the program in conjunction with the council. They will work on crafting an action plan to determine where the money will be most useful.

"We want to do a lot of networking and further research," Healy said. "It's a three year project, but we will be working to create a non-profit in the future."

Healy said she, like many others, have heard about people and families on the reservation torn apart by meth.

"I was tired of overlooking a lot of stuff," Healy said. "I was tired of turning the other cheek.

Healy said that her plan started with the simple aim of organizing the Zombie Stomp, a walk to raise awareness about meth. Healy said she then began going to council meetings and approaching members about the issue.

For four hours, those in attendance at Monday's meeting introduced themselves and gave their thoughts on how meth has affected life on the reservation.

Council member Donovan Archambault Sr. said that since November, there have been 10 deaths on the reservation involving meth.

"I tell you, you can go anywhere on the reservation - grocery store or post office - and you are going to see someone affected by drugs," said former state Rep. Clarena Brockie, D-Hays, dean of student affairs at Aaniiih Nakoda College, the reservation's tribal college.

She said there are people afraid to be alone, and fearful someone will break into their homes.

One law enforcement officer said he used to ask those he pulled over when the last time was that they had alcohol. Now he asks them when was the last time they used meth. He said the most common answer he hears to that question is three days.

Many expressed frustration with how the use and proliferation of meth has engulfed the reservation.

"I really believe we need to take the kid gloves off," said John Allen, Healy's uncle, who works at the reservation's housing authority.

"Arrest 'em, put a stop to it," Allen said "How many more senseless deaths are we going to have to live through?"

Allen said it is the future of his grandchildren that prompted him to come to the meeting. He said that the reservation playgrounds are often littered with syringes, broken glass and drug paraphernalia, with some parents afraid to let their children out of the house.

Many speaking told of personal losses and experiences involving meth.

Charlene Healy, a nurse and the twin sister of Charmayne said meth leaves no life untouched, affecting everyone who comes in contact with it, not just the user but also their families and caregivers.

"It's hard for me when I take care of mothers who are doing the drug. We do what we can to report it to social services, but it seems nothing is being done," Charlene Healy said.

She spoke of the tragedy of babies being born to mothers who are using, essentially being born as addicts.

Wylynn Shambo of Hays, a single mother of five who spent three years in prison. knows the pain drug use can cause.

"I was taken away from my family for three years because of drugs and alcohol," Shambo said.

She said that when she was released from prison, it was the services from a chemical dependency center, where she received counseling, that helped her.

But, she said, the real challenge is after users are let out of pre-release programs, especially when users return to areas such as reservations where resources for drug treatment are so lacking.

She suggested that a halfway house would be helpful for those battling addiction and looking to restart their lives.

Many expressed hope that the meeting was the beginning of a sustained effort to stem the tide of meth use, with many noting that the issue has garnered more influence and there is more support for action than past efforts had.

"Maybe you can come up with a solution to a problem," Allen said. "I know if you do, the rest of the world will want to be in on it too."