On White Earth Reservation in northeastern Minnesota, a culturally specific treatment program helps Native parents struggling with opioid addiction. The Maternal Outreach and Mitigation Services (MOMS) program serves any pregnant or postpartum parent with substance problems. Some participants come from 60 miles away.
By the time these parents arrive at MOMS, their substance use has often led to significant problems with employment, housing and child custody.
The program has achieved remarkable results. And, statewide experts say, it may suggest new directions and strategies for other distinct communities seeking to develop successful opioid treatment programs.
On White Earth, the MOMS participants do not take their unique experience for granted. They express gratitude to Julie Williams, who founded MOMS in 2015, and to the program that they say has saved their lives. They are willing to share their stories to spread the word that treatment, when done thoughtfully, can work.
Sahan Journal visited Williams and four of the participants last summer. As we sat down in the conference room, one of the women burned sage: a familiar cleansing practice for the group’s daily gatherings. The conversation went on for hours, until hunger took over and we drove to a supper club for grilled cheese and wild rice soup.
Here are their stories.
The series is part of a reporting fellowship sponsored by the Association of Health Care Journalists and supported by The Commonwealth Fund.
