ELIGIBLE, THEIR CONTINUED OPERATION IS ESSENTIAL.
>> TRIBAL NATIONS IN WISCONSIN WANT TO BUILD AN ADOLESCENT
RECOVERY AND WELLNESS CENTER IN ONEIDA COUNTY ABOUT AN HOUR
NORTH OF WAUSAU. THE YOUTH RECOVERY CENTER WOULD
BE A 36-BED RESIDENTIAL FACILITY FOR TEENS AGED 13 TO 17 WITH
SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER. BOARD MEMBERS OF THE TOWN OF
CASHEN WHERE IT WOULD BE LOCATED OPPOSE IT, CITING SAFETY AND
REDUCED PROPERTY VALUES, AMONG OTHER CONCERNS.
THE RECOVERY CENTER HAS BEEN ON HOLD BECAUSE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
OPPOSITION. MEANWHILE, THE OPIOID CRISIS HAS
OVERTAKEN NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES IN WISCONSIN WHERE
OVERDOSE DEATHS ARE THREE TIMES THE STATE RATE.
THE MENOMINEE TRIBAL CHAIR SAYING OUR NATION IS IN CRISIS.
THE GREAT LAKES CENTER TRIBAL COUNCIL IS BUILDING THE CENTER.
WE SAT DOWN WITH ITS C.E.O., BRIAN BAINBRIDGE, FOLLOWING THE
STATE OF THE TRIBES ADDRESS. SO DESCRIBE FOR US WHAT THAT
OPIOID CRISIS LOOKS LIKE AMONG TRIBAL NATIONS IN WISCONSIN.
>> WELL, THE OPIOID CRISIS LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER COMMUNITY
THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN. NOT JUST TRIBAL.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND THE TRIBES ARE SEEING THE CRISIS AND
NEEDING TO REACT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
HAVE A PLACE, SAFE PLACE, SAFE SPACE WHERE WE CAN HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE OUR KIDS, SAVE OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE. AND SO AS THE FACILITY IS
PLANNED, YOU KNOW, OVER 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE THOUGHT AND
MOVING FORWARD AND THE NEED, YOU KNOW, IT'S -- IT'S REALLY ABOUT,
YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE SOMEONE HAS A GOOD PLACE TO GO AND, YOU
KNOW, IT'S -- WITH JUST ABOUT ANY TYPE OF TRAUMA OR INCIDENT,
THERE'S A BACKGROUND, THERE'S A STORY TO THAT, FOR EACH
INDIVIDUAL. THEY'RE COMFORTABLE TELLING THAT
STORY IN ORDER TO MOVE THEM FORWARD.
CONCERNS ON THE PART OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT?
>> WELL, I RESPECT THEIR CONCERN, AND EVEN THROUGH --
FROM THE BEGINNING AFTER WE PURCHASED THE -- THE TRIBES
PURCHASED THE LAND, THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I DID WAS REACH OUT
TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE TOWN BOARD AND SAID, HEY, I WANT
TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE
PLANNING ON DOING HERE WITH THIS PROJECT AND EVEN INVITED THE
CHAIR TO MY OFFICE. SHE SHOWED UP AND WE TALKED
ABOUT IT. I HAD CONCEPTUAL DRAWINGS OF THE
FACILITY BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME FEARS OF THINKING IT WAS A
DETENTION CENTER OR JUVENILE PRISON-TYPE SETTING AND THE
PURPOSE, IT'S FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY WANT TO BE IN A
PLACE AND GET TO A PLACE OF WELLNESS.
AND IT'S NOT MEANT TO BE INSTITUTIONAL, BECAUSE THAT'S
NOT CONDUCIVE TO HEALING. YOU KNOW, THE STIGMA IS ALREADY
THERE AND WHEN SOMEONE IS GOING THROUGH IT, HAVING A PROBLEM
WITH SUBSTANCE USE OR EVEN MENTAL HEALTH, WE REALLY WANT TO
DE-STIGMATIZE THAT AND KEEP THOSE ELEMENTS OUT OF THE
PROPERTY. SO, YOU KNOW, MOVING THINGS
FORWARD AND EXPLAINING THAT JUST, TOO, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
CONCERNS OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF MAKING SURE THEY HAVE THAT
UNDERSTANDING OF REALLY WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND EFFORTS THAT THE
TRIBES ARE PUTTING FORTH, NOT ONLY FOR OUR TRIBAL MEMBER
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, BUT FOR NON-TRIBAL AS WELL.
IF THERE'S A NEED AND IT'S ONLY 36-BED WITH VERY LIMITED
RESOURCES AND FACILITIES WITHIN THE STATE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
IF THERE'S -- IF THERE'S A PLACE AND SOMEONE HAS A NEED, NO
MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHERE YOU COME FROM, THAT WE'RE GOING TO
TY TO HELP. AND WE WANT TO DO THAT IN A WAY
TO REALLY SET THE GOLD STANDARD. >> DID IT SURPRISE YOU, THE
OPPOSITION? ANYTHING, ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT,
WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SPECULATE AND THAT
GOES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY, AND I WANTED TO GET AHEAD OF THAT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THINGS AS WE DEVELOP TO BRING
RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY WITH UPGRADED BROADBAND.
WE'LL NEED THAT FOR A FACILITY. UPGRADES IN THE POWER.
AND UPGRADING THE ROADS. THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT
BENEFIT EVERYBODY WITHIN THAT TOWNSHIP, THAT COMMUNITY.
>> WHEN A CHILD COMES OUT OF THIS RECOVERY AND WELLNESS
CENTER, WHAT IS THE HOPE FOR THAT PERSON?
>> THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PERSON AND LET
THEM KNOW IT'S OKAY TO BE VULNERABLE FOR A SECOND, BUT GET
PAST THAT VULNERABLE POINT TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AND DO GOOD.
AND AS WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM INSIDE THE FACILITY, WE'RE ALSO
PREPARING FOR THAT TRUE WRAP-AROUND SERVICE.
SO WHEN I SAY WHAT IS OUR HOPE, YOU KNOW, THAT IS TRULY WHAT WE
HOPE FOR, IS TO GIVE A PERSON HOPE FOR, IS TO GIVE A PERSON