Despite a slight drop in opioid-related deaths in 2024, the drug still claimed over 50,000 lives nationwide. This week, the Great Plains Tribal Opioid Response Summit convened in Rapid City to address the epidemic’s impact across South Dakota, especially on tribal lands and in Pennington County.
Held at the Hyatt Place, the two-day event brought together health experts, tribal leaders, and community advocates to discuss addiction, overdose prevention, and recovery strategies. Topics included the link between opioids and missing and murdered Indigenous people, and the importance of community awareness and access to Naloxone.
The summit was sponsored by the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board, with support from the Preventing Youth Overdose and Tribal Opioid Response programs.
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