Blood Tribe community members voice concerns on drug crisis, detox facility

A former employee of a Blood Tribe wellness centre is speaking up over ongoing substance-related deaths that have plagued the reserve. Roger Prairie Chicken says that millions of dollars given to the Blood Tribe First Nation for detox beds and supports for those dealing with addiction are not being used for their intended purpose. He reports that in the last fiscal year, 184 Blood Tribe members have died, 57 percent of those deaths were alcohol-related, and more than half of the remaining were prescription-related. Prairie Chicken organized a rally on Wednesday afternoon in Standoff to give his community a chance to be heard.

Another major concern raised by the community alleged that clients of the Bringing the Spirit Home Detox Centre were being sold drugs by the centre staff.

UPDATE: The Blood Tribe Department of Health has issued a response to the above allegations. The update to this story is available here.

Naveen Day

Naveen came to Lethbridge in 2018 with experience in broadcast spanning over 20 years. In Winnipeg, he produced two factual entertainment shows for Shaw and Bell MTS prior to his move to Southern Alberta where he quickly ventured out into the world of journalism at Bridge City News. Naveen has a passion for producing thought-provoking and informative news pieces that answer questions we all have in the back of our minds.

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