How Native Mothers Beat Opioid Addiction

OM – ORIGINAL MAMAS –

Nov. 20, 2024 – 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. They just have to get there. 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.