Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed
The Navajo Nation is continuing its efforts to bring home tribal members who were deceived by fraudulent sober living homes in Arizona.
The homes targeted vulnerable Indigenous people with false promises of assistance, but instead, left people stranded.
KSUT Tribal Radio’s Crystal Ashike reports.
Vulnerable tribal members were lured with false promises of treatment for substance abuse. Instead of receiving the care they were promised, they were caught in a scam that defrauded Arizona’s Medicaid program of nearly $3 billion.
Thousands were left struggling with untreated addiction and stranded far from home, many on the streets, while their families were unaware of their whereabouts.
In response, the Navajo Nation launched Operation Rainbow Bridge, an initiative to help bring home the estimated 5,000 to 7,000 tribal members affected by the fraud.
Lieutenant Robert Williams of the Navajo Nation Police Department says this is an ongoing effort to locate relatives and loved ones who remain stranded in the Phoenix area.
“When I talk about our relatives and loved ones, I’m not just talking about Diné people. I’m talking about any Native relative we might have down there in that area. During Operation Rainbow Bridge, we did encounter members of other Nations. I know we encountered some folks in Cherokee Nation and some other Nations further back east. So that effort continues to provide resources for those family members, loved ones who want to get home out of that situation.”
Despite the crackdown on these fraudulent operations, Williams says authorities are still investigating reports that some facilities continue to operate and target tribal members.
“I think we’d be naive to say we stopped it because it’s driven by money. There are greedy people who want money and stopping that, that’s a lot of the cause of criminality is that greed. So we have to remain ever vigilant to protect those. who are maybe having trouble protecting themselves, maybe due to addictions, alcohol or drug addictions, they might not be able to help themselves at that moment in time when these people contact them. So yeah, we will constantly keep our eyes and ears out and we ask the public to do the same, but look for people who are unscrupulous and are willing to take advantage of those people who are just ravaged by addiction.”
Arizona lawmakers this year failed to pass legislation to tighten regulations governing these facilities.
They are expected to consider new legislation in 2025.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) declared Friday, October 11, to be Native American Veterans Day in the state.
The day honors Native American men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The proclamation states, “Native American communities have fostered the warrior spirit that exemplifies the qualities of strength, honor, pride, devotion, and wisdom, with Native Americans enlisting at higher rates per capita than any other ethnic group.”
The day is also to draw awareness to challenges Native veterans face today, including access to healthcare and benefits.
According to the governor’s office, there are more than 140,000 Native American veterans living in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, with more than 2,500 in Michigan.
View this post on Instagram
The grassroots group Protect the Sacred is hosting a Native vote event on the Navajo Nation this weekend with Hollywood stars.
The “Walk to the Polls: Honoring 100 Years of Citizenship and Beyond” is an effort to mobilize Native voters.
The event is scheduled to take place Saturday afternoon in Fort Defiance and Window Rock, Ariz.
The event is expected to feature Native and non-Native celebrities, and tribal leaders.
The group has hosted other Native vote events including bull riding, skateboarding, and a horse ride to the polls.
Get National Native News delivered to your inbox daily and stay up-to-date on the 2024 Native Vote. Sign up for our daily newsletter today.
