In This Edition: P. 5 COVID –19 Contest P. 10 Overdose Prevention P. 44 Membership Survey Results Cowichan Tribes 5760 Allenby Road Table of Contents 2 Duncan, BC General Manager’s Update 3-4 V9L 5J1 Ph: (250) 748-3196 COVID-19 Response 5 Fax: (250) 748-1233 Opioid Crisis Response Task Force 6-11 Office Hours: Ts’ewulhtun Health 12-18 Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 12:00pm Lulumexun—Lands & Governance 19 1:00pm to 4:30pm Quw’utsun Syuw’entst Lelum—Education 20-32 Lalum’utul Smun’eem Child & Family Services 33-35 ALL ADVERTISING MUST Social Development 36 BE PAID IN FULL PRIOR Sustainable Housing 37-39 TO DEADLINE. PRICE FOR ADVERTISING Flood Management 40 ARE AS FOLLOWS: Operations & Maintenance 41-42 HALF PAGE—$24.50 Membership & Tobacco Tax 43-46 FULL PAGE—$49.00 Talking To Kids About COVID-19 & Mask Safety 47-48 FULL PAGE WITH COLOUR $263.00 Deadline for October 2020 Newsletter Submissions: September 23, 2020 — NO LATER THAN 4:00 PM Reminder please submit your items via: PUBLISHER or WORD Newsletter Subscription Price (for 12 months): Send to: Sherri Norris Canadian & $100.00 in the Admin Building OR Business E-Mail: [email protected] USA $120.00 Find us on Facebook Check our website Off Reserve $36.00 Cowichan www.facebook.com/cowichan.tribes/ www.cowichantribes.com/ Members Quw’utsun Newsletter | 2 Message from Derek Thompson, A/ General Manager On August 5th the Cultural Leaders of the S-amuna’, Kwa’mutsun and Lhumlhumuluts’ Big Houses met with Cowichan Tribes Chief and Council to talk about how to ensure the safety of people using these important cultural buildings. All of the leaders around the table talked about the importance of our cultural practices as well as how to adjust our behaviours to protect our members from COVID-19. Each of the Cultural Leaders committed to talking with their respective committees to determine how the Big Houses will be used for the remainder of this year 2020. I met with each of the Leaders individually on August 18th to follow up on their direction, and I also met with the Spiritual Leaders of the Shaker Church and St. Anne’s Church to see how they can be supported. A meeting will be scheduled for a day in September at which time the Cultural Leaders will inform Chief and Council as to their decisions, and we will then inform the community as to the direction they will set for the rest of 2020. There has never been a time in our lives in which we must all act in unity to protect both life and culture. Our culture and ceremonial practices define who we are and where we come from, and our cultural practices also shape how we must look after each other in such uncertain times. Our commit- ment to look after one another will only strengthen our resolve to ensure the perpetuation of our culture for our children and grandchildren. We express our sincere gratitude to our Cultural Leaders and Chief and Council for having the foresight, ingenuity and bravery for having these important conversations and for making informed decisions to protect the members of this great good community. By ensuring the health and safety of Cowichan Tribes members during the ongoing global pandemic we also protect the certainty of our cultural practices and ceremonies. COVID-19 continues to impact our province, our country and the world, and it becomes that much more critical to stay the course to prevent the spread of this virus in our community. We are all responsible to continue to adhere to the directives set out by the Provincial Health Officer in accordance with the Province’s Restart Plan— https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial- health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus. Quw’utsun Newsletter | 3 Message from Derek Thompson, A/ General Manager The Cowichan Tribes Opioid Crisis Response Task Force continues to carry out the important work to develop immediate and long term recommendations in an effort to better support families affected by addiction. It is important to note that this work has been ongoing and will continue to advance as we make every effort to combat this crisis in our community. It is going to take a deliberate and compassion- ate effort on all of our part to come to terms with the opioid crisis, trauma and addiction in our homes and community. This work must not be done with the expectation that external resources are going to solve this problem - we need your help. It is going to take all of us coming together to figure out how we are going to help our youth and those addicted to alcohol and drugs. September marks the start of another school year and like many parents across the province we are also anxious about sending our children back to school. Our education department has been working tirelessly to develop a safety plan for our returning students and will make every effort to keep parents informed about returning back to school. It’s important to stay informed and up-to-date on all relevant information for your children returning to school - https://sd79.bc.ca/. I continue to work with Chief Seymour and the duly elected members of Council and the Operational Leadership Team in an effort to support members during the ongoing global pandemic. I thank you all for your continued patience and understanding as we adjust to essential service over the medium to long term. Respectfully Yours, Cowichan Tribes will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2020 for the Labor Day Holiday. We will resume regular business hours Derek Thompson on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, with a A/General Manager continuation of Essential Services and working Cowichan Tribes from home. Quw’utsun Newsletter | 4 COVID —19 Response Quw’utsun Newsletter | 5 Opioid Crisis Response Task Force Activity Report Cowichan Tribes is mourning the loss of six Members to the opioid overdose epidemic since October 2019. Several members have also been hospitalized and survived. The opioid crisis continues to get worse. In the month of June alone, 175 people in B.C. died from opioid overdoses. First Nations are being hit the hardest. First Nations people make up 3.3% of B.C.’s population, we suffered 16% of overdose deaths from January to May 2020. Cowichan Tribes has been working to address the opioid crisis since 2016. But due to the recent increase in overdose deaths of our members, we have established the Cowichan Tribes Opioid Crisis Response Task Force. The role of the Task Force is to coordinate actions to prevent overdose deaths, reduce harms related to drug use, and engage with community and partners for short-term and long-term solutions to the overdose crisis. The Task Force will gather wisdom and ideas from members through a virtual Community Forum on the Opioid Crisis, to guide development of recommendations. You can also email: [email protected] For updates and resources visit the Cowichan Tribes Opioid Response webpage: https://www.cowichantribes.com/opioid-response Actions Taken In August, the Task Force: Established Terms of Reference, Membership, and a Work Plan. Began a communications campaign— including videos, infosheets, and Facebook posts— to share infor- mation about overdose prevention, harm reduction, and treatment resources. Set up an Opioid Response webpage on the Cowichan Tribes website: https://www.cowichantribes.com/ opioid-response Enhanced Naloxone training and distribution, youth outreach, and collaboration with service providers. Task Force Membership includes: Cynthia Jamieson (Manager) Sharon Henry (Admin. Support) Jared Williams Jen Charlie (Coordinator) Toni Williams Richelle Williams Derek Thompson (A/General Manager) Ernie Elliott Laureen Charlie Cowichan Tribes is also continuing with efforts underway since 2016, including: Collaborating with service providers to increase access to treatment and supports. Ts’ewulhtun Health Centre’s Harm Reduction Team is sharing information and supplies for safer drug use. Kwun’atsustul Counselling is supporting Members in healing intergenerational trauma, and providing advice about opioid addiction treatment options. Youth Centre staff are working with the Harm Reduction Team to increase outreach to youth, sharing harm reduction information and supplies. Advocating to the BC Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions for increased local treatment options. The Task Force will be seeking community input August 31st at 1:00-3:00 p.m. on Facebook Live (Cowichan Tribes Facebook Page). To help guide development of recommendations through an upcoming virtual Community Forum on the Opioid Crisis. Input or requests for information on harm reduction or treatment supports can also be sent via email to: [email protected] For updates and resources visit the Cowichan Tribes Opioid Response webpage: https:// www.cowichantribes.com/opioid-response Quw’utsun Newsletter | 6 Opioid Crisis Response Task Force Important Information on Opioids & Drug Use Please share and discuss this important information with your family and friends Don’t use drugs alone. Use where there is someone else who can call for help if you overdose. When you use with a buddy, stagger using times so someone is awake to call for help. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is safer to use drugs in the company of someone who is in your bubble than to use alone. Most overdose deaths happen when people use drugs at home, alone. Toxic & deadly drug supply. The current supply of illegal drugs is toxic, unpredictable, and deadly, including for smoking. The risk of overdose and death is very high. When someone overdoses, call 9-1-1 immediately, give breaths, and give Naloxone.