Tribes in Washington are battling a devastating opioid crisis. Will a multimillion-dollar bill help?

By HALLIE GOLDEN
Associated Press

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports Native Americans and Alaska Natives in Washington state die of opioid overdoses at five times the state average. The state Senate unanimously approved a bill this week that would provide nearly $8 million in funding annually to combat addiction among Native Americans across dozens of tribes in the state. The bill represents a key step, but tribes such as the Lummi Nation say the funding will barely scratch the surface amid such need. The small tribe about 100 miles north of Seattle has already suffered nearly one overdose death a week this year.