Tribal Law and Order Act

The Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) works to promote and improve justice, safety and health within American Indian and Alaskan Native communities. In particular, the law calls for the creation of a new office to coordinate alcohol and substance abuse efforts among the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities and federal agencies.

Tribal Action Plan
The TLOA stipulates that “the governing body of any federally-recognized Tribe may, at its discretion, adopt a resolution for the establishment of a Tribal Action Plan (TAP) to coordinate available resources and programs in an effort to combat alcohol and drug abuse among its members.” The TAP provides an opportunity for federally-recognized Tribes to take a proactive role in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse in their communities by:

• assessing their needs and resources relative to alcohol and substance abuse prevention and treatment activities;
• identifying gaps in services;
• working with the community to identify urgent or emerging addiction issues; and
• assisting in the development of a comprehensive strategy to prevent and reduce alcohol and substance abuse in the community.

There are several model frameworks that Tribes can use when planning and implementing their TAPs, including SAMHSA’s Strategic Prevention Framework [1]. Tribes are encouraged to select the framework that best meets the community’s needs. Read SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde's letter [2] to tribal leaders on the agency's commitment to supporting the implementation of the TLOA.

Relevant CAPT Services
SAMHSA’s CAPT provides access to relevant prevention materials and tools (i.e., all components of the SPF approach, including needs assessment and evaluation tools) through a dedicated Web portal.

Access resources [3]that may be useful to Tribes as they implement their Tribal Action Plans. Once on the site, use the Username: tloa and Password: capt.