MUSKOGEE, Okla. — On Monday, February 13, the Cherokee Nation will unveil renderings of the first tribally-operated addiction treatment center to be built in Tahlequah using millions of dollars from the tribe's opioid settlement funds.

The $18 million, 17,000-square-foot treatment center will be located in the Park Hill area of Tahlequah with construction to start this year.

Plans include the main treatment center along with separate dormitories for men and women. The development will also include cultural amenities for residents such as stickball fields, basketball courts, marbles courts, and more.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner will also detail more plans that are part of the tribe's $100 million amended Public Health and Wellness Fund Act.

It will provide $73 million to construct facilities across the reservation over the next five years to meet behavioral health service needs, including drug treatment and prevention. It will also provide $5 million in scholarships to encourage more Cherokee citizens to enter behavioral health fields and work in the tribe’s health system. The investment will also dedicate millions for recovery employment programs and innovative strategies for recovery.

Cherokee Nation employees and citizens who have been affected by the opioid epidemic will also be in attendance for the historic event.