Spokane, Washington. – Today, the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) Board of Health (BOH) announced the possibility of separating its Opioid Treatment Services (OTS) department from SRHD to better meet the needs of its employees, organization, and workforce. Approved the feasibility study on gender. Local community/community.
At the request of SRHD Administrator Dr. Alicia Thompson, a feasibility study will evaluate the potential benefits and drawbacks of separating OTS and allowing it to operate outside of the agency.
“The opioid and fentanyl crisis has everyone wondering what else we can do. How can we have a bigger impact?” Thompson said. “Treatment services have grown to become direct service providers in their own right, requiring the ability to be agile and responsive to community needs.”
SRHD started the Methadone Clinic in 1990 because there were no other hospitals serving heroin addicts in the Spokane County area. Today, his OTS at SRHD remains the largest opioid treatment program in the state. However, other programs now exist that provide the same service.
Thompson further explained that the separation of OTS and SRHD has been debated at various times throughout their history. Today, in April 2024, there are new developments that indicate now is the right time to conduct a feasibility study and explore the possibilities.
- Additional Opioid Treatment Programs Offering Similar Services in Spokane County
- In different political and fiscal environments, there are subsidy opportunities through the federal government, but SRHD's OTS is ineligible without a unique employer identification number and national provider ID.
- Established opioid treatment programs may be interested in helping separate OTS from SRHD while maintaining services in Spokane County
“The need for services in Spokane County is great, but our ability to expand and grow is limited by the constraints of being a government agency,” Thompson explained.
As a result of the BOH's decision, the feasibility study will allow SRHD to consider all necessary details, evaluate its merits, and ensure that the outcome will benefit the community, SRHD employees, and SRHD as an organization. , it will be possible to determine whether there are other private projects. Opioid treatment programs are interested in the possibility of taking on OTS. As part of the feasibility study, community outreach and meetings with community partners will be conducted by Thompson.
Spokane Regional Health District is a public health leader and partner that protects, improves, and promotes the health and well-being of all people through evidence-based practices. SRHD is one of 34 local public health agencies serving 39 counties in Washington State. For comprehensive, up-to-date information about SRHD and its accomplishments in making Spokane a safer and healthier community, please visit www.srhd.org. Like or follow SRHD on Facebook twitter Receive safety and health tips.
