PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Multnomah County is one step close to establishing a sobering center.
It’s all part of an ongoing effort by government leaders to help people who are struggling with addiction.
In terms of why such an establishment is necessary, officials said local hospitals and jails are strained by the amount of people coming to their facilities to sober up. What’s more, they aren’t a fitting setting for that kind of treatment.
A sober center is for someone who is in an extreme state of intoxication — and possibly a danger to themselves or others — but doesn’t need an emergency room.
The center will be open 24-seven for first responders to drop off those who are in crisis.The facility will also be equipped with its own transportation vehicles.
“I’ve heard very clearly from our neighborhoods, from firefighters, from first responders, from the police, that there was an urgent need to re-stand up and reestablish a sobering center,” said Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards
“We need to open the first step, even while there are other entities who are opening up more treatment beds, more withdrawal beds, more detox beds,” added Eric Zimmerman, Brim-Edwards’ chief of staff.
This comes nearly five years after shutting down the previous sober center, prior to when fentanyl use began to skyrocket in the county.
The facility will be run with a blended staffing model of medical and behavioral health professionals.
The project team, who were asked questions by the Multnomah County Board of Directors Thursday, said it will cost about $25 million to buy the building and get it started and an annual operating cost of roughly $14 million.
The next steps involve picking out a facility and selecting a provider to run the center.
Brim-Edwards said she wants to get this done by next week.
