Spokane: Mayor Brown Proposes Boost to Opioid Treatment, Navigation Services
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~ Spokane, WA- At the recent Gabriel's Challenge community meeting, Mayor Lisa Brown unveiled her proposal to allocate an additional $730,000 in opioid settlement funds towards various initiatives aimed at addressing the opioid crisis in the City of Spokane. The proposal includes investments in treatment programs, capital improvements, and wraparound services.

According to Erin Hut, Director of Communications for the city, Mayor Brown's proposal is a direct response to the urgent need for support in combating the opioid crisis. "This funding will not only support the crucial work of community organizations on the front lines, but also establish a new outdoor navigation program to fill a critical gap in services for those in need," said Mayor Brown.

The proposed allocation includes $300,000 for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) treatment and wraparound family services at Maddie's Place, a non-profit recovery nursery for infants experiencing withdrawal due to prenatal substance exposure. Shaun Cross, President & CEO of Maddie's Place expressed gratitude towards the city for recognizing the ongoing need for specialized infant care and family support. "This funding ensures our doors stay open, our staff remains strong, and our advocacy for sustainable healthcare solutions continues," said Cross.

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In addition to NAS treatment, $30,000 will be allocated towards capital investments for mobile medication-assisted treatment and outreach. The remaining $400,000 will go towards establishing an outdoor navigation program and increasing outreach efforts to help individuals living outdoors with or at-risk of opioid use disorder find appropriate housing options.

This latest proposal brings the total amount of opioid settlement dollars allocated by the City of Spokane to $2,480,350. Previous allocations include $500,000 to increase capacity within the Spokane Fire Department's CARES Team and launch case management services for opioid use disorder patients as part of the High Utilizer and Complex Care Initiative. Other allocations include embedding a behavioral health provider with Code Enforcement and Spokane Police's Homeless Outreach Team and expanding access to treatment through the Spokane Regional Health District's Medication-Assisted Treatment program.

The city has also invested in expanding sobering bed capacity at Spokane Treatment and Recovery Services, creating a data analyst project position to track performance of opioid settlement dollars, and supporting a City grant for culturally specific behavioral health treatment.

With these investments, the City of Spokane is taking proactive steps towards addressing the opioid crisis and providing much-needed support to those affected by it. Mayor Brown's proposal will now go through the necessary approval processes before being implemented.

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