(The Center Square) – Doubling down on its commitment, Spokane County awarded $775,000 to a local provider on Monday to complete a sobering and triage center launched last fall.
The Board of County Commissioners awarded Spokane Treatment & Recovery Services up to $1.2 million last year for the endeavor. Initial construction began last summer, and services went online in November. Within a month or so, the facility treated 81 individuals.
Tuesday’s award supplements roughly $3.1 million in state funding, allowing STARS to purchase the property and complete construction. Communications Manager Pat Bell said the county plans to use the remaining $425,000 from its investment on ongoing development through July 2025.
“With this investment, STARS is going to be able to deliver services for the next 10 years,” Executive Director Ryan Kent said Tuesday, “quadruple our amount of behavioral health beds for the region, and most importantly, be able to pivot with the needs of the region.”
He said the Cowley Street facility offers a lot of space, which STARS can reconfigure to meet the community’s ongoing needs. The approval coincides with another project expanding the Spokane Regional Crisis Stabilization Center to include a 23-hour sobering facility as well.
With the county’s expansion still in early stages, the board is relying on STARS to fill the gap. The officials used opioid settlement funds to pay for both projects and others identified last May. According to a news release, the county could receive up to $27 million from lawsuits against opioid distributors through 2028.
Commissioner Chris Jordan said people often ask where the county takes people in crisis, and STARS is a solution. According to the release, the facility provides a place for people to “safely withdraw” while also having access to other “crucial services” to assist their recovery.
The commissioners discussed another phase for their partnership with STARS in January but have yet to vote on the investment.
“No one entity can do it by themselves. It really does take everyone coming together,” Commissioner Mary Kuney said, “and this is such a beautiful way of showing how we can.”
