Partnering in Addiction Recovery: A First-of-Its-Kind County Collaborative
On Wednesday, January 10, Commissioner Danielle Bethell, Marion County Health and Human Services (MCHHS), and various recipients of Behavioral Health Resource Network (BHRN) grant funds met together at Broadway Commons near downtown Salem to share their early successes and to highlight potential partnerships to collaboratively provide substance use disorder services (SUD) across Marion County.
PHOTO: Community partners gathered to address addiction treatment access in Marion County.
The County and local community partners collectively received more than $20 million in BHRN grant funds, with the requirement to remove barriers and provide 24/7 access to addiction treatment services, regardless of someone’s ability to pay or insurance status. Along with MCHHS, Grant recipients present in the room included: Bridgeway Recovery Services, HIV Alliance, Ideal Option, Iron Tribe Network, and the Pathfinder Network of Oregon.
“Marion County is the first in the state to have this type of monthly collaboration among BHRN grant partners, and we’re already seeing increased utilization of individuals seeking services because of it,” said Commissioner Danielle Bethell.
“It’s heartening to see these groups in the same room with the same mission, to help people with drug addiction to find resources and accountability to recover and reestablish a safe and healthy community life.”
PHOTO: Eli Kinsley, a Co-Occurring Therapist and Program Supervisor with Bridgeway Recovery Services, presenting to the group.
“We’re all working toward the same goal as partners. However, some organizations may have a different focus or area of expertise, and having visibility to that through this collaboration can be invaluable,” said Carol Heard, MCHHS Division Director for Addiction Treatment Services.
“For example, if we as the county health department have a client who needs a referral to housing that supports addiction services, we can refer them to a BHRN partner with expertise in that area.”
MCHHS itself received $6.4 million in BHRN grant funding in July of 2022. Projects that are underway include:
Opening “His Place,” a transitional home for fathers to live supervised with their children while completing their recovery journey. This is modeled on the highly successful “Her Place” that has been operated by Marion County for years.
Partnering with PODER Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network to increase Substance Use Disorder (SUD) service awareness and access for Latinos across the county while also reducing the stigma that keeps individuals from seeking treatment.
Hiring and training additional Certified Recovery Mentors (CRMs) in the county health department to grow the team from four members to seven to ensure better support for the community. This will expand resources for all, but also specifically for veterans, as they will be able to access SUD services without needing a referral from Veterans Affairs. These CRMs will also be deployed in more rural and underserved parts of the community, like the Santiam Canyon and Woodburn. The county is also adding a Community Response Team which consists of Qualified Mental Health Professionals on rotation in the Psychiatric Crisis Center, partnered with Certified Recovery Mentors to respond to individuals with SUD in crisis.
Increasing the presence of the Marion County Wellness Van, which provides addiction treatment services, at the Mill City Clinic and the Santiam Outreach Community Center, going to each location twice a month.
Providing funding to Catholic Community Services, Church at the Park, and Santiam Hospital to hire additional staff like community health workers and peer support specialists to help increase access to SUD services in their specific communities.
These resources and programs functioning in tandem to support our community and restore the lives of individuals stuck in drug addiction helps keep our community safe and whole. The stories of individuals who once needed these services and now work to help others are a testament to the value collaborations like this bring.
“To be in a room with so many individuals who once needed the very tools and resources they are now providing to others is incredibly inspiring, and it encourages me that we’re collectively heading in the right direction,” said Commissioner Bethell.