The building that will house a Multnomah County deflection center in a June 27, 2024, file photo in Portland, Ore. The center is expected to open Oct. 14, 2024. (Anna Lueck/OPB)
Multnomah County’s much-awaited drug deflection center is set to open Oct. 14 in inner southeast Portland, officials announced Monday.
The facility – officially dubbed the “Coordinated Care Pathways Center” – is a central piece of the county’s plan to comply with House Bill 4002, which went into effect last month. The law re-criminalized possession of small amounts of hard drugs, but also allocated funding for counties to pursue deflection – a collaborative effort between law enforcement and behavioral health providers to get people into treatment.
Each participating county has developed its own deflection program and eligibility criteria. Multnomah County offers the opportunity to access drug treatment and avoid jail as long as people don’t face other criminal charges. It will serve as a place for law enforcement to drop off people caught using hard drugs, such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The building was originally slated to open by Sept. 1, but was delayed due to a number of factors, including recruiting and training staff. The building’s location, and its proximity to a nearby preschool, also generated controversy and a lawsuit. In an Aug. 19 press conference announcing the delay, county officials said they’d use the additional time to reach out to community members and develop a safety plan for the center.
The deflection center is located at 980 S.E. Pine St. is operated by a Baltimore-based treatment provider, Tuerk House. It will be open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. during the weekend, though those hours could change depending on need, officials announced. The site will also have 24/7 security.
More than 70 people have so far qualified for drug deflection in Multnomah County. Officials plan to expand the deflection center to a short-term, 16-bed sobering facility by April, and provide medications to treat opioid use disorder.
Access to treatment and housing have been two significant concerns for the state. A recent report found the state needs thousands of additional treatment beds to meet the need.
Last week, behavioral healthcare provider Fora Health announced a new transitional housing facility for people after they complete treatment. Fora is one of just a handful of providers in the county that offers medication assisted withdrawal in addition to in-patient, residential treatment. The new 20,000 sq. ft. facility will have 23 rooms and 46 recovery beds and is set to be completed in 2026, the nonprofit announced.
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This story was originally published by Oregon Public Broadcasting, a Capital Chronicle news partner.