A new Gresham clinic will offer methadone, buprenorphine and counseling for opioid use disorder, supported by a $1.8 million state investment, the OHA said Tuesday.
GRESHAM, Ore. — A new outpatient treatment center opened in Gresham on Tuesday, expanding access to medication and counseling for people with opioid use disorder in East Multnomah County and nearby rural communities.
Gov. Tina Kotek joined community leaders to mark the opening of the New Season Treatment Center, which will offer methadone, buprenorphine and counseling. The treatments are designed to help people manage opioid addiction while continuing their daily activities, including work and school.
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The center was made possible by a $1.8 million investment from state opioid settlement funds allocated by the Oregon Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board, according to the Oregon Health Authority.
Residents of East Multnomah County have often faced long travel distances, lengthy waits or limited access to specialized treatment, OHA said. The new clinic is intended to bring care closer to home and establish referral relationships with local health care providers, emergency services and social service organizations.
“Treatment where people need it, when they need it, is absolutely critical to fighting the addiction crisis in Oregon,” Kotek said in a statement.
The state board has funded 11 opioid treatment programs in high-need areas across Oregon as part of efforts to reduce overdose deaths and expand access to care.
Ebony Clarke, behavioral health director at the Oregon Health Authority, said medication-based treatment can reduce opioid-related harm and the risk of fatal overdose while helping people stabilize their lives.
“Bringing services closer to where people live, work, and care for their families improves access, equity, and outcomes,” Clarke said in a statement.
Jim Shaheen, chief executive of New Season Treatment Center, said the organization was grateful for the state and local partnerships that helped establish the clinic.
The opening comes as Oregon works to expand its broader behavioral health system. The state anticipates adding 1,722 licensed residential treatment beds, including 769 for substance use disorder treatment, according to the health authority. Of those, 1,052 beds are already open, with another 670 expected to open over the next two and a half years.
The state is also working to address shortages in the behavioral health workforce. A council led by First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson has developed a report intended to guide the state’s next steps, OHA said.