Recovery Works NW Opens Portland’s First Measure 110 Supported Medical Detox
We are calling it the detox that Measure 110 built.
As the fentanyl tidal wave washes over the country, Recovery Works NW is opening a 16 bed medically monitored withdrawal management facility (also known as a “detox”) in southeast Portland, with a specific concentration on fentanyl and alcohol recovery. The facility will be able to serve at least 1,200 people a year. Funding for purchase, retrofit, and start-up of the facility has been provided through Oregon Measure 110 and Clackamas County. The facility at 122nd and Foster Road sits near the border between Clackamas and Multnomah County and will provide much needed detox capacity to both counties, serving all adults in Oregon experiencing fentanyl, opioid, and alcohol addictions.
Approved by voters in 2020, Measure 110 directed the Oregon Health Authority to distribute most of Oregon’s cannabis tax revenues to Oregon-based organizations providing low barrier substance use disorder treatment, supported housing and employment services, and peer support services freely to individuals in Oregon experiencing substance addictions.
Without adequate support, detoxing from fentanyl can be more difficult than other substances. The detox facility will be staffed by physicians, nurses, support, and administrative staff, providing a 24/7 care environment where people experiencing dangerous substance addictions can be weaned off under medical supervision. Individuals admitted to the facility will stay an average of three to five days before being offered a transition to alcohol and drug treatment and/or supported housing. Medications to support abstinence and reduce overdose will be made available to all patients who choose to pursue Medication Assisted Treatment/Medicine Supported Recovery (MAT/MSR).
“We have been providing medical and behavioral health treatment services to people in Oregon experiencing substance addictions for a decade, and we have never seen anything approaching the severity of the current emergency,” says Dr. Bryan Schwartz, Recovery Works NW Co-Founder and CEO. “The proliferation of illicit fentanyl has proved a significant challenge to our providers’ ability to care for those ready to change their lives, exactly as we have heard reported by our peers throughout the country. We are grateful for Measure 110 and Clackamas County for allowing us to provide treatment without punishment. This inpatient facility promises to be a meaningful change for our ability to effectively respond to the needs of our community.”
The detox center is part of an evidence-based continuum of care for effective, long-term recovery including treatment housing, outpatient substance use disorder treatment, and medications specific to the needs of adults experiencing fentanyl addiction.
“We lead with compassion in all our interactions with individuals working to address substance addictions; shame is an impediment to healing. When people are forced to engage with treatment, sometimes recovery does not take hold,” says Dr. Schwartz. “With Measure 110’s public health approach we can provide effective treatment services that get to the root causes of addiction and help people get their lives on track.”
The Recovery Works NW detox center is the first in the Portland area funded with Measure 110 funds. This is also the second grand opening and expansion supported by Measure 110 that Recovery Works NW has announced this year. In January they opened a full-service medical and behavioral health outpatient clinic serving people experiencing substance addictions in Newberg.
“We received our first round of funding in September and have already opened two new facilities and expanded services in all our clinics,’ said Dr. Schwartz. “2023 is the year that we are seeing tangible, life- saving changes in our community thanks to Measure 110, and in the case of this detox facility Clackamas County, and we are so grateful to the voters and our partners for all their support.
About Recovery Works NW
Since 2014, Recovery Works NW has provided evidence-based medical and behavioral health services aiding thousands of people in Oregon in their choice to recover from substance addictions. The Oregon- based organization currently operates clinics in Downtown Tigard, NE Portland, and Newberg offering Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Addictions-Specific Mental Health, and Outpatient Substance Use Disorder programs including DUII Diversion and accepts all major health insurance policies including OHP (Oregon Health Plan). More information is available at RecoveryWorksNW.com.
Media Contact
Joe Bazeghi, Director of Engagement, Recovery Works NW