OLYMPIA-The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has scheduled a second public hearing in Pierce County on plans for a proposed substance use disorder treatment program Thursday, May 10, 2018.
Because the first hearing held in March garnered so much interest, DSHS determined that a second hearing would be beneficial to ensure that all interested parties had an opportunity to give public comment.
The proposed services from this new treatment program will improve access to essential health care for people in Pierce County who are dependent on opioids, such as heroin and OxyContin.
The proposed program, Northwest Integrated Health, is requesting to operate at 3727 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma Washington 98409. The treatment program includes medication (such as methadone or buprenorphine products), case management, therapeutic treatment services and medical oversight
The public hearing is from 7 to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 10, 2018 at the Asian Pacific Cultural Center , located at 4851 South Tacoma Way in Tacoma. Sign-in begins at 6:30 p.m.
Northwest Integrated Health is also seeking certification with DSHS’ Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. To become a certified agency they must be registered with the Washington State Department of Health - Board of Pharmacy, licensed by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, certified by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Division of Pharmacological Therapies, and be accredited by a federally recognized organization.
For more information, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a mobile app available about treatment for opioid use disorder and the related cost savings in health care and arrests/convictions. Also online are facts for families and friends about medication-assisted treatment, information about methadone and information about buprenorphine products.
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