Multnomah County has recently opened 13 sobering beds designed for individuals severely impaired by alcohol, yet very few people have taken advantage of these services since their launch in April.
In an effort to enhance utilization, the county announced it will broaden access to these sobering services by enlisting a select group of organizations specializing in mental health and drug addiction.
Previously, only law enforcement was able to refer individuals to the sobering beds, but the new approach allows various community organizations to intervene and connect people in need of sobering support to the beds.
Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards expressed optimism about the expanded list of referral partners during a public meeting, stating, “I’m really happy to see the list of referral partners that have been added.
The need for this is very real. I’m hoping this will get full utilization of the temporary sobering beds.”
Since the beds became available, only 26 individuals have utilized them, as of last week.
A majority of these individuals were funneled into the service through a county initiative aimed at diverting those caught with street drugs toward treatment rather than jail time.
Under current regulations, Portland Police Bureau officers can only bring someone to the sobering center if the individual agrees to go voluntarily.
In situations where officers encounter a person who is too intoxicated to care for themselves, they must seek a safe location for the individual or, if necessary, transport them to a hospital, according to police spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Allen.
“I think it’s safe to say that officers who encounter someone who wants sobering services would, in consultation with professionals at the Pathway Center, do whatever they could to help facilitate intake to the Pathway Center,” Allen noted in an email.
Several organizations focused on assisting individuals facing addiction or behavioral health crises will now have the authority to refer clients to the sobering beds.
These groups include the Portland Street Response, Project Respond, and Portland Fire and Rescue’s Community Health Assess and Treat team, among others.
Multnomah County’s $3.6 million deflection and sobering center is a temporary facility while the county works on a larger, more permanent sobering and crisis stabilization center located at 1901 Southeast Grand Avenue.
Early design plans for this larger center envision it housing 20 sobering beds and 28 withdrawal management stations.
Advocates have highlighted the urgent need for such services, especially after the abrupt closure of Portland’s Sobering Station in 2019.
The deflection program, as well as the county’s sobering services, are heavily reliant on law enforcement.
Data has shown that deflection numbers have fluctuated significantly since the program’s inception last September.
For instance, police referred 144 individuals for deflection in May, a spike attributed to a targeted initiative aimed at curbing illicit drugs.
Conversely, April saw a mere 10 referrals to the program.
From January 1 to March 31, 62 individuals were sent to deflection, out of which only six completed the program by signing necessary release forms and collaborating with staff to create personalized care plans.
These care plans often include referrals to detox services, mental health treatment, and shelters.
In contrast, during the latter part of 2022 (from September to December), 37 out of 212 referred individuals successfully completed the deflection program, reflecting a higher rate of engagement.
In response to usage challenges, county officials are also exploring options to facilitate easier access to sobering services, considering the purchase of a dedicated van to assist partner organizations in transporting individuals to the center.
image source from：oregonlive
