An NPR member station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

SRHD opioid treatment center nears move to new, larger facility

The Spokane Regional Health District's opioid treatment program is relocating to the lower South Hill sometime in the next few months.
Courtesy of Spokane Regional Health District
The Spokane Regional Health District's opioid treatment program is relocating to the lower South Hill sometime in the next few months.

The Spokane Regional Health District’s opioid treatment program will move to a larger space this fall.

Misty Challinor, the district’s treatment services division director, says the program will leave its home in the West Central neighborhood and relocate to a renovated building at 312 West Eighth Avenue.

“Two to three years ago we did, essentially, a zip code analysis of our population that was enrolled in services with us and really looking at the zip codes of those individuals and where the predominant population was receiving services from. That was really where we started," she said.

Challinor says the new space will have more double its current space. She says the number of clients served has increased about five fold over the last 15 years to between 1,000-1,200 people.

Challinor says she and her team are taking care of final details before they start their move. They recently received the last of their required state and federal licenses and accreditations. She says she and her team are trying to ease the concerns of people who live in the neighborhood.

“We do have security on site to help ensure safety protocol and precautions. We’re also helping the community in that surrounding area by just being present and available to answer questions and just being out there and visible," Challinor said.

Doug Nadvornick has spent most of his 30+-year radio career at Spokane Public Radio and filled a variety of positions. He is currently the program director and news director. Through the years, he has also been the local Morning Edition and All Things Considered host (not at the same time). He served as the Inland Northwest correspondent for the Northwest News Network, based in Coeur d’Alene. He created the original program grid for KSFC. He has also served for several years as a board member for Public Media Journalists Association. During his years away from SPR, he worked at The Pacific Northwest Inlander, Washington State University in Spokane and KXLY Radio.