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.
