Multnomah County today announced plans to purchase a building at 1901 S.E. Grand Ave. to serve as a 24-hour Sobering and Crisis Stabilization Center.

The property will provide a permanent location for sobering and withdrawal management services that connect people to local treatment and recovery services, helping keep them from jail and hospital emergency departments or being left intoxicated on the streets.

“We know the real value of expanding our behavioral health continuum of care and providing sobering and stabilization resources for everyone who needs a new way forward,” said Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “This center is critical to our successful partnership with law enforcement and will expand options for engagement in our shared work to provide safer streets and a better pathway away from them. We look forward to engaging with the community and all of our partners as these needed services come online.”

Law enforcement and first responder agencies will be able to drop off individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol so they can access sobering and crisis stabilization services in a welcoming and safe environment. The new center will house up to 50 beds and offer a combination of sobering and withdrawal management services.

The center serves as the centerpiece of the Sobering & Crisis Stabilization Center Plan (see attached PDF), shared with the Board of Commissioners at the end of 2024, that was jointly developed by Chair Vega Pederson, Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards and experts in the Health Department with input from first responders, the City of Portland and community partners.

The plan is based on the clinical guidelines and best practices established by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and informed by successful programs in other cities with sobering facilities. The plan has been shared with regional legislative leadership who provided capital funding for the center, as well as local government officials.

“Since my first day in office, I have heard from first responders the urgent need for more options for people intoxicated on the streets, beyond taking people to the emergency room, to jail or leaving them on the street,” said Commissioner Brim-Edwards, who was designated to lead the initial project plan. “Bringing sobering beds online this spring in the Pathway Center, and today announcing a site for a permanent sobering and crisis stabilization center are significant steps forward in community safety and livability.”

The County has identified a building at 1901 S.E. Grand Ave. that meets key search criteria and is being evaluated for suitability. It has space for the planned services, no school within 1,000 feet and is centrally located with good access to hospitals.

"I am honored to have the sobering center in my district. May it be a symbol of our community's care and compassion for our neighbors, and the start of many peoples recovery. Thank you to everyone who has put so much effort into this project so far,’’ said Commissioner Meghan Moyer, whose district includes the planned 24-hour center. “I plan to be very engaged in ensuring the center's success and committed to ensuring the center is a good neighbor."

Work will also begin this year to identify a general contractor and service providers to operate the facility. An opening date will be determined once the County’s evaluation and other processes are complete.

In the meantime, the Coordinated Care Pathway Center, which is serving as a temporary location to provide deflection services, will expand its capacity to provide 13 sobering beds starting Spring 2025. The Coordinated Care Pathway Center will close and shift operations to the permanent 24-hour Center once it opens. This new location will also house deflection.

“Making sure that people in our community can actually access sobering services is the key to navigating the substance use crisis on our streets,” said Commissioner Shannon Singleton. “Long waits and red tape keep people from getting the help they need – we’re all committed to cutting through that and making it easier to get sober.”

As part of its due diligence, Multnomah County has begun conversations with the local business and neighborhood associations about the planned purchase of the building at 1901 S.E. Grand Ave., including how the County will operate this center, the benefits to County residents and how it will fit into the surrounding district.

County staff have created a framework to guide community engagement. The framework includes a strong commitment to convening a Good Neighbor Committee to help develop a Good Neighbor Agreement in partnership with the Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood District, the Central Eastside Industrial Council and others.

“The Sobering and Crisis Stabilization Center will be a critical component to our behavioral health and public safety systems,” said Commissioner Vince Jones-Dixon. “I’m pleased this is moving forward and appreciate the work of my colleagues to make it a reality.”

Staff for Chair Vega Pederson and Commissioner Brim-Edwards will continue outreach to key stakeholders, and the Multnomah County Health Department will provide public-facing communications and informational flyers, and hold a community meeting as soon as this March.

To stay informed about major milestones, as well as other news about the center’s progress and challenges, community members can sign up to receive additional communications and learn about neighbor engagement opportunities here.

Since the deflection program began on Sept. 1, 152 people have initiated deflection, receiving a combined more than 300 referrals to treatment and other stabilizing services. More information on the deflection program can be found here.

Source: Multnomah County

Portland Local News