HomeMy WebLinkAboutCorrespondence - BOCCMarch 28, 2022
The Honorable Patty Murray
United States Senate
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator Murray,
GRANT COUNTY
OFFICE OF THE
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
P 13 Box 37
EPHRATA WA 98823
(509) 754-2011
The Grant County Board of Commissioners are writing to express our unequivocal support of Benton
County's funding request for the Three Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery Center in the Tri -Cities,
WA.
The Tri -Cities is a region of nearly 300,000 people and is the only major metropolitan area in
Washington State that does not have a detox facility or an inpatient recovery center to treat and
rehabilitate persons suffering from substance use and/or mental health disorders. These facilities are
critical to stop the cycle of addiction and to assist people in re-entering the community and leading a
productive, healthy life.
We support the vision of a regional Recovery Center to provide treatment assessment, medical
withdrawal management (detox), residential inpatient treatment, aftercare planning (recovery housing,
job training assistance), research into treatment efficacy and methods, and pediatric transition services
in our community.
A Recovery Center in the Tri -Cities is greatly needed and will also save the community money. The
U.S. Surgeon General reports that every $1 invested in substance use disorder treatment saves $4 in
healthcare and $7 in criminal justice costs. Other benefits include reduced crime & recidivism,
increased public safety, timely treatment options for people ready to begin recovery, reduced repeat
visits to Emergency Rooms, and family education to increase treatment success rate. A Recovery
Center would allow for diversion programs (alternatives to jail) for minor drug-related offenses and
provide a local employer resource to assist employees and their family's seeking treatment.
Located in Kennewick, this recovery center will serve not only Benton and Franklin Counties and the
broader Tri -Cities community but the surrounding counties as well, including Klickitat, Walla Walla,
Yakima, Grant, Kittitas, and Adams Counties. With 50 anticipated beds, they can serve up to 50
individuals for inpatient services as well as countless individuals receiving outpatient services each
day, dealing with a broad range of treatment needs.
Danny E. Stone Rob Jones Cindy Carter
District I District 2 District 3
"To MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, SERVING TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES? WHILE FOSTERING
A RESPECTFUL AND SUCCESSFUL WORK ENVIRONMENT."
With federal support, site preparation and demolition should begin fourth quarter 2022 and
construction to commence in 2023, with the recovery center ready for operation by 2025.
We urge you to support the establishment and funding of the Three Rivers Behavioral Health
Recovery Center in the Tri -Cities.
Sincerely,
BOA" OF GRANT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
14
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MAR 2 2 202?
T Y C0 PA, M I S S 10 NE R S
Barbara Vasauez
From:
Shyanne Palmus <Shyanne.Palmus@co.benton.wa.us>
Sent:
Thursday, March 17, 2022 1:44 PM
To:
patriciap@co.adams.wa.us; danb@co.adams.wa.us; jasonz Oasonz@bfhd.wa.gov);
ddarnell@ccyakima.org; Lupe Mares (Lupem@cisbentonfranklin.org);
commissioners@co.columbia.wa.us; angie.p@dvsbf.org; cmoser@gcach.org;
sindis@gcbh.org; Commissioners; Officemanager@hamtc.net; Kaleel, Reza; Marie
Mosley; jacoba@klickitatcounty.org; sgentry@Icsnw.org; matt. boehnke@leg.wa.gov; Jon
Amundson; sharon.brown@leg.wa.gov; manka.dhingra@leg.wa.gov;
lauren.davis@leg.wa.gov; info@ hchispanicchamber.com; port_ga@hotmail.com;
naima@tri-citiesdiversityandinclusioncouncil.org; andrew@tcugm.org;
michelleporter@tcugm.org; Lori Mattson (lori.mattson@tricityregionalchamber.com);
kdye@tridec.org; 'David Reeploeg'; grantm5@uw.edu; wwcocommissioners@co.walla-
walla.wa.us; Brent Gerry (bgerry@westrichland.org); sandra.haynes@wsu.edu;
tricities.chancellor@wsu.edu; i u I ie.lawrence@co.ya ki ma.wa.us; Teara Farrow Ferman
Cc:
Michele Gerber; Matt Rasmussen
Subject:
Requesting Updated Letters of Support for Three Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery
Center, Tri -Cities (Benton County)
Attachments:
2022 Update Recovery Center Support Form Letter (FINAL).docx
Importance: High
To: Supporters of Three Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery Center
Good afternoon,
You are receiving this email because you had previously expressed your agencies' support for the Three
Rivers Behavioral Health Recovery Center in Benton County. We greatly appreciate your willingness to provide
written support of our project to federal legislators.
Benton County is requesting updated letters of support (for FY 2023) as we continue to seek any available
federal funding to help us keep the project moving. The County is nearing completion of the acquisition
process for the site location for the Recovery Center, the now -vacant Trios Family Birthing Center (also known
as the old Kennewick General Hospital, owned by LifePoint Health). We have been approved to receive the
following funding for our project already, thanks in large part to your support.
$4.29 million —Washington State Legislature direct allocations (combined $2.75 million in 2021 and
$1.54 million in 2022)
$1 million — Premera Blue Cross Behavioral Health Facilities Grant
$5 million —Benton County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars
Attached is an updated template letter — please use your official letterhead and feel free to add any additional
information you may feel is relevant. Again, thank you so much for your continued support of our project. If you
have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.RECEIVED
Kind regards,
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