BestCare representatives told the Madras Homeless Services Committee that a new engagement center is open near the county office and will provide peer support, case management, treatment-on-demand, employment help and housing referrals, and that the organization is planning a separate residential treatment facility that will require a zoning change.

“This is Michelle Elliott. She is my ... substance use disorders and community engagement team program manager,” a committee member introduced. Elliott described the new engagement center as a daytime drop-in site located in the former BrightWays counseling space and said staff plan to run it roughly from 6 a.m. to about noon with peer supports, a case manager and a substance-use clinician available for assessment and “treatment on demand.” Elliott said the center is open to people struggling with substance use disorder, not limited strictly to people who are houseless.

Elliott and other BestCare staff described services the center will offer: harm-reduction education, at least one hot meal a day, snacks, life-skills support, employment help and housing navigation. Staff also said they operate residential SUD programs and detox services in Redmond and Klamath Falls and that BestCare provides transportation for people entering treatment; staff mentioned additional treatment placements in Baker City and Portland-area programs depending on need.

BestCare staff described an existing pathway: clients who complete detox can return to engage in outpatient or residential treatment and be placed in treatment housing if they meet program requirements. “If they finish, then they come back and start to engage in bridal treatment services, live in our treatment housing,” a BestCare staff member said (verbatim language used in the meeting).

Committee members asked about capacity and coordination. BestCare said they currently have several clients in treatment housing and that an architect is working on a residential-treatment project on BestCare-owned parcels adjacent to the shelter. City staff said BestCare will need a zoning change and anticipated bringing an ordinance to the council possibly in June or July so the project can move into a construction phase if funding is secured.

BestCare and committee members also discussed partner scheduling: BestCare will draft and share a proposed schedule for staff presence at the shelter for certain days each week so shelter guests know, for example, when employment or case managers will be present. BestCare staff said a number of their engagement-center positions are staffed by tribal-member staff, including a bilingual staffer, and they emphasized outreach tailored to the local population.

No formal ordinance or zoning vote occurred at the committee meeting; staff said the zoning change would be presented to the council for formal consideration in the coming months.