Spokane County warns of fiscal uncertainty, pushes ahead on crisis-relief and sobering center plan

Justin, a Spokane County community behavioral-health official, told the board that state and federal budget uncertainty is likely to affect behavioral-health funding and that the county had returned $10,000,000 to the state in a recent action.

‘‘We did have to return $10,000,000 back to the state. They did end up taking all of that back,’’ Justin said, describing a budget shortfall and its ripple effects. He said Spokane County has not yet needed to reduce existing services for the current calendar year but that the county expects potential impacts in 2026 and is tracking conversations between the state Health Care Authority and federal officials.

Justin outlined the county’s response strategy: avoid starting new programs that would depend solely on expanded Medicaid funding that could be cut, prioritize sustaining existing services, and seek alternative funding for expanded services. He said the county intends to continue several projects already underway because of their regional importance.

Chief among those projects is a planned integrated Crisis Relief and Sobering Center meant to expand Spokane’s stabilization services. Justin said the county has identified Pioneer Human Services as the provider for the integrated facility and described widespread partner support, including the city of Spokane and Spokane Valley. He said the expansion would add a 23‑hour crisis relief and sobering function to existing stabilization, withdrawal management and co‑occurring residential services.

‘‘We want to add a 23-hour crisis relief and sobering. All encompassing, meaning that anyone can walk in and receive a service,’’ he said, adding that county leaders are working on sustainability and long-term funding arrangements. Justin said the county plans to use local opioid dollars, sales-tax revenue already allocated to behavioral health and state and federal asks; he also said county staff are pursuing commerce and other grant opportunities and that a federal request had been sent to U.S. Sen. Patty Murray.

Justin warned the board that closures elsewhere in Eastern Washington have reduced the region’s capacity for secure withdrawal management. He said the Parkside facility in Wenatchee will close its secure withdrawal-management services while remaining open for residential services, and that closure leaves no secure withdrawal-management facility in Eastern Washington.

‘‘They cited census as an issue…So with that facility closure, there is no secure withdrawal management facility in Eastern Washington. That poses a challenge,’’ he said.

On legislation Justin listed several bills the county is tracking: House Bill 1218 (competency restoration and related evaluations), HB 1427 (peer-support specialist licensure at the Department of Health), HB 1811 (co‑response and crisis‑response provisions), an ASAM implementation‑delay proposal, HB 1813 (reprocurement of MCOs and statutory direction for crisis contracting with ASOs), and Senate Bill 5083 (hospital access and reimbursement measures). He said Spokane County is opposed to a bill that would let counties seek state funding directly for appointed counsel for ITA cases without coordination through regional authorities; the county supports the intent but not the execution as drafted.

Justin emphasized the uncertainty ahead but said Spokane County is pursuing a regional funding approach and partnerships to make the Crisis Relief and Sobering Center durable. He asked the BHAB to continue advising on priorities and notified members that the county will seek board proclamations and public recognition for Behavioral Health Month in May.