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Probation staff warns county could lose Recovery Cafe navigator; commissioners discuss opioid-abatement funding and reporting to cities
Summary
Probation staff told the Board that the county’s recovery navigator, Andy Lexo (Recovery Café), may lose funding June 30; staff suggested the county consider using opioid-abatement funds or a cost-share to retain the position. The meeting also covered probation’s billing and reporting cadence for municipal clients (Stevenson, North Bonneville).
Probation staff informed Skamania County commissioners on April 22 that the county-supported recovery navigator, provided by the Recovery Café network and currently serving the county, may lose funding and could end services June 30 unless a funding solution is found.
Probation staff emphasized the navigator’s role in lowering recidivism by transporting and linking people exiting jail to inpatient treatment and community supports. “So losing him is gonna be a real bummer,” the probation speaker said, adding that the navigator often helps coordinate with prosecutors and assists clients in reaching distant treatment resources.
The Recovery Café operates as an NGO across regions; probation staff noted the local navigator (named Andy Lexo) is part of the Clark County regional structure. Commissioners and staff discussed possible funding sources. County staff and one commissioner suggested opioid-abatement dollars could be an appropriate local funding source while the position’s broader grant funding is sorted. Probation staff said the Recovery Café responded positively to the idea of a county cost-share if the navigator cut hours.
Separately, probation staff reviewed municipal billing and reporting for local clients: North Bonneville has paid its first invoice, while Stevenson had not paid January or February invoices and was billed. Commissioners and probation staff agreed to send regular, aggregated service numbers to municipalities to justify billing levels. Probation staff said they could provide month-specific data with names redacted and noted their internal data retention gives them an accurate 36-month window for case counts.
Ending: Commissioners asked probation to forward the Recovery Café email and contact card and asked staff to check opioid-abatement funding availability and to provide Stevenson with the requested aggregated monthly service data alongside invoices.
