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Spokane County updates opioid response: STARS sobering center soft‑opens, Maddie’s Place land bought; HCA requests partial funding recall
Summary
County health and public‑safety officials reported a series of opioid‑response developments Jan. 27: a $600,000 contract to buy land for Maddie’s Place, a soft opening of the STARS sobering and triage center that served 81 people in about a month, and ongoing negotiations with the Health Care Authority over a proposed contract clawback.
Spokane County staff told commissioners Jan. 27 that several opioid‑response initiatives are under way: Maddie’s Place has a $600,000 contract to acquire adjacent land for a pediatric transitional facility; STARS (sobering, triage and services) has soft‑opened and county staff reported it served 81 unique individuals in about a month with 85–90% transitioning into further inpatient treatment; and the county is negotiating with the Washington Health Care Authority (HCA) after the state notified behavioral‑health contractors of a possible funding recoupment.
“OAC is going really well,” Jessica Thompson, the county’s opioid abatement council representative, said at the meeting. She told commissioners the council meets every other month with representatives from surrounding counties and cities and reviews how settlement funds are being used under the One Washington memorandum of understanding.
Maddie’s Place: County staff said the board executed a $600,000 contract that allowed Maddie’s Place to purchase land adjacent to its existing facility for counseling and transitional support serving parents and caregivers of newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome. County staff also said the county continues to provide up to 20% operational support for that program and that Maddie’s Place has requested additional study funding from the state to clarify Medicaid coverage.
STARS sobering center: County staff reported STARS soft‑opened sobering and triage services and—within about a month—had served 81 unique individuals in the six‑bed pilot; staff said 85–90% of those people transitioned into further inpatient treatment. The center operates a 23‑hour, 59‑minute model and has started same‑day opioid use disorder treatment in partnership with MultiCare. County staff said STARS plans to finalize a building purchase with the Department of Commerce and secure a 10‑year site agreement that would prioritize Spokane County residents.
Proposed Phase 2 priorities: County health staff proposed two near‑term expansions for 2025: (1) expand Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) hours and walk‑in capacity for medication‑assisted treatment (MAT) to avoid turning away people outside current operating hours—a proposal budgeted up to $650,000 in worst‑case scenarios—and (2) sustain current STARS operations (estimated $250,000 annually) and plan options for future bed expansion. Staff said SRHD already bills Medicaid for ongoing MAT services and expanding hours would allow quicker handoffs to covered care.
State funding recoupment: Heather and other county fiscal staff briefed commissioners on a Dec. letter from HCA that proposed reclaiming part of the state contract allocation amid statewide budget shortfalls. County staff said HCA initially identified roughly $980,000 for return statewide; Spokane negotiated with HCA and other regional administrative services organizations (ASOs) and obtained concessions that reduced the immediate impact. The county requested an extension from HCA to March 31 to finalize repayment details and said the county can manage a worst‑case clawback without disrupting contracts already approved by the board.
Why this matters: County staff and commissioners highlighted rising overdose deaths in recent years and the closing of several inpatient facilities in the region, including secure withdrawal management beds. Officials described STARS and Maddie’s Place as immediate, locally available interventions that increase capacity for diversion, treatment initiation and short‑term stabilization.
Ending: Commissioners gave staff authority to prepare briefs and pursue the proposed Phase 2 initiatives. Staff said they will return with updated budgets and contract language as negotiations with state agencies and partner jurisdictions continue.
