Visiting psychiatrist outlines Spokane County reforms, urges local investment in diversion and treatment
Summary
Dr. Matt Layton presented an overview of Spokane County's blue‑ribbon commission and use of a local sales‑tax revenue source to fund crisis teams, training and diversion programs. He emphasized evidence‑based medication‑assisted treatment and integrated responses for co‑occurring mental health and addiction.
Dr. Matt Layton, a psychiatrist with experience building regional behavioral‑health systems, visited the Riley County Commission Nov. 6 and gave a preview of a longer public presentation scheduled at 09:30 at the county library.
Layton described Spokane County’s response after system fragmentation created overflowing emergency departments, jails and a state hospital: a blue‑ribbon commission followed by a locally approved one‑tenth‑of‑one‑percent sales tax dedicated to substance‑use and mental‑health services. That revenue supported crisis intervention teams, joint law‑enforcement training and diversion efforts, Layton said, and helped reduce injury to first responders and jail overcrowding.
He framed medication‑assisted treatment (methadone, buprenorphine/Suboxone) as clinically indicated therapy for opioid use disorder, and discussed integrating treatment, case management, therapy and medication for people with co‑occurring mental‑health and substance‑use disorders. Layton told the commission he would share evidence and community‑tailored task‑force recommendations at the scheduled public session.
Commissioners did not take action on policy during the morning session; the visit was an informational presentation and a county‑sponsored learning opportunity for staff and local stakeholders.
