Clinic staff describe walk‑in opioid treatment, partnerships and transport challenges to Whatcom County committee

Whatcom County’s joint Behavioral Health and Legal & Justice committees heard an update Dec. 16 from clinic staff about recent expansions of low‑barrier opioid‑use treatment in the county.

Bryce Parent, who identified himself as the clinic’s chief medical officer, and Chris Curtis, introduced as interim manager, described two Bellingham‑area sites that offer methadone and buprenorphine, individual and group counseling, case management and telehealth links to additional services. "We just try to meet a need where we see it by increasing our staff," Curtis said, adding Division Street had "about 59 clients on our roster" with roughly half attending daily, while the newer Flora Street site had about 19 clients and faster initial traction.

The presenters emphasized walk‑in access and flexible transportation routes. "If we know one person needs treatment, we will change our route to get them on our transportation," Chris Curtis said, describing staff willingness to adapt routes to individual need. County councilor Dan Hamill noted that the local transit agency provides a stop at Division Street but that some riders must transfer downtown, creating long trips for people without reliable options.

Panelists and committee members highlighted outreach and trust building as central to increasing uptake. "By far, the most common answer is that it was word‑of‑mouth from someone they're personally connected with," Parent said, describing how local referrals and visible outreach in neighborhoods and businesses have supported engagement.

Speakers also flagged stigma against methadone and urged clinicians to present all three evidence‑based medication options—methadone, buprenorphine and long‑acting injectable buprenorphine—when treating opioid use disorder. Parent said such medications are the "life‑saving foundation" on which counseling and other recovery supports can be layered.

The presenters described partnerships that extend clinical capacity: Pioneer Human Services’ walk‑in detox shares a parking lot with the clinic, enabling faster nursing oversight and, when clinically appropriate, initiation or continuation of methadone in conjunction with detox services.

Committee members asked about serving people with co‑occurring mental‑health conditions. Parent and Curtis said two psychiatric nurse practitioners and mental‑health counselors are available via telehealth at the Bellingham locations and face‑to‑face in Anacortes when needed; Curtis said wait times for mental‑health services accessed through the clinic tend to be short compared with regional averages.

The committee invited the presenters to return next year with an update. The meeting record shows repeated references to the clinic name with inconsistent spellings during the session; the article therefore refers to the presenters as clinic staff in places where the official business name could not be independently verified from the meeting transcript.