Construction Begins on New Treatment & Recovery Facility in Lincoln County February 21, 2024 With all city permits secured, site work began in early January for the future Samaritan Treatment and Recovery Services adult residential and outpatient center. Remodeling of the existing building at 5840 NW Biggs St. in Newport and construction of added space will be completed during the spring of 2025, at a projected cost of $11.7 million. “A ton of work has taken place in the background to bring us to this point where we can actually see the work happening,” said Lesley Ogden, MD, CEO of the two Samaritan Health Services hospitals in Lincoln County. “I am relieved the project is moving along, yet there is also an undercurrent of ‘hurry, hurry’ because the need is so great. There is a terrible and dangerous menace in our society —substance use disorder — that is killing and harming our loved ones. I cannot stress strongly enough how important this center will be to the lives of those people who choose a path toward recovery and can find hope and help here in Lincoln County.” Once completed, the 8,300-square-foot facility will have 16 inpatient beds to serve adults ages 18 and older who are experiencing substance use disorder. Residential treatment and intensive outpatient programs include group and individual therapy, medication-assisted treatment and peer-delivered services. Patients will be accepted from across Oregon, with priority given to residents of Lincoln County. This is the second residential treatment center created by Samaritan. The other one opened in Lebanon, Oregon, in 2020. As a nonprofit health care provider, Samaritan doesn’t turn anyone away for insurance type or an inability to pay. The need for the facility is great. Oregon ranks second in the nation for substance use disorder and 50th in access to treatment. Inpatient treatment is a critical first step in the recovery process for many individuals, but there are currently no inpatient services in Lincoln County and limited outpatient services available. Recent news coverage has quoted Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and the Oregon Health Authority saying that the state needs nearly 3,000 beds to meet the need for residential substance use disorder treatment. Work Now Underway Work currently in progress includes creating an access driveway along the north property line, grubbing (the removal of trees, shrubs, stumps and rubbish from a site), digging footings for the new construction and working on underground utilities (water, sewer and stormwater). As part of the site work, an arborist recommended removing an unhealthy native Sitka spruce tree located on adjacent city park property. This tree removal was done for the safety of park visitors as well as nearby homes and properties, including the new treatment center. A recent informational letter mailed to neighbors stated: “We are excited for construction work to be moving forward. Substance use disorder impacts so many people in our community and across the region. A broad range of generous benefactors recognize the vital importance of a local residential recovery center and have supported this project with donations to the Pacific Communities Health District Foundation and North Lincoln Hospital Foundation, raising $10.4 million to date.” The letter was jointly signed by the three principals involved with bringing this facility to fruition: Pacific Communities Health District, represented by Board Chair Aimee Thompson; Samaritan Health Services, represented by Lesley Ogden, MD, CEO of the two Samaritan hospitals in Lincoln County; and Pacific Communities Health District Foundation, represented by Executive Director Karla Clem. About the Project The building and property, which had previously been used as an adult foster care home, is now owned by the Pacific Communities Health District. Program services and staffing will be provided by Samaritan Health Services in accordance with the long-term operating agreement between Samaritan and the health district. To date, a business director and a clinical supervisor have been hired and they have begun connecting with community partners. Medical Director David Simmons, MD, will be shared between the Lebanon and Newport treatment centers. Interviews for a clinical director are now underway, and the remainder of frontline staff and support staff will be hired when the facility is closer to being completed. Fundraising is through the PCHD Foundation and the North Lincoln Hospital Foundation, with donations coming from government entities, local Native American tribes, public and private foundations, businesses and individuals throughout Lincoln County and the region. Clark/Kjos out of Portland is the architectural firm that designed plans for the remodeled interior and the new two-story addition. Gerding Builders, LLC, out of Corvallis is the general contractor. For more information, including how to support the project, go online to pchdistrict.org and to samhealth.org/SupportSTARSCoast.
