Oregon’s latest attempt to offer services for people who are suffering from alcohol and drug issues will be opening in the future, but no date has been set.
A Sobering Center location has been chosen in Portland.
A location in SE Portland has been announced by Multnomah County, a building that fits the required criteria including no schools within a certain distance.
The Sobering Center is going to serve as a place for first responders to bring people off the street who are undergoing drug or alcohol addiction issues, especially those who need immediate assistance. According to Oregon Public Broadcasting:
“The county is evaluating the location. If they move forward, the plan is to purchase the building, county officials said.
When it opens, law enforcement and first responders will be able to drop people off 24/7 for “sobering and crisis stabilization services.” The location, which is over 24,000 square feet, will have “up to 50 beds offering a combination of sobering and withdrawal management services,” according to the release.”
The center will be used as an alternative for intoxicated people on the streets, instead of taking them to jail, the hospital or leaving them where they are.
The County’s previous center closed in 2019 because it was primarily used for alcohol detoxification, and did not have the ability to deal with people on meth or opioids.