The Where and Why of Opioid Settlement Spending in Chelan County

Chelan County has determined how it wants to invest a tranche of opioid response funding.

"In 2022, the county started receiving settlement funds," explains Commissioner Kevin Overbay. "It was part of what's referred to as the One Washington MOU that the county signed on to."

"To date, we've received about $1.1M. As part of that One Washington MOU, we had to establish the North Central Washington Abatement Council, which is made up of seven receiving partners: Grant, Chelan, Okanogan and Douglas counties, as well as the cities of Moses Lake, Wenatchee and East Wenatchee."

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These localities worked collectively to develop an interlocal agreement, Overbay says.

"Then we contracted with Carelon Healthcare, which manages the accounts, or contracts, for the disbursement of these funds." Each entity, Overbay says, has discretion as to how to spend its portion of the funds.

Chelan County is poised to receive just north of $2M, which Overbay says will be allotted incrementally over 15 years.

As for particular investments, Overbay says the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) has settled on the following:

"The first [investment] is an opportunity for us to install some additional RFID sensors in our Regional Justice Center, which basically serves all the communities in North Central Washington." These sensors "allow us to determine an individual's vital signs if they are detoxing. [They] give us an early indication of any medical issues that may occur."

There's more. Chelan County's still-nascent therapeutic drug court, Overbay says, is looking to recruit a "recovery support coordinator, as well as some transitional/temporary housing funding" for program participants. Urinalysis funding is another must-have.

Lastly, the Center for Drug and Alcohol Treatment has a litany of needs: "a mental health provider, a physical health provider and some transport vehicles to assist with detox and treatment."

"In total, if no other partners come in to help fund these elements, our total distribution would be about $942K. But I do know the City of Wenatchee is putting part of their funding toward these elements." Douglas County has also reportedly signaled a willingness to contribute, but no agreements have been finalized yet, Overbay says.