Washington County breaks ground on new addictions treatment center

Beaverton, OR – Earlier today, Washington County hosted a groundbreaking ceremony at the future home of the Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment (CATT) in Beaverton. The County aims to open this facility by late 2025.

Honored speakers, guests and ceremonial groundbreakers included Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, Senator Kate Lieber, Rep. Lisa Reynolds, Rep. Nathan Sosa, Board Chair Kathryn Harrington and Commissioner Pam Treece.

The need for additional treatment services in Washington County is significant. The county lacks critical capacity for substance use treatment services with no sobering beds, few residential beds and no publicly funded detox beds. Residents typically have to travel to other areas of the state to get these services. The CATT will add 86 new treatment beds and many other associated services for the local community.

Services at the facility at 17911 NW Evergreen Place in Beaverton will include residential treatment, sobering, and withdrawal management (detox), provided by longtime County partner and addictions provider CODA, Inc.

The CATT is a split campus model. The other site is located at 5250 NE Elam Young Parkway in Hillsboro and will offer a variety of outpatient services provided by Solutions Group NW, Lifeworks NW, Mental Health and Addictions Association of Oregon, and Project Homeless Connect. The anticipated opening date is spring 2025.

The CATT has been in development since 2019. “From the beginning, this project has been community-driven,” said Mjere Simantel, director of Washington County Health and Human Services. “More than 200 people, from a variety of cultural backgrounds and many with lived experience, have provided input to ensure the CATT will work for our community.”

The County contracted with Holst Architecture on the building design and with R&H Construction to lead the renovation and construction of the buildings. For this project, R&H demonstrated their commitment to equity, inclusion and celebrating diversity through a unique partnership with Advanced Tribal, a Native American-owned general contracting business.

“In selecting our partners for the CATT, we prioritized finding local businesses with proven track records that share our vision for creating a trauma-informed space for those who want to get help for their addiction,” said Kathryn Harrington, chair of the Board of County Commissioners.

The total project cost for both locations is $63 million. Funding comes from more than a dozen sources, including Behavioral Health funds, Measure 110 grant funds, Supportive Housing Services tax revenue, and grants from health partners including CareOregon, Providence Health and Services, Trillium Community Health Plan and Yamhill Community Care. The project also received funding provided by legislators during the last two legislative sessions and from Congress. Finally, Washington County, Hillsboro, Cornelius, Tigard and Forest Grove are contributing their allocations of the opioid settlement funds toward the CATT. These dollars will support both capital costs as well as ongoing operations.

More information is available on the CATT webpage.