The Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment (CATT) is a comprehensive substance use treatment center being developed by Washington County.

The CATT Connection

APRIL 2022

Seeking a Provider to Operate the CATT

Intensive Services

We have hit an exciting milestone with the CATT project! With the intensive services building destined for 17911 NE Evergreen Place, Beaverton, it is time to find a provider who will operate the services. You might be thinking, “Isn’t it awfully early to bring on a provider when the program isn’t going to open for two years?” Yes, that is true. However, by bringing the provider on now, they will be able to help inform the design of the building. We will rely on their expertise to consider how clients receive care at the CATT and how the building supports the clinical services.

In April we published a request for proposal (RFP) to select the provider. The RFP was developed with the help of our coordinated care organizations who will fund much of the clinical services once the CATT opens. Our goal is to select the provider in early June, with their contract starting in July.

Wanted: Experienced Architectural Firm

to Design the CATT

In April we published an RFP seeking an architectural firm to do the design and engineering for the CATT project and provide support during construction. We are specifically looking for a firm that can embrace our vision for the CATT and help us bring that vision to reality. While we are fortunate to have a building for the intensive services, it will require significant renovation and expansion. Finding the right firm to partner with is critical.

So, what are we looking for? We hope to identify an experienced architectural firm that can accomplish the following:

Design a space that is trauma informed and promotes safety, health and healing
Incorporate design elements that are responsive to our diverse community
Design spaces that promote connection to natural supports such as friends and family
Plan the center with flexibility in mind to accommodate changes in services and community needs over time

Our goal is to have the architectural firm selected in early June, with the work beginning in July.

CATT Champion Spotlight

Our work on the CATT is grounded in the knowledge that substance use touches all of us in different ways. As we’ve worked on the CATT project, many people have stepped forward and shared very personal stories with us about how they, or their loved ones, have been impacted by substance use. These stories have inspired us and emphasized the need to improve access to substance use care and treatment. Starting with this newsletter edition, we will be sharing stories from community members we call “CATT Champions.” Every CATT Champion has volunteered to have their story published in their own words. We hope these stories help to highlight the reason we are working hard to bring a substance use triage and treatment center to our community.

Left: Photo of Sheila and her sister as children

Right: Photo of CATT Champion Sheila

Photos courtesy of CATT Champion Sheila

CATT Champion Sheila

Last May I received the call everyone fears. My niece called to tell me that my sister had died in her sleep. She had been working in the yard all day and was feeling sore. She was seeking relief and didn’t know the opiate she was taking contained fentanyl, a drug that can kill with just a small amount. Although my sister had a history of opiate abuse, she had been doing well at the time of her death.

My sister’s story of addiction goes back 20 years. Like many people, her struggle with opioids began following an injury. As her substance use progressed, I found myself doing what many family members do: I set boundaries and eventually became distant from her. Over the last couple of years, my sister had a period of recovery and I started reconnecting with her. It was such a relief to see her doing better. Her overdose was a shock to everyone. Her new grandbaby was due in June; she was so excited about being a grandma.

It’s hard to know how to support a family member who uses substances. I think there is still a lot of stigma and shame, and resources for the family are difficult to find. I’m glad the CATT will provide support to not just the clients but family members as well. Looking back, I wish more services had been available to my family, so we knew how to better support my sister.

If you have a loved one who uses substances, talk to them about their use. Provide them information, help them get to services when they are ready, keep a line of communication open. Make sure there is Narcan available. As a supervisor in Community Corrections, I have worked with people who struggle with substance use for nearly 30 years, and I lost my sister to an opioid overdose. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.

The story above mentions Narcan, a medication used for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose. Visit this webpage for more information on Narcan and a list of FAQs.

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