Washington County Celebrates the Hillsboro Recovery Center

On May 22, Washington County officials, service providers and other community partners celebrated the completion of the Hillsboro Recovery Center (HRC) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This site, located at 5250 NE Elam Young Parkway, is one of two locations for the County’s Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment (CATT). The other site, the Beaverton Recovery Center (BRC), is still under construction. It is located at 17911 NW Evergreen Place and will offer intensive inpatient services. The County expects to open the BRC in late fall. 

The ceremony included remarks from HHS Director Mjere Simantel, Chair Kathryn Harrington, Commissioner Jerry Willey and Sr. Project Manager Micah Stout with R & H Construction. Following the ceremonial cutting of the ribbon, attendees were invited to tour the new facility, which includes a beautiful central atrium and artwork, much of which was created by people in recovery. 

The Hillsboro Recovery Center will house a variety of community services to support people with substance use disorders and other behavioral health conditions. Services at the HRC will include the following: 

• The Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (soon to be renamed – see story below) will operate the peer drop-in center, a space for individuals in recovery and their friends, family and other supports to come together. Drop-in centers provide opportunities for connection, mutual support, and the development of peer networks and resources, all of which are critical to recovery. 
• Solutions Group NW will provide outpatient services largely in Spanish, focusing on the Latinx community. These services include evidence-based interventions, peer support, medication management and counseling. 
• The Hawthorn Walk-in Center and affiliated crisis services, both operated by Lifeworks NW, have moved from their current location across the parking lot to the HRC. These programs offer urgent behavioral health crisis intervention, assessment and stabilization services for both mental health and substance use concerns. 
• Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center will provide on-site health-related supports for people receiving services from other providers at the CATT. Individuals who have problem substance use often have health care needs as well. 
• Project Homeless Connect is on-site to support individuals who are referred to them by other providers at the HRC. 
• Washington County Behavioral Health has also relocated across the parking lot to the new facility.

The Hillsboro Recovery Center is officially open! 

The building is open with limited services initially, with just the Hawthorn Walk-In Center and the County’s Behavioral Health Division on-site. In July, we will welcome Solutions Group NW, Project Homeless Connect and The Peer Company to begin offering services. Virginia Garcia will join us in the fall, completing the service array at our Hillsboro CATT site. Feel free to stop by and see our beautiful new building! 

MHAAO is Becoming The Peer Company!  

Our trusted partners at the Mental Health & Addiction Association of Oregon (MHAAO) will officially rebrand as The Peer Company beginning September 1! This announcement — first shared at their Peerpocalypse Conference in May during Mental Health Awareness Month — will be fully realized on the first day of Recovery Month. The timing could not be more meaningful, perfectly aligning with their unwavering commitment to mental health and addiction recovery across our communities. 

This rebrand isn’t just a name change — it’s a bold reaffirmation of who they are and what they stand for. As Executive Director Janie Gullickson puts it: “This change represents a deeper alignment with our mission and the work we’ve always been doing — led by the powerful voices of peers with lived experience. The Peer Company is grounded in the belief that healing begins with connection, and we are excited to further embrace this vision in the way we present ourselves to the world.” 

Why did leadership choose the name The Peer Company? There were many reasons including: 

• It reflects who they are: MHAAO has always been peer-led. This new name puts that identity front and center — amplifying the voices and experiences that drive their work. 

• It simplifies the message: The Peer Company is approachable and accessible, eliminating confusion and inviting more people to engage with their services. 

• It clarifies their purpose: Whether in hospitals, shelters, courtrooms, community spaces or elsewhere, their identity as peer support professionals will now be unmistakable. 

Even with a new name, everything that matters — their mission, core values and the high-impact work they do — remains unchanged. This is a transformation grounded in continuity, integrity and a stronger alignment with their roots. 

Visit our website for more information and to provide feedback.

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