The plans to have a meth stabilization center in Portland continue with zest. The center is moving forward more than two years after closures and delays. People under the influence of methamphetamine can receive safe treatment in this center once up and fully running. Meth has become increasingly deadly. Nearly 1,000 Oregonians died from meth use from 2019 to 2021, according to Oregon State Police. And in recent years, meth has become more toxic, cheaper, more widely available.
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As it stands, the location, opening date, and funding are still being determined. But nearly $2 million has been spent on planning for a new stabilization center. Providence’s Portland-area hospital emergency departments saw 1,852 methamphetamine-related visits last year. Across Multnomah County there were nearly 7,500 meth-related emergency department visits last year.
Meth-related emergency room visits have been rising steadily in Multnomah County. It is also being reported that last year meth related visits exceeded visits related to alcohol, which typically top the list. Meth users are often taken to jail when they are in a psychosis.
A stabilization center can be where first responders take people needing their crisis services. These types of centers treat patients and connect them to resources, using professionals trained in helping people who have a history of meth-related trauma.
Oregon has consistently ranked among the states most impacted by the drug over the last few decades. It is being reported that in 2020 Oregonians had the highest rate of meth use in the country, according to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health data. Nearly 2% of those surveyed over age 12 reported meth use within the past 12 months.
A sobering center offers a 24-hour stay which is more time for stabilization. The emergency room visits and death toll are symptoms of Oregon’s long-enduring methamphetamine use problem.
Planning efforts have cost nearly $2 million to date. By the end of August, the city will have paid Lones Consulting about $1.2 million. CareOregon put in an additional $80,000 and Legacy Health spent $486,000 on community engagement. Multnomah County is the lead with consultation from the city.
