Clatsop County officials are seeking a new provider of alcohol and drug treatment services, following the announcement that LifeWorks NW is ending its North Coast presence.
The Portland-based agency informed the county in mid-February that it will be ending its services by July 1. But the agency, which operates offices in Astoria and Seaside, has pledged that it will work in cooperation with the county to transition its services to another provider and that all services will continue during the transition period.
LifeWorks has been the county’s contracted provider of drug and alcohol abuse treatment and prevention outreach services for teens and adults since 2000, when the agency was known as Tualatin Valley Centers.
"We’re disappointed LifeWorks is unable to continue to provide treatment services in the community, but we appreciate that they have given us ample notice," County Manager Duane Cole said. "We’ll talk with local and regional service providers to see if they’re interested."
Cole said the county will aim to have a new provider chosen well in advance of the July 1 date to ensure a smooth transfer.
The county’s contract with LifeWorks for the current fiscal year totals $286,000. The services under the county contract are mandated and funded by the State of Oregon and serve people required to undergo treatment as part of sanctions imposed by the local state courts.
The county currently contracts with three agencies for human services – LifeWorks for substance abuse treatment, Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare for mental health services, and Columbia Community Mental Health for developmental disability case management, all of which are funded with pass-through dollars from the state.