Recovery center reports high Medicaid enrollment and phased openings; housing phase 2 breaks ground

County staff and the Comprehensive/CCR operations team updated the committee on the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery (CVCR) and related recovery housing. Construction of the last piece of CVCR (the east entry) is nearly complete, an operational agreement with Comprehensive was executed July 1, and several units are partially open while licensing and staffing finalize full operations.

Jose Lopez, who identified himself as "the executive vice president for [Comprehensive] with oversight of CCR," presented preliminary enrollment data since June 20: 59 enrollments into stabilization units, 25 enrollments into a 28–30 day brain-disorder program (with most transfers coming from stabilization), and 47 enrollments into the crisis relief center since it opened June 29. Current censuses in some units were reported at 13 clients out of 16 beds; operators said full census in locked programs is expected by mid-August. Lopez said payer mix across enrollments is preliminary and approximately 95% Medicaid, 3% commercial and 2% Medicare.

Staff and partners described a "no wrong door" service approach: clients are stabilized and served first, and funding eligibility is determined after services are provided. Committee members asked whether law-enforcement drop-offs and referral times were tracked; staff said those metrics are being collected and coordination with the Kennewick Police Department and other partners is underway. The operations team also noted lessons learned about licensing timelines and technology coordination.

County staff reported that Phase 2 of recovery housing has broken ground: footings and underground plumbing are installed, and the project remains on schedule for a March 2027 completion. The first housing phase will include 38 units with two on-site managers and a mix of shorter- and longer-term units, funded with county housing dollars and an anticipated state department of commerce grant.

Committee members asked for more detailed payer and discharge breakdowns and for monthly reports on law-enforcement referrals and time-to-placement; staff agreed to provide additional data as reporting capabilities are finalized.