The Spokesman Review
Privatize opioid treatment? Spokane Regional Health District looking for input on proposal
Hope is for improved community services
The Spokane Regional Health District is looking for input on a proposal to privatize its opioid treatment services.
This week, the public health organization held three town halls to gather citizen comment and concern for the idea. While final approval to spin off treatment services is still far away, SRHD administrative officer Alicia Thompson hopes a privatized organization could provide more improved services than a public entity.
“We are bound by governmental processes and can’t move quickly. Plus, our focus has to be on being wise stewards of taxpayer dollars,” Thompson said at a Thursday town hall. “Under a private business structure, they don’t have the same restraints that we do in government.
They’re actually able to be more nimble and responsive to the need within communities.”
SRHD’s first methadone clinic opened in 1990 and has since grown to serve more than 1,000 actively enrolled patients. Still, direct treatment is not typically conducted by a public health agency, Thompson said.
If Thompson gives her stamp of approval in September, the health district will begin to develop specific plans with private entities that may be willing to take on treatment services.
Privatizing is nimble and could be better since they don't have the restrictions and duties of being good stewards of tax payor dollars? Did I read that correctly?