The Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment (CATT) is a comprehensive substance use treatment center being developed by Washington County.

The CATT Connection

JUNE 2023

Excitement Builds as Construction Manager/General Contractor Firm Selected!

The CATT leadership team recently wrapped up the process to select a construction management/general contracting firm to lead the renovation and construction of the buildings that will house CATT. Two highly competitive firms were interviewed to identify the best match for the project. We made a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners and in May the board authorized us to enter into a contract with R&H Construction.

In addition to their amazing portfolio of work, R&H stood out because of their commitment to equity, inclusion and addressing disparities in the construction industry. Their proposal included a unique partnership with a growing construction company, Advanced Tribal, a Native American-owned and operated company committed to providing apprenticeship opportunities to Native Americans entering the trades. Partnering with R&H will provide Advanced Tribal broad industry experience, from responding to large construction opportunities to managing elements of the build, all while learning from a more experienced firm.

Along with the partnership with Advanced Tribal, the work will be led by a diverse leadership team that includes women and several individuals representing communities of color. This demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion and celebrating diversity aligns perfectly with the foundational values of the CATT project. We are excited to add these new members to the CATT family!

CATT is Hosting an Open House

On August 22, we will host an open house from 4-6 p.m. at our new building, located at 17911 NW Evergreen Place in Beaverton. This site will eventually have sobering, withdrawal management, residential treatment, and transitional supports. The open house will highlight several key elements of the CATT, including clinical services, our partnership with public safety, architectural design and the construction schedule.

Information will be available in English, Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. While the main goal of this open house is to meet our nearby neighbors and answer any questions they may have, the public is welcome to come and take a peek at our plans. There will also be an opportunity to meet project leaders from the County, CODA, Holst Architects and Washington County Sheriff’s Office. We hope to see you there!

Washington County Leaders Tour CATT Buildings

Front row: Assistant County Administrator Marni Kuyl

Back row, left to right: Behavioral Health Division Manager Nick Ocon, County Administrator Tanya Ange, Health and Human Services Director Mjere Simantel, Commissioner Nafisa Fai, Board Chair Kathryn Harrington, Commissioner Pam Treece, CATT Project Manager Kristin Burke, Commissioner Jerry Willey and Government Relations Manager Zakir Khan.

On June 14, leaders from Washington County toured the two future locations of the Center for Addictions Triage and Treatment (CATT) in Beaverton (pictured) and Hillsboro. Both buildings will be remodeled and the Beaverton location will have a second structure added. The CATT will provide much needed substance use disorder care and co-located services. Read about the services that we plan to offer at each location by visiting the CATT website.

Q and A with CODA’s

Medical Director

CODA, Inc. will manage the intensive services at the CATT once the building is open. In this article, CODA presents "Questions and Answers" with its Medical Director, Eve Klein, M.D.

Q: What is at the core of CODA's current substance use disorder treatment?

Two words: medicine and science. Quality care often includes medicine. CODA focuses on getting our patients the medicines they need. Our patients in both residential and outpatient settings have access to all the medication options available for opioid use disorder. In addition, CODA offers medicines that help people using alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, or nicotine. We also need more and better treatment options for people with substance use disorders. CODA’s dedicated research team continues to advance the science behind substance use disorder treatment. We partner with academic institutions around the country to offer cutting-edge options to Oregonians.

Q: How would someone access medication services at CODA?

At CODA, there is no wrong door for getting started in recovery. Some people reach us by phone. Some walk in. Some fill out a form on our website. In all cases, we make sure that people who want treatment can get the services they need – including medication – quickly. We offer a hybrid of both in-person and telehealth medical appointments.

Q: How does CODA serve people with complex needs?

Many people who receive services at CODA have housing and transportation. Many others do not. All CODA programs give support to patients with transportation needs. We also coordinate all aspects of care plans—some very complex—for patients living in our facilities. We offer evening appointments for those who have work or caregiving responsibilities. Many people living with substance use disorders also have other health conditions. CODA staff members make communication with community healthcare providers a priority. This way, we ensure that our patients receive the highest quality medical care.

CATT Champion Spotlight

Our work on the CATT is grounded in the knowledge that substance use touches all of us in different ways. As we’ve worked on the CATT project, many people have stepped forward and shared very personal stories with us about how they or their loved ones have been impacted by substance use. These stories have inspired us and emphasized the need to improve access to substance use care and treatment. We have been sharing stories from community members we call “CATT Champions.” Every CATT Champion has volunteered to have their story published in their own words. We hope these stories help to highlight the reason we are working hard to bring a substance use triage and treatment center to our community.

CATT Champion Ron

As a young African American kid living in Los Angeles, California, my lived experience and early exposure to substance abuse greatly influenced my development. My mother was a single parent of five, with a large extended family, living in a fast-paced environment that was saturated with ritual practices that celebrated alcohol and drug abuse. This behavior was endorsed and accepted as a way of life and created adverse childhood experiences during my early years. I was conditioned to believe that substance use provided escape from the day to day psychological and emotional struggles, so much so that even with lifestyle and environmental changes, I could not avoid my eventual addiction.

Living a roller-coaster pattern (in, out, up, down, and around) of substance use negatively impacted all my relationships, family and otherwise! Looking back, I realize that there was nothing positive about my substance use. During my early development years in Los Angeles, I learned that drug and alcohol use was “normal,” and because of this, I spent years justifying my own addiction issues as just a normal way of living.

The lesson I have learned from substance use, is to be mindful that life is not linear. We all experience challenges that can weaken even the strongest of us. I encourage all to avoid condemnation of self or those engaged in this experience and try to offer compassionate curiosity as opposed to labeling.

My recovery came through developing a spiritual connection, family, exposure to new information and pathways, and an environmental change. I didn’t have an available option like the Center for Addiction Triage and Treatment (CATT) to get help. Washington County is investing in broader thinking that honors humanity. The CATT project is creating a specific resource that diversifies the efforts of law enforcement, community re-engagement and available recovery options.

When the CATT is open, it will utilize best practice strategies of lived experience peer support and holistic services that are person-centered. This resource is guaranteed to be a game changer in supporting our quality of life in Washington County! I wish the many family members and friends that I have lost to addiction would have had the option and offering of this new endeavor.

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