NEWPORT, Ore. — A long-awaited inpatient treatment and recovery facility for substance use disorders opened its doors this week in Newport, offering local residents a vital new resource to combat addiction without leaving their community.

Samaritan Treatment & Recovery Services – Newport welcomed its first patients on Oct. 27, capping years of collaborative effort to address a critical gap in behavioral health services along Oregon’s central coast. The 13,811-square-foot center provides both outpatient and residential care, including 16 inpatient beds for adults 18 and older.

An open house event last week drew a crowd that spilled from the dining room into the kitchen and hallway, where attendees toured the facility and heard from key stakeholders. Speakers highlighted themes of collaboration, determination and gratitude, underscoring the pressing need for such services in Lincoln County.

“What a meaningful day this is – for Lincoln County, for Samaritan and for everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life,” said Marty Cahill, CEO and president of Samaritan Health Services. “Every square foot of this facility tells a story of community partnership.”

Cahill credited a wide array of supporters, including health districts, foundations, local governments, state and federal partners, tribal groups, donors, architects, builders and Samaritan staff, for turning the project into reality.

Aimee Thompson, a board director for the Pacific Communities Health District and a 25-year Lincoln County resident, emphasized the facility’s role in breaking down barriers to recovery. She cited data showing that 4.5% of the county’s adult population was diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder between September 2019 and August 2021.

“To get help, which is most likely the hardest thing they’ve ever done, they leave family and the county and tackle addiction all at once. It’s been a huge barrier,” Thompson said. “So today, on behalf of our entire board, I am thrilled to see this facility open its doors for folks who didn’t think clean and sober was a possibility.”

Thompson added that her greatest hope is for the center to transform families, giving children a chance to thrive in homes free from addiction.

The $12.2 million project was funded through contributions from community members, businesses, private foundations, tribal confederations and various government entities. Fundraising was led by the Samaritan Pacific Communities Health District Foundation and the North Lincoln Hospital Foundation.

Modeled after Samaritan’s first treatment center in Lebanon, the Newport facility offers residential treatment, intensive outpatient programs, group and individual therapy, medication-assisted treatment and peer-delivered services. While open to patients statewide, it prioritizes Lincoln County residents.

The property, formerly an adult foster care home, was acquired by the Pacific Communities Health District. Samaritan Health Services will handle operations and staffing under a long-term agreement with the district.

Portland-based Clark/Kjos served as the architectural firm, designing the interior remodel and a new two-story addition. Corvallis’ Gerding Builders, LLC, acted as general contractor.

For more information on services, call 541-574-7202 or visit samhealth.org/Recovery.

Samaritan Health Services is a not-for-profit health system serving communities throughout the mid-Willamette Valley and central Oregon coast.