by Tim Rasmussen, Stevens County Prosecutor
There is some good news to report. A new mental health treatment facility will soon open in Colville. Before this facility opened, treatment of persons with mental health problems was very complicated due to the fact that the nearest mental health facilities were in Spokane or Airway Heights. This meant logistic problems for patients and families and treatment providers.
Through the diligent efforts of several individuals and entities, Dr. David Nielsen is happy to announce, “A 16-bed Residential Treatment Facility – Adult Mental Health Inpatient Evaluation and Treatment Unit will be opening in Colville. The facility will be housed within Providence Mount Carmel Hospital, (the landlord), funded by Spokane County Community Services, Housing, and Community Development Department and operated by Stevens County dba Northeast Washington Alliance Counseling Services. With Capital Project funds from the Washington State Department of Commerce, Spokane County and Stevens County, nearly $3 million of renovations have been completed to a section of the second floor of Mount Carmel Hospital that will house the E&T Facility.
When opened, the facility will serve up to 16 voluntary and involuntary individuals experiencing acute symptoms of psychiatric illness. NEWACS is adding 25 new employees to its workforce including a psychiatrist, consulting nurse practitioners, psychiatric nurses, discharge planners, nursing assistants and behavioral health technicians to run the facility. The Stevens County Superior Court also will be involved at the E&T, conducting court hearings with involuntarily admitted individuals.
The Community is invited to the grand opening ceremony.
· When: Saturday, September 16th, 2017 at 10:00 a.m.
· Where: Patient Rehabilitation Entrance of Providence Mount Carmel Hospital (the “old” emergency entrance in the back of the hospital).
Tours of the facility will be provided. We hope you will come to see this exciting new community resource that is the result of a strong “alliance” between Providence Health and Services, Spokane County, and Stevens County.”
Because our office is frequently involved in cases where the competency of persons charged is at issue or needs to be decided, we are happy to have a local facility to assist in the evaluation process.
