Lane County commissioners voted Tuesday, Sept. 29, to accept a $1.3 million grant from the Oregon Health Authority. The money, part of the state’s opioid‑settlement fund, will finance a new treatment clinic in Florence.
Local impact and staffing
The Florence Treatment Center is slated to open in July 2027. County analysis projects it will treat at least 30 residents immediately, growing to 100 patients by the end of its first year. The clinic will offer medication‑assisted treatment with methadone, a service not currently available anywhere along the coast between Coos Bay and Seaside.
Funding will cover nine full‑time positions for the first two years, including a program manager, two nurses, two qualified mental‑health professionals, and additional support staff. Existing staff from the Lane County Treatment Center in Eugene will also provide part‑time assistance during the start‑up phase.
Community and economic benefits
Commissioner Laurie Trieger, who also serves on the 18‑member state Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board, said the project is “about investing in infrastructure to stand up some healthcare, but it is so much more than that.” She added that the clinic will help prevent homelessness and connect patients to long‑term recovery services and employment.
Chair Ryan Ceniga noted that community members asked many questions about the project, describing the process as “a tough road but a very rewarding road.” The county will renovate a former medical clinic at 4480 Highway 101 in Florence and hopes to issue construction bids before the holidays.
Statewide context
Oregon’s opioid‑related overdose deaths fell from 1,394 in 2023 to 1,078 in 2024, according to the Oregon Health Authority. In Lane County, opioid‑related deaths dropped from 164 in 2023 to 98 in 2024, and emergency‑department visits for overdoses fell from 401 in 2022 to 209 in 2025.
In 2024, state lawmakers passed legislation allowing counties to create deflection programs that steer individuals facing misdemeanor drug‑possession charges into treatment rather than the court system. The $114.3 million allocated by the state’s Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Board supports treatment, prevention, research and recovery initiatives across Oregon.
Original reporting: Homepage – Lookout Eugene-Springfield — read the source article.
