BestCare Recommended to Deschutes Family Drug Court Program

Jun 04,2006 00:00 by Bend Weekly News Sources

After conducting a request for proposal search (RFP) to find an alcohol and drug treatment provider for the recently funded Deschutes County Drug Court program, BestCare Treatment Services has been chosen to fulfill those services. Deschutes County’s Mental Health Department will recommend BestCare for approval on June 5 to the Board of County Commissioners.

Through the RFP process, Mental Health received two proposals, had a review team rate the proposals and prepare a recommendation. Pfeiffer and Associates and BestCare Treatment Services both submitted excellent proposals to be considered for the work.

The rating group recommended BestCare Treatment Services provide the needed alcohol and drug treatment services for the Family Drug Court program. The approximate contract amount will be $190,000.

Scott Johnson, Deschutes County Mental Health Director, will ask the Board to approve an Intent to Award Family Drug Court addiction treatment services contract to BestCare at the June 5 Board of Commissioners Work Session. The service contract is subject to successful negotiations and the Board’s acceptance of the grant award documents later in June.

Deschutes County Mental Health Director will ask the Board to approve an Intent to Award Family Drug Court addiction treatment services contract to BestCare at the June 5 Board of Commissioners Work Session. The service contract is subject to successful negotiations and the Board’s acceptance of the grant award documents later in June.

Deschutes County recently received notice of funds to be awarded through the Criminal Justice Commission (State General Fund) and the Criminal Justice Services Division (Federal Byrne Funds) to begin the Family Drug Court.

Scheduled to open later this summer, the Family Drug Court goal is to help parents with significant addiction issues and to help reunite families.

“Drug Courts work, they’ve been very successful nationally and elsewhere in Oregon. A program of this kind is long overdue in Deschutes County and treatment is the most important piece to the program’s success,” Johnson said.

According to their web site, BestCare is a non-profit corporation formed by four addiction treatment and mental health agencies so as to develop quality treatment and prevention services throughout the State of Oregon. The four agencies are: Network Behavioral Healthcare/Bridgeway, with offices in Portland and Salem; ADAPT, with offices in Roseburg; New Directions Northwest, with offices in Baker City, and the Center for Human Development, with offices in La Grande. The four executive directors who form the Board of Directors of BestCare represent over 100 years of management experience in operating addiction treatment and mental health programs.

For more information on the Family Drug Court program, please call the Deschutes County Mental Health Department at 322-7500. For BestCare Treatment Services information, please call 617-7365.