PORT ANGELES — Clallam County commissioners are considering approving more than $133,000 in funding for three organizations benefiting people with behavioral health and substance-abuse issues.
During their Monday work session, commissioners Bill Peach and Randy Johnson discussed providing funding for Volunteers in Medicine of the Olympics, West End Outreach Services and Olympic Personal Growth Center.
Commissioner Mark Ozias was absent.
Andy Brastad, director of county Health and Human Services, told commissioners the funding is from unused Chemical Dependency and Mental Health funds that were not spent during a first round of funding. It’s dedicated money — often called Hargrove Funds — that the county had already budgeted to spend.
The commissioners approved a request for proposals for the second round of funding during their Feb. 13 meeting.
Brastad said there was about $275,000 of funding available. If the commissioners approve the $133,000 in funding, there would be approximately $142,000 remaining.
The commissioners will consider approving four agreements with the three organizations during their meeting May 29.
If approved, VIMO would receive $50,787 to provide a program to assist people referred by the Port Angeles Police Department or U.S. Border Patrol who are in need of behavioral health services.
In a separate agreement, West End Outreach Services would receive $15,080 to provide treatment for behavioral health conditions to people and families at or below the federal poverty level.
The commissioners will consider two agreements with Olympic Personal Growth Center. Under one agreement, the organization would receive $22,640 for early intervention services at Sequim Middle School and Sequim High School.
Under a separate agreement, Olympic Personal Growth Center would receive $44,940 to provide substance-use disorder services to people with low incomes.
The funded was recommended by a review committee that had no financial interest in where the funding went, Brastad said.
He said Serenity House of Clallam County had submitted a proposal requesting funding to support its shelters, but the review committee didn’t feel Chemical Dependency and Mental Health funds were appropriate.
“It really addressed operating shelters, but not doing direct CD/HM services for people in the shelter,” Brastad said. “The review panel decided that it didn’t meet the requirements of direct services for CD/MH.”
Brastad said he was unable to provide a copy of Serenity House’s proposal Monday.
Doc Robinson, director of Serenity House, has said previously the single adult clean and sober recovery shelter would need about $105,000 in funding to remain open.
Robinson, who couldn’t be reached by phone Monday, said in an email the single adult clean and sober recovery shelter has seen 42 “positive” exits out of the 50 clients enrolled since November.
Robinson announced last month Serenity House would need to close its night-by-night, family and single adult clean and sober recover shelters due to lack of funding.
He said the county needed to pay $200,000 in Homelessness Task Force funding to keep the night-by-night and family shelters open and $105,000 in Chemical Dependency and Mental Health funds to keep the single adult shelter open.
The county agreed to a short-term solution to keep the night-by-night shelter open, amending a previous contract that provides $55,000 in funding to keep the night-by-night shelter open until July.
________
Reporter Jesse Major can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56250, or at jmajor@peninsuladailynews.com.
