Our view: Drop-in peer centers add valuable services to battle addiction
Published 6:00 am Saturday, October 23, 2021
The local area learned of some good news last week when three drop-in peer centers opened, adding another layer of services that will make a difference in the future.
The Oregon Washington Health Network drop-in centers in Hermiston, Pendleton and Milton-Freewater are designed to offer support and guidance from peers who can help people seek addiction assistance.
Amy Ashton-Williams, the network’s executive director, said the grand opening of the Hermiston drop-in center was monumental and we couldn’t agree more.
The drop-in centers are a grassroots way to help tackle addiction. The services are free, which is another big plus. The centers can offer a low-key type of assistance to help those in need, and in a perfect world there would be far more such center than currently exists.
Addiction is one of those community challenges that needs more attention from us all. If we have not been touched by addiction challenges — either personally or with a loved one — it can be hard to relate to the impact such problems can generate. Addiction touches not just the individual but those around them and, often, impacts public safety. Police spent a huge amount of time dealing with addiction – in one form or another — so the advent of a resource such as the peer drop-in centers is good news for everyone.
Addiction is a subject that can be easily dismissed by those who have not been touched by it. It shouldn’t be dismissed. Drug and alcohol addiction costs millions in taxpayer dollars every year. If a viable method can be found — such as the drop-in centers — to help it should be embraced by all.
Ashton-Williams said in a story in this newspaper that her organization already had helped about 50 people in the past few months. The new offices mean even more people will be able to access addiction services.
The centers are an investment in the future in a real sense. They will provide a key piece of infrastructure to help our area combat addiction — in all its forms — and hopefully, ultimately help make a real difference in our collective future.
