An opioid treatment clinic on 196th street SW at 24th Ave W in Lynnwood, that has been at the center of community protests this month, will be opening in a few days after receiving a license from the State Department of Health (DOH).
Operated by Acadia Healthcare, the treatment center will aim to help people in recovery by providing medication like methadone and offering counseling.
However, residents have had several issues with the clinic leading up to its opening. They contend that an appropriate public outreach and input program was not done and they were not adequately consulted.
They have concerns about vehicle traffic volume increasing in the area. Also among their main worries, is the safety and security of those around the clinic, particularly children, as a Boys and Girls Club and little league baseball fields are nearby.
An organizer with Safe Lynnwood said another community protest is scheduled outside of the clinic on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Dr. David Buck, who works in the same building as the clinic and manages his practice Balance Epigenetic Orthodontics, said, “I have a pediatric healthcare facility and I don’t know why they think it’s perfectly fine to have children in the same proximity, same access point to my office as the Acadia office. Why is that ok? We have to look at the fundamental issue of doing everything we can do to protect children. Why didn’t they factor that into this?”
At a city council meeting earlier this month, a spokesperson for Acadia Health said there is a stigma around such recovery centers. He said their clients typically spend about 10 minutes per visit and that most are people who have jobs and families. He said if needed the center can hire security.
In a statement Thursday, a spokesperson with the DOH said, "This clinic is moving only a short distance from its previous location, and has hundreds of existing clients, many of whom live in the community near the new location and need access to continued treatment. These clients are neighbors, family members, co-workers and friends who are working to stay in recovery."
Another statement from Acadia Healthcare officials sent to KOMO News claimed they will include the community in future discussions. You can read it below:
Shortly after the opening, we will host an open house in an effort to further inform the community on what the facility does, how it delivers treatments safely and how it will benefit many residents. We will also engage the community in monthly forums so there can be a timely exchange of information and ideas.
That is a discussion Lynnwood City Councilmember George Hurst said must happen and must remain consistent between city leaders, the Lynnwood Police Department and Acadia.
“I hope we have a meeting immediately next week with interested parties and get that conversation going and then say in two weeks, ‘what’s happening, is it working, what do we need to change?’ Let’s work hard at it, make it work, it has to,” Hurst said.
On Friday, Acadia officials also told KOMO, "we anticipate holding the first open house on Feb. 20. The first of the community meetings will be held the week of Feb. 6 (exact day and time yet to be determined)," they also reiterated their safety assurances, "regarding security, we have strong operating protocols in place that we strictly follow to ensure patient, visitor and community safety. In addition, we will hire security to deter any loitering."
Safe Lynnwood said the following via statement:
We intend to use the rally on Sunday as a platform for concerned parents, business owners, and community members to come together and provide input to create a comprehensive public safety plan. This plan must involve both the Lynnwood Police Department and the Snohomish County Sheriff's office, as the site is situated on the border and the residents nearby are in the unincorporated Snohomish County area. We aim to gather the community and establish a connected network to monitor and report any potential violations, ensuring that Acadia adheres to the rules and policies of our city. We want to keep parents fully informed and let Acadia know that we will hold them accountable if anything happens to one child.
The clinic is expected to open Monday, Jan. 30.