King County set to open new sobering facility by year and at 1950 1st Ave S

Seattle, Washington – King County is opening a new sobering facility in Seattle’s SODO district, a major step forward in the area’s all-encompassing approach to fight overdoses and provide access to treatment options. This will help to support initiatives against the opioid crisis. The announcement was made outlining the management of a permanent facility at 1950 1st Ave S by Pioneer Human Services.

Aiming to provide a safe space for recovery from severe intoxication, the newly announced institution may accommodate up to 40 people at once. More importantly, it provides a vital link to necessary resources including long-term treatment alternatives, housing help, and different support systems required for recovery. Replacing the current temporary facility located in the Yesler Building, which served over a thousand people in 2024, this center is scheduled to start operations by year’s end.

Sobering facilities have been essential in community care systems for almost 30 years, hence representing a fundamental component of the recovery-oriented system supervised by the King County Behavioral Health & Recovery Division.

“This new sobering center is critical to King County’s ongoing work to connect more people to treatment, lifesaving interventions, and a path to recovery,” said Executive Shannon Braddock in a statement.

Braddock underlined the group effort of community members, regional leaders, and partners in increasing the availability of substance use disorder treatment and offering safe havens for those in need.

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King County has worked hard in the last year to increase mental health treatment as part of a larger effort revealed in 2024. This program emphasizes three main areas: improving overdose prevention, expanding mobile crisis team reach, and boosting access to drugs including buprenorphine. Among the noteworthy achievements is the distribution of 685 prescriptions for opioid use disorder drugs through a new hotline established in cooperation with the University of Washington Department of Emergency Medicine.

The growth of mobile crisis teams has also been rather amazing; 33 teams are now actively helping throughout the county. Catering to both adults and children, these teams work tirelessly to de-escalate emergencies and link people to required assistance.

Emphasizing the county’s comprehensive approach, a 16-bed residential treatment program for those suffering with mental health and substance use disorders was started in partnership with Pioneer Human Services. Plans are also in process to open a post-overdose recovery center in downtown Seattle operated by the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) in cooperation with the University of Washington and the City of Seattle. The facility will concentrate on mental health treatment and medical follow-up after opioid overdoses.

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King County’s efforts extend to harm reduction as well, with significant increases in the distribution of naloxone kits and fentanyl test strips—surpassing initial targets. In 2024 alone, the county gave out 119,960 naloxone kits and 123,858 fentanyl test strips while also installing harm reduction vending machines at key places to improve access.

The $12 million in grants given to 37 providers for staff retention and recruiting has also strengthened the dedication to strengthen the mental health workforce. Furthermore, $4.8 million was set aside to increase the apprenticeship program of the SEIU Training Fund, so enhancing the resource base required to fight this ongoing crisis.

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Particularly among Black, Indigenous, and communities of color, as well as people living unsheltered, King County stays committed to helping vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by rising overdose rates. This covers significant grant money meant to increase treatment access in community-based environments and strengthen community-centered overdose prevention and response initiatives.

This comprehensive approach highlights King County’s dedication to tackling the opioid crisis as well as the teamwork needed to significantly advance public health and safety.

More details can be found here.