County awarded $1.6M for mobile opioid treatment

Pierce County Human Services (PCHS) has been awarded $1.6 million to fund mobile opioid outreach and treatment services for residents in need of substance abuse services. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Site-Based Program (COSSUP).

The Pierce County Mobile Opioid Outreach and Treatment program will deliver evidence-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), harm reduction activities, wound/basic health care and telehealth services. The program will support a van fully equipped to provide the appropriate medical and counseling services for individuals seeking treatment for OUD, as well as medical and behavioral health professionals ready to provide care across Pierce County.

Opioid-related overdose has been the most common cause of accidental death in Pierce County since the beginning of 2020. Last year, overdose calls were recorded in nearly every community in Pierce County. From 2016-2023, Pierce County experienced a 220% increase in opioid-related deaths and a 174% increase in deaths from any drug overdose. Monthly emergency response calls in Pierce County due to possible overdose increased by 218% from 2020-2024. 

Mobile opioid treatment services will be provided in suburban and rural areas of Pierce County with transportation barriers to accessing site-based services, which are all located in the Tacoma urban core. PCHS expects this project to increase patient treatment plan compliance, and decrease opioid overdoses, opioid-related emergency response calls and opioid-related deaths in the communities the mobile van will serve. 

“The effects of opioids on our community have been devastating,” said Heather Moss, Pierce County Human Services director. “This new program will expand treatment services to those unable to access traditional substance use support. It will help us tackle the fentanyl crisis by creating opportunities to low-barrier treatment.”

Pierce County’s Behavioral Health Improvement Plan identified rural and community-based services as top priorities. To learn more, visit Pierce County Behavioral Health at piercecountywa.gov/5859/Behavioral-Health.

The mission of Pierce County Behavioral Health is to build an accessible, coordinated, and equitable behavioral health system by promoting mental wellness and providing effective behavioral health services. The Human Services Behavioral Health Department improves behavioral health in Pierce County by funding effective, fiscally responsible programs and advocating for access to treatment for all residents. The department accomplishes this by engaging in funding wellness, prevention, and treatment programs; improving coordination and communication among providers, funders, policymakers, and other stakeholders; advocating for a better behavioral health system; ensuring behavioral health care in Pierce County is accessible and effective; creating fiscally responsible programs; and ensuring effective program operation. 

Pierce County’s Behavioral Health Improvement Plan identified rural and community-based services as top priorities. To learn more, visit Pierce County Behavioral Health at piercecountywa.gov/5859/Behavioral-Health.

The mission of Pierce County Behavioral Health is to build an accessible, coordinated, and equitable behavioral health system. The Human Services Behavioral Health Department improves behavioral health in Pierce County by funding effective, fiscally responsible programs and advocating for access to treatment for all residents. The department accomplishes this by engaging in funding wellness, prevention, and treatment programs; improving coordination and communication among providers, funders, policymakers, and other stakeholders; and more.