Emergency Lodging: A Lifeline for Those Struggling with Drug Use in the Rogue Valley

Here in the Rogue Valley and the larger southwest Oregon region, individuals struggling with drug use often face a daunting challenge when they decide to seek help. The availability of residential treatment services is limited, leading to waiting lists that can result in tragic outcomes. By the time a space becomes available, some have changed their minds, vanished without contact information, or even lost their lives in the struggle.

Sommer Wolcott, the executive director of OnTrack Rogue Valley, a behavioral health and substance use treatment and recovery organization in Medford, empathizes with the difficulties faced by this population. She states, “Emergency lodging can prevent people from falling through that huge crack in the system.”

Emergency lodging offers a vital solution. It provides individuals with a safe place to stay, similar to a hotel, protecting them from the dangers of living on the streets and abusive relationships. The arrangement is “low-barrier,” meaning there are minimal requirements and restrictions, with a strict no-drug-use policy.

Residents must be on a waitlist for residential substance use treatment or medically managed withdrawal management, and they must adhere to basic rules of lawful and respectful behavior.

Emergency lodging is also a critical need for people who complete an in-house withdrawal management program, for example at The ARC Medical Detox Program in Jackson County.

“The ARC is expanding their detox program, and we can be that ‘soft landing’ after someone successfully completes detox but is still waiting for a residential treatment bed,” Wolcott said. “Even if the wait time for a bed is one week, with nowhere else to go, people can easily start using again during that time, then have to go back through detox again, and so on. Too many people are in that endless spiral.”

OnTrack, funded by Measure 110, Oregon’s 2020 drug decriminalization law, is spearheading this initiative. The organization has partnered with Oasis Center of the Rogue Valley to create emergency lodging apartments for pregnant women experiencing homelessness and substance use issues. With the support of Measure 110 and other funding, these apartments have provided housing and essential services, resulting in 11 women transitioning to residential treatment or detox facilities since their opening in July.

In a bid to expand these services, OnTrack is opening a second Measure 110-funded emergency lodging facility in Medford, capable of housing 10-12 people, with a case manager and peer support specialist stationed on-site. The goal is to provide a safe haven for individuals while they wait for residential treatment bed openings, which can be crucial in preventing relapse.

OnTrack’s outreach workers are actively connecting with those in need, reaching out to parks, detox facilities, and even jails to ensure individuals are on the treatment bed waitlist. The organization’s vision extends to Grants Pass, where they plan to open additional emergency lodging facilities in 2024.

Furthermore, OnTrack’s Measure 110 funding has facilitated the purchase of transitional housing properties, offering a solution for those who have completed residential treatment programs. These individuals need a stable environment as they transition back into society. These transitional housing residents must remain engaged in outpatient services and are supported in finding jobs and permanent housing.

While challenges persist, Sommer Wolcott believes that Measure 110 is making a significant impact in Oregon. Emergency lodging and transitional housing fill essential gaps in the treatment and recovery journey, offering hope and support to individuals striving to overcome drug addiction.

“These individuals are trying to put their lives back together,” Wolcott said. “They’re still engaged in outpatient services at this point and getting peer support to help remove barriers and find housing, but they are coming out on the other side of their journey.”

To explore OnTrack Rogue Valley’s comprehensive services, including outpatient services, residential treatment programs, and low-income housing, visit their website or follow them on Facebook.