Dear [recipient’s name and title]

As a constituent, I am writing to request that you work to identify funding to establish a comprehensive Recovery Center in the Tri-Cities WA.

The Tri-Cities region of nearly 300,000 people is the only major metropolitan area in Washington State that does not have a detox facility or an inpatient Recovery Center to treat and rehabilitate persons suffering from substance use and mental health disorders. These facilities are critical to stop the cycle of addiction and assist people to re-enter productive community life. 

Substance Use Disorder (addiction) is a primary, chronic, neurobiological brain disease affecting 27 million Americans and their families. Addiction affects people of all races, ages, sexes, and levels of education & income. Addiction impacts one in three American households. CDC reports over 93,000 drug overdose deaths in 2020 in the United States, in addition to more than 95,000 alcohol-related deaths. These deaths were preventable.

Addiction is a treatable disease. Treatment programs make long-term recovery possible. Currently, only 1 in 10 Americans suffering from addiction receive treatment.

Our vision is a Recovery Center providing treatment assessment, medical withdrawal management (detox), residential inpatient treatment, aftercare planning (recovery housing, job training assistance), research into treatment efficacy and methods, and pediatric transition services.

A Recovery Center will save the community money. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that every $1 invested in substance use disorder treatment saves $4 in healthcare and $7 in criminal justice costs. Other benefits include reduced crime & recidivism, increased public safety, timely treatment options for people ready to begin recovery, reduced repeat visits to Emergency Rooms, and family education to increase treatment success rate.

A Recovery Center would allow for diversion programs (alternatives to jail) for minor drug-related offenses and provide a local employer resource to assist employees and their families seeking treatment.

We urge you to recognize the establishment and funding of a Recovery Center in the Tri-Cities as a critical need and top priority.

Sincerely,

[your full name and address]