Umatilla County’s mental health services will undergo a significant change this year as the county brings in a new provider to handle mental health and addiction treatment.

In an administrative meeting on Wednesday, May 26, Umatilla County commissioners voted in agreement with a unanimous recommendation from a five-person committee to award a contract to Community Counseling Solutions as its new mental health and addiction services provider.

“For somebody in crisis, whether they’re struggling with mental health, or if they’re under the influence of intoxicants, or both, which is usually the case, they’re going to get the service they need immediately,” said Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer, the county’s liaison for mental health.

The committee was composed of an educator, law enforcement staff and county employees. They recommended CCS, a behavioral health provider based in Heppner, over Lifeways, an Ontario-based mental health provider that has served the county for 14 years.

Lifeways plans to protest the county’s decision, according to Liz Johnsen, chief operating officer for Lifeways.

The county’s own alcohol and drug treatment services cover substance abuse, while Lifeways handled mental health care for the county. But patients in crisis often fall under both categories at once, officials say, at times leaving it unclear which entity should respond to someone in need.

Community Counseling Solutions is going to handle both, starting in September for addiction services and December for mental health.

For more coverage on the decision, see www.hermistonherald.com or www.eastoregonian.com.