Jamestown S’Klallam tribal officials unveiled their initial design concept for a planned medicine-assisted treatment – or MAT – clinic during an invitation-only gathering last Thursday.  The Peninsula Daily News says Tribal Chairman Ron Allen told the 200 or so supporters of the project that the clinic to help North Olympic Peninsula residents battle opioid addiction is moving forward.

Acknowledging there are people in the community who oppose the facility, he said “we firmly believe this project works.”  He said the MAT clinic is about healing, about getting people healthy again. As he spoke, dozens of people were staging a protest outside the tribe’s Jamestown Family Health Clinic where the presentation was being held.  

Tribal health services director Brent Simcosky said the tribe plans to file its application for the clinic with the City of Sequim next month. The preliminary design concept envisions a building expected to be 17,000 square feet.  The facility will be located on a 20 acre parcel purchased by the tribe in May of 2018 on South 9^th Avenue adjacent to Highway 101 near the Costco store in Sequim.  

The clinic has drawn the anger of a number of area residents, expressing concerns that such a facility would draw criminal activity to the area. Simcosky says tribal officials have addressed those concerns a number of times.  He said the tribe’s MAT application to the city will include a Community Response Plan to address community concerns such as safety. The project, says tribal chairman Ron Allen, “is about getting people healthy.”